Poll: Has Pixar lost its touch?

[Fox12]

Just watched Movie Bob's review of Monsters University and it was the 4th review I have seen/read this week that basically said MU was nothing to write home about, but it was his comment about "Brave" that made me think. "Brave" was a fun movie, but it was ... well ... not a Pixar movie. I mean, I liked it but the plot really didn't flow very well. There was TONS of things that could be done with the fallen kingdom and the witch and Muldoon, but those elements really only existed to teach our stubborn princess to be careful what she wished for.

So, has Pixar lost its touch? Is this a phase they will soon out grow? Or has all the talent been funneled into the Star Wars department?

*Alorxico*

Pixar is completely controlled by Disney now. Before they were under steve jobs, who reportedly "demanded perfection." As soon as disney took over, animators left in droves, reporting that there were major changes in the studio. Disney immediately cancelled all of pixars new movie plans, instead electing to make sequels to established franchises, and began converting films for 3d re-release. Before, pixar had a policy of only making sequels to films that had a strong enough story to justify it, and put emphasis on new IP'S. Disney is effectively the EA of the film world, except they have extremely good PR. They buy successful franchises and immediately begin throwing out as many cheap cash grab sequels as possible for short term profits. That's their policy with Marvel, and that's what they intend to do with Star Wars. One Star Wars movie a year? Do you really believe these movies will be classics? Once they've milked that cow for all its worth, they'll move onto something else. Pixar is finished, but atleast they went out with a bang with UP (which Disney reportedly didn't support, because how do you sell old man toys?).

 

[TakerFoxx]

Man, am I like the only person in the universe who liked Brave?

Nope, I loved it. It's probably one of my top five favorite Pixar movies, which is why I'm always scratching my head when people come down so hard on it.

I guess this is the burden of being so good. It's like once you've established a near-perfect track record, you're not allowed to make any missteps at all, and the second you do you get demonized. As for me, I don't care if they made Cars 2. I didn't see it anyway. They're still the best damned studio out there, animation or otherwise.

 

[Elamdri]

Man, am I like the only person in the universe who liked Brave?

Nope, I loved it. It's probably one of my top five favorite Pixar movies, which is why I'm always scratching my head when people come down so hard on it.

I guess this is the burden of being so good. It's like once you've established a near-perfect track record, you're not allowed to make any missteps at all, and the second you do you get demonized. As for me, I don't care if they made Cars 2. I didn't see it anyway. They're still the best damned studio out there, animation or otherwise.

Yeah, I'm pretty much the same way. I've heard people shit on Brave like it's the worst movie to come out in decades.

It's like, have you guys ever seen shit like Batman and Robin? Battlefield Earth? North? Gigli? Catwoman? Go watch those movies and then come back and tell me just how fucking awful Brave was.

 

[BrassButtons]

Man, am I like the only person in the universe who liked Brave?

Nope, I loved it. It's probably one of my top five favorite Pixar movies, which is why I'm always scratching my head when people come down so hard on it.

I guess this is the burden of being so good. It's like once you've established a near-perfect track record, you're not allowed to make any missteps at all, and the second you do you get demonized. As for me, I don't care if they made Cars 2. I didn't see it anyway. They're still the best damned studio out there, animation or otherwise.

Yeah, I'm pretty much the same way. I've heard people shit on Brave like it's the worst movie to come out in decades.

It's like, have you guys ever seen shit like Batman and Robin? Battlefield Earth? North? Gigli? Catwoman? Go watch those movies and then come back and tell me just how fucking awful Brave was.

Another 'Brave' fan here. It's easily one of my favorite Pixar movies, and Merida has replaced Mulan as my favorite Disney Princess.

Sometimes I think people forget that they aren't necessarily Pixar's target audience, and that not liking a Pixar movie doesn't necessarily mean the movie was bad. It may have been exactly what it was meant to be.

 

[Elamdri]

Man, am I like the only person in the universe who liked Brave?

Nope, I loved it. It's probably one of my top five favorite Pixar movies, which is why I'm always scratching my head when people come down so hard on it.

I guess this is the burden of being so good. It's like once you've established a near-perfect track record, you're not allowed to make any missteps at all, and the second you do you get demonized. As for me, I don't care if they made Cars 2. I didn't see it anyway. They're still the best damned studio out there, animation or otherwise.

Yeah, I'm pretty much the same way. I've heard people shit on Brave like it's the worst movie to come out in decades.

It's like, have you guys ever seen shit like Batman and Robin? Battlefield Earth? North? Gigli? Catwoman? Go watch those movies and then come back and tell me just how fucking awful Brave was.

