By now all of you already know my opinion of Up. I actually quite liked it. I just wasn’t moved to tears or that emotionally involved. I think it has some pacing and tonal problems and is a bit overrated.
Good for them! And if you think about I’m almost certain they wouldn’t be on this list if it weren’t for what many feel are artistically bankrupt business practices. Say what you want about sequel mania but it seems to keep many employed and very happy.
That’s not to say they shouldn’t strive to better themselves. I’m just saying that there’s an upside to most things. Even if we don’t usually see it.
This is actually why recently, I’ve been considering trying to get into DreamWorks out of college as opposed to Pixar. From everything I’ve read about it, it almost seems so much easier to get into DreamWorks than it would to be to get into Pixar; like, they seem so much more flexible and versatile and willing to work with you. Whereas Pixar, if you don’t make the cut, you’re not in.
DreamWorks even has an outreach program in conjunction with a lot of really great art/animation schools, where they’ll go in and not only will they speak at lectures and seminars, but they’ll actually go out and look for students that show a lot of potential. Then they’ll come up alongside that student, and actually help usher them into getting a job at DreamWorks, right out of school. All you can get at Pixar, as far as I know, is an internship; which doesn’t necessarily promise you a job there.
DreamWorks does have its upsides, and if it weren’t for the movies they released last year I would have never realized it, either.
Pixar Die-Hard Response: OMG! You are a horrible person for even asking that question. Duh Pixar is the best animation studio EVAR!!1! With a track record insanely high, and a gargantuan leap ahead of their competitors. Pixar is one of the greatest achievements in film in general. In fact, none of us are even worthy to talk about it. I’ve heard rumors that people saying bad things towards the “studio blessed from above” have their faces melted.
Honest Response: Actually yes, Pixar at the moment is temporarily the greatest animation studio of it’s time, but then again it has been active for 25 years (longer than any CGI-only company), has never had a film drop below 70% on the Rotten Tomato meter (or 90% excluding Cars), and has had an Oscar nomination for every feature-length film the studio has ever produced. Then again, that’s like saying that Christianity is the best religion just because it has millions of followers. It’s completely based on opinion. People often complain that critics (mainly awards groups) and movie-goers in general don’t take animation seriously, but that kind of helps it by keeping it away from the main-stream. In other words, animation studios can walk hand in hand and fans of different studios can gasp get along, because they share an appreciation that in itself is a different form of art than movies.
The only reason why Pixar fans and Dreamworks fans are often seen as the great rivalries (up there with Yankees Vs. Red Socks, and Jedi Vs. Sith) is just because of the past. Pixar was formed (technically) out of a pay-back to the 80’s Disney studio. Dreamworks (and its first films) was formed out of hatred for Disney all together. Just take a look at Shrek and tell me that isn’t a big “Screw you!” to the Mouse House. Even before Disney bought the studio, they’ve always been against Pixar’s more ambitious ideas. The reason why people love Pixar, is because they produced films under the constricted and strict rules of Disney flavor, and not only managed to go beyond what people expect, but find loop-holes in the manuscript. Pixar is like a huge colorful branch of creative lawyers. On the other hand, the reason why people are fans of Dreamworks is because they have freedom. They have the freedom to do whatever they want without the studio boss getting upset. However, this means that the studio has to work twice as hard for people to take their movies seriously (and not just as spoofs). They both have their pros and cons, but I believe fans of either studios are a bit jealous of the other.
If there was ever a collaboration of the two studios, the result would be so spectacular, it would be unhumanly possible, and humanity would instantly cease to exist…Probably; I’m 74% sure. It is possible to enjoy both studios, though. I love every single Pixar film, but I also enjoy (and even love)a few Dreamworks pictures (even if I downright hate some). Pixar are trained masters of their work, and John Lasseter is my idol (among countless other people; not only Pixar fans). Then again, Dreamworks proves just as much as Pixar that they have serious amounts of fun making movies. Take Madagascar 2 (a movie I strongly dislike), however watching the crew go crazy behind the scenes has brought me to have a high respect for the studio.
