Story and characterisation is the most important thing in the end.
In doesn’t matter if you have mind blowing graphics, you still have to sell the story to me. And if you have told a good story before. Or even worse a STRING of good stories, I expect the heck out of them. I have accepted that Dreamworks has made mistakes. Bee movie was terrible to me. Shrek 3 was painful. But when they get it right (HTTYD, Shrek) they REALLY get it right.
In the end though you can’t put glitter on a lack-lustre plot and bland characters and call it a good piece of work.
Of course, with less well used graphics, it might take me a second or two more to get into it but if it’s good, it’s good!
It’s not so much that I’m starting to hate on Pixar or anything, it’s just that they aren’t the only animation studio who is impressing me nowadays. I’ve warmed up to its competitors like Dreamworks, Animal Logic, Disney and Blue Sky (who have produced HTTYD, LOTG and the upcoming Tangled and Rio respectively). Whereas as recent as last year I would be an unapologetic Pixar exclusivist (ie “Pixar is the one and only great animated studio in the world”), now I’m being more open-minded to other contenders. That and the fact that as great as TS3 is, it didn’t exceed my expectations like its predecessors did, in addition to the superiority complex of some Pixar fans (which as far as I can tell, most people here aren’t).
^ I believe in this.
Sad but true. Final Fantasy: Advent Children would be one of the ‘negative exceptions’ in that it has eyeball-searing graphics, but a terrible plot. And it got the low score it deserved, IMHO. I can’t think of a ‘positive exception’ (an ugly film that has a great story and got a high score), but I’d like to know if there is any!
IMO those who prefer DreamWorks features like the colorful and loud Monsters Vs Aliens and Madagascar will like this movie if not love it. Those (like myself) who aren’t large fans of those films and lean towards the subtly of HTTYD and Kung Fu Panda probably not so much…
With less than twenty days to go to the premiere, the official site looks set for an upgrade!
Some neat character bios, videos, wallpaper downloads, and games (which I haven’t played yet, cos’ the site believes I haven’t installed a Flash upgrade, and couldn’t be bothered to ease user interactivity ). I really wished they chose a more inspiring background for the site, it’s rather lazy site designing along the lines of Monsters vs Aliens. Maybe a side-scrolling layout of Metro City like HTTYD, or video transitions like LOTG, or just a more detailed backdrop like TS3 would do?
Other than that, it’s pretty okay, if a little lacklustre. Some of the videos show half-completed animations like the second one for Megamind (the robots just float against a matte background), and the first one for Minion (has a video game render quality to it).
The only worthwhile feature is the virtual Comic Book, which is the most professional looking part of the site. You can read it by panel-by-panel, page-by-page, or even download it a PDF of it, and the story (which seems to be a prequel of sorts) is actually pretty entertaining and gives an insight into the characters. It’s… dareisayit… Boom Studio quality.
Now, if the movie is just as good as this prequel comic, I think Dreamworks is all set.
David Cross? Isn’t that Crane on Kung Fu Panda? That was a smart move on their part, to me. If this is anything like KFP(which, like Gazelle, I doubt) I’ll love it.
To me there’s no competition to PIXAR (Well, maybe the old Disney and Studio Ghibli films) but I’d be lying completely if I said I wasn’t excited for this film. I absolutely love their Super Hero movie twist and and it’s probably the only film I can think of right now that I’m planning on seeing.
At any rate, I should be able to enjoy it for the extreme over the top acting and dozens of pop culture references. Also I’ll watch anything with Tina Fey.
). I really wished they chose a more inspiring background for the site, it’s rather lazy site designing along the lines of Monsters vs Aliens. Maybe a side-scrolling layout of Metro City like HTTYD, or video transitions like LOTG, or just a more detailed backdrop like TS3 would do?
Poor guy…
)