Another 'Brave' fan here. It's easily one of my favorite Pixar movies, and Merida has replaced Mulan as my favorite Disney Princess.

Sometimes I think people forget that they aren't necessarily Pixar's target audience, and that not liking a Pixar movie doesn't necessarily mean the movie was bad. It may have been exactly what it was meant to be.

I really enjoyed Mulan, but I was somewhat depressed by the ending of the movie. It's like, for the first time in a while you see a Disney movie with a female character that seems to have her own sense of agency and this is taking into account she lives in Feudal CHINA. She defeats an army of men, saves a nation, and gets the EMPEROR to bow to her. But her story arc isn't completed until she gets together with the boy she kinda likes. F*****' a Disney. Still a great movie, just...damn but I wish they would stopped with everyone bowing before her at the Forbidden City.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I doubt they've lost much of anything, but are no longer allowed to express what they used to because of Disney. I'm waiting for any movie to rival The Incredibles, and I think that could only happen from Pixar.

Or Brad Bird ofcourse. He should really make more Pixar movies, he's so fucking good at it.

Anyway, could be Pixar is digging in to hibernate through the economic crisis with what they think are sure succeses. Or maybe the fantastic concepts have simply run dry for the moment - You can't be wonderful all the time.

They'd better not ever again produce as horrible of a waste of time as Brave though. That movie is right up there with John Carter, which coincidentally was also directed by a Pixar regular.

 

[Neverhoodian]

They might be in a slump. It happened before in the early 2000's when, still riding high from terrific films like Toy Story 2, they made a few mediocre ones like Monsters Inc. and Finding Nemo (I thought Cars was a better movie).

Spoiler

Yeah yeah, hate me all you want. My opinion stands.​

My point is, after a few (in my opinion) lackluster films, they suddenly came out with a bunch of terrific ones, starting with The Incredibles and ending with Toy Story 3. Now it seems they're in a bit of a slump again.

It happens with the creative process. You can't always outdo yourself, particularly when you're releasing full length movies on a yearly schedule. Couple that with high audience expectations, and you've got a recipe for disappointment.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I admit I ain't thrill of them doing sequels lately but I am still holding out for their come back (I like the sound of their future film The Good Dinosaur and that other film based on that Mexican event Day of the Dead).

 

[DishonoredElderSouls]

The Incredibles was in my opinion their first dud, because it was everything all of their previous movies weren't- loud, obnoxious, and very Dreamworks in fashion.

I personally feel that it was around the time that their movies started becoming human-centric that they began to lose their touch. Up was decent, but almost pointlessly abstract, Toy Story 3 was awful in relation to the previous two films, Cars 2 looked really awful, I have yet to form an opinion on Brave, Wall-E was mid-range, and Monsters University apparently is missing the core emotional component that Boo provided in the first film.

I'm not banking on their films becoming absolute masterpieces again, so I voted 'No'.

 

[Ratties]

Well most of their movies don't need sequels. The story usually wraps up in the first movie. It feels like a pointless video game trilogy. They have to keep tacking pointless shit on so they can warrant another one. They better not make a sequel to this movie.
[http://photobucket.com/images/Ratatouille]

Its my favorite one of the bunch, leave Remy alone.

 

[smithy_2045]

I feel people expect too much from Pixar these days, and underrate perfectly good movies they make as a result.

 

[Hero of Lime]

It's their focus on sequels, outside of the Toy Story sequels, the others they've been making are just cash grabs. I haven't seen Brave, and I've heard it's good, but not their best. I loved Finding Nemo, but I really doubt Finding Dory will be very good and I assumed Monsters University sounded kinda uninspired so I'm not surprised it isn't up to par with their other works. I believe the magic is still there, they are just playing it safe at the moment.

 

[Signa]

I doubt they've lost much of anything, but are no longer allowed to express what they used to because of Disney. I'm waiting for any movie to rival The Incredibles, and I think that could only happen from Pixar.

Or Brad Bird ofcourse. He should really make more Pixar movies, he's so fucking good at it.

I can't say I'm familiar with the rest of his work, but damn, his role in making The Incredibles was awesome (in the literal sense of the word).

 

[EeveeElectro]

If Pixar's short films are any indication, the talent, enthusiasm, creativity, spirit, etc. are all still there. It's just not coming through a whole lot in the studio's feature films.

Hopefully it starts to do so again.

This. (I was trying to find a funny 'This!' gif but failed) Disney's shorts are still wonderful even if their movies are a bit up and down.
I have Brave but haven't watched it yet (maybe tonight?) but compared to most companies, Pixar is really good. Cars 2 was pretty dire and I haven't looked into Monsters university because I still need to see inc.
I adore their movies, every company has a few bad scratches on their record but I can forgive them for all the happiness they've given me. Maybe they're just going through a creative drought right now.

 

[Antitonic]

For every naysayer about something, there's at least one person who absolutely loves it. Personally, I'm just sick of all the computer-generated animation. I can objectively tell that there's a great amount of effort being put into Pixar movies, they just do nothing for me.

 

[DoveAlexa]

I'd just like more of their stuff to be happy and funny again, with less 30 minute prologues of complete depression (Up). everything that came after that in Up did not wash away the depression the first part gave me. I'd rather have not seen it at all. It's okay to have tender moments and scary moments and a few sad moments, but they should only last a moment and then be completely turned around to happy again. Especially for the under 10 audience and the audience who comes in to be not depressed.
//awaits getting attacked by all the Up (and bambi) fans .

 

[BrotherRool]

What I think has changed is Pixar no longer do the thing where if the film isn't good enough, it doesn't get made. A lot of their initial reputation was off the back off constant storyboarding and a willingness to let idea after idea get shelved if it wasn't looking incredible.

Now with Disney control they've been more oriented towards money making. So I think the talent and skill is still there, but whereas before we wouldn't see a Pixar film unless it's the most incredible thing ever, now we're seeing some of the average ideas and filler inbetween. I'm sure the next amazing Pixar is just around the corner

 

[wooty]

I'm not a fan of CGI "cartoon" movies to be honest, I still prefer good old 2D animation any day. I think the magics not gone out of Pixar or Dreamworks, but out of the whole 3D CGI movie style itself.

A few years ago it was great, new, inventive. Now though, it seems these types of movies are being shoveled out the door 30 at a time. And most look the same.

 

[Vivi22]

Whe Pixar's worst movies still stand head and shoulders above everything else, I really don't think it's fair to say they've lost their touch.

 

[Kaxbe]

I'd say that all PIXAR needs is to focus on their original stories again. They actually have three original stories currently in the works. One about dinosaurs, another about the Day Of The Dead, and a third, that seems very interesting and promising, about the subconscious of a little girl. Hopefully none of those projects go the way of Newt and end up in development limbo and then finally being dropped.

As for the sequel issue, I really don't mind the sequels too much as long as they're done in the same way that made Toy Story 2 and 3 so great. Practically all of the PIXAR movies have been incredibly allegorical and metaphorical. The Toy Story franchise is practically a trilogy about the fear of growing old. The Incredibles is a metaphor for mid-life crisis. Fining Nemo is about protecting your loved ones while learning to let them be their own people. If any sequels they produce have that same touch of brilliance when it comes to the story, I'd be fine with it.

And the only way I'd be okay with a sequel to The Incredibles is if Brad Bird returns to direct it.

Man, am I like the only person in the universe who liked Brave?

Nope, I loved it. It's probably one of my top five favorite Pixar movies, which is why I'm always scratching my head when people come down so hard on it.

I guess this is the burden of being so good. It's like once you've established a near-perfect track record, you're not allowed to make any missteps at all, and the second you do you get demonized. As for me, I don't care if they made Cars 2. I didn't see it anyway. They're still the best damned studio out there, animation or otherwise.

Yeah, I'm pretty much the same way. I've heard people shit on Brave like it's the worst movie to come out in decades.

It's like, have you guys ever seen shit like Batman and Robin? Battlefield Earth? North? Gigli? Catwoman? Go watch those movies and then come back and tell me just how fucking awful Brave was.

Another 'Brave' fan here. It's easily one of my favorite Pixar movies, and Merida has replaced Mulan as my favorite Disney Princess.

Sometimes I think people forget that they aren't necessarily Pixar's target audience, and that not liking a Pixar movie doesn't necessarily mean the movie was bad. It may have been exactly what it was meant to be.

I really enjoyed Mulan, but I was somewhat depressed by the ending of the movie. It's like, for the first time in a while you see a Disney movie with a female character that seems to have her own sense of agency and this is taking into account she lives in Feudal CHINA. She defeats an army of men, saves a nation, and gets the EMPEROR to bow to her. But her story arc isn't completed until she gets together with the boy she kinda likes. F*****' a Disney. Still a great movie, just...damn but I wish they would stopped with everyone bowing before her at the Forbidden City.

Don't get me started on Mulan. I have an intense love/hate relationship with that movie.