The point I’m trying to address is that we have reached the point in time where Pixar fans are not entitled by moral laws to be enemies with Dreamworks fans. Fans are now acquaintances with one another, Pixar is on a high-speed train heading upward and never looking back, while Dreamworks is moving away from “We hate you Disney” films, and making actual “film” films (that are significantly better). But Pixar truly is superior, simply because of the way they make films. It’s technically not fair, but we’re not complaining.
Speaking of Mr. JK, does anyone know whether or not he can draw? Just curious, no big deal either way. On one hand it’s not necessary for a business executive, even of an outfit like DreamWorks, to draw. On the other hand, there was an anecdote at the time of the Disney-Pixar merger that suits who couldn’t draw were out the door…and maybe drawing executives are part of Pixar’s successful approach.
Great comments above, Chuckles…always a huge detailed-commentary fan here!
I personally hate Jeffrey Katzenberg with all my guts. I call him Satan, and you can ask my mom how often I rant on him. However, this doesn’t lessen the quality of DreamWork’s good movies.
Well, I just care so much about Pixar(wow, you mean just like everybody here?) that I especially dislike him. Satan hasn’t done anything against me personally. So he’s below Satan on my list.
If you’re referring to J Katz, it’s self explanatory. I think about movies all day every day. What he did to Disney and Pixar spawned my hate for him, including the Disney jokes in Shrek and rip-off movies. If you like him, fine. That’s fine. But I will never respect him as an individual, artist, or business man. He’s a terrible person, IMO. I much prefer other DW workers like Chris Sanders and their artists.
I don’t really think it’s self explanatory. Everybody seems to be hating on the guy because he left Disney and started up a neat new company with a few others… and wants to make money with said company. Wait, what!? He’s a businessman trying to make money!? BLASPHEMY! Disney doesn’t do that AT ALL!!! [/sarcasm]
Could you be a bit more specific about what makes you hate him? What DID he do to Disney and Pixar? Because I think you don’t even know why you hate him…
Dude, have you seen Shrek?
Here, this is about Aladdin in specific. jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief … 1/312.aspx
Thanks to Flik-E for the link. Besides, we’re entitled to hate the guy, as much as you are to like him. I mean, really? Shark Tale? Antz? It seems pretty self-explanatory to me. He was a jerk at Disney, and now he’s a jerk at DW. I like the company and some movies, just not him.
This may be my own bias, but…yeah, Disney. I think since the Disney Animation Studios have been around for a good, what, 55 more years than Pixar and have made a good 39 more films, that of course they’d have weak points and bad films.
Czarine: Well…you do realize that J Katz was the man who almost ruined Toy Story, right? He requested it to be “edgy” and adult, so they made Woody an abusive, manipulative jerk. Roy Disney (the jr. one) ended up hating it and giving the Pixar people complete creative control. So yeah, Pixar fans do have a reason to hate him.
Thank you, Rac. I half expected you to enter this conversation, but I really appreciate that you see my point, anyway. Have you read that Aladdin article? It might interest you.
I agree. I do see why people hate the way Jeffrey Katzenberg has been working in animation, but hating any person themself is rather harsh (especially to call him Satan), and I’m not the type of person who wants to be hating on people anymore. And it’s not like he doesn’t have a soul or anything. The very first thing he did when he first joined Disney was cut animation from The Black Cauldron because he felt convicted that “this stuff is too scary for kids”. But at that time there was this popular belief after Walt died that his animated films were only for kids (and I can’t say I haven’t fallen into that trap in the past myself) and that anything with the Disney label was looked upon as strictly kiddie fare. So Jeffrey had this agenda that to save Disney films he had to make them more appealing to adults, and his idea of doing that was pushing for the “edgy” humor. This is also the reason they created Touchstone Pictures for making more adult films. The other thing he did was push for the strong advertising for Disney’s films, which gave him trouble with Robin Williams while making Aladdin, as the link IncredigirlVirginia just posted shows.
And for any Aardman fans who love the films they made with DreamWorks, there’s no doubt that Jeffrey gave them a bit of a hard time also. Much like what happened with Toy Story, they were always getting notes to make their films appeal more to an American audience and to have less British references (since they’re a British studio). The last film they made with them Flushed Away apparently had such a troubled production because of creative differences that it resulted in them breaking up, and the film itself clearly plays out like DreamWorks had more control over it than Aardman. When I went to see it I remember thinking it was the best film they’ve done, but I was still more naive about things back then.
