Disney/Pixar

[Trent Hoyt 13]

Pixar is arguable the most successful studio of all time. All of their films have been universally accepted by both the critics and the audiences. They have set the gold bar for computer animated films. With a unique approach, that focuses firstly on the story, their films are likely to last the test of time.

With the scores we have basically two camps. Randy Newman is Pixar's composer of choice at the moment with Giacchino looking like the possible composer of the future. Thomas Newman is not to be overlooked as he gave us a great score with Finding Nemo.

All of the scores have been nominated for awards. So, which is your favorite?

Also, which is your favorite Pixar film?

[Morlock 11]

At the moment, The Incredibles is my favorite score, but it's followed closely by A Bug's Life. And it's vice versa for the films. Cars is by far my least favorite of all fronts.

[Trent Hoyt 13]

I went with Toy Story for score, probably because its one of my childhood favorites. I picked The Incredibles for movie, I can watch it all the time, its a great action movie.

[ChuckM 1]

Score: Incredibles, followed by Cars.

Movie: Toy Story followed by Toy Story 2

[Ollie 1,069]

Score - The Incredibles.

Movie - Finding Nemo.

[Bryant Burnette 657]

I can honestly say that I love each and every feature Pixar has made to date. Cars is probably my least favorite, but even that one . . . the animation is just stunning; and the fact that they were able to make Larry the Cable Guy not just tolerable but actually adorable is kind of a staggering achievement.

As for the scores, I've got them all, and I like them all, but the only ones that I find myself wanting to listen to very often are The Incredibles (which I voted for), Finding Nemo, and Ratatouille. Michael Giacchino is definitely one of the better composers to come to prominence in the last decade; he seems to be able to fit his style to Pixar's very well. And though I've never been a big Thomas Newman fan, he did great work on Nemo.

Personally, I think that what Pixar has managed to produce so far is nothing short of amazing. Eight movies, and all eight of them classics. That's quite a streak, and I doubt WALL*E will be the film to break it.

[Trent Hoyt 13]

Pixar has had an amazing track record and I'm glad to see the votes going everywhere. At this point it is hard to bet against Pixar. Michael Eisner actually thought that Finding Nemo was going to be a failure. That prediction played a big part in is fall from power at Disney.

[Richard Penna 3,770]

Toy Story will always be my favourite movie - saw it in the cinema when I was 10 or 11.

Favourite score.. tricky one. I love Tom Newman's score to Nemo, but Giacchino also did an amazing job with Ratatouille.

BTW, I think the 'composer of choice' can't really be set in stone. Wall-E will be Tom's 2nd movie with Andrew Stanton, Giacchino's were both with Brad Bird and Lassetter's have all been Randy. Really just depends on the director I think. And talking of directors, it's pretty clear that they all value the music's contribution. I fact, Stanton says in the Nemo liner notes that he wrote the screenplay listening to Newman's music.

So yes, I think Pixar is a miracle as far as studios go. Even their 'weaker' movies (which I consider to be A Bug's Life and Cars) have been miles ahead of some of the crap coming out of Dreamworks etc, and I enjoyed them all - I want to see Cars again at some point actually. I think it really is down to the fact that they don't try to be clever and be all like 'wow, isn't this just soooo photorealistic', but focus entirely on the story. They also mostly refrain from casting big stars; Toy Story had Tom Hanks (to attract attention), but they abandoned that formula for Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc, The Incredibles, Nemo and Ratatouille - the main players in all of those are not mega a-listers by today's standards, and yet other studios have Justin Timberlake in Shrek, and Seinfeld playing a Bee.

Re. Eisner - I consider the man an a$$hole. Obsessed with money. I still can't believe the terms Toy Story was produced under, where Pixar paid Disney a distribution fee, and also gave Disney half the profits, so basically, Pixar did all the work but Disney made more money. Just doesn't seem right, especially since at least the first 3 or 4 movies I think were made under that deal, by which time it was stinkingly obvious that Pixar was a winner..

It really is quite something for the studio to be the marketable aspect and indicator of quality, and not the main star.

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

Both Ratatouille

[indy4 155]

For scores, I only have Incredibles and Ratatouille, and the former is WAY superior to the latter.

In terms of film, I've seen all except Cars and Robots, and Toy Story is my favorite, followed closley by Finding Nemo.

I'd also like to point out to all those Lucas-haters that Pixar was started by George...

[Trent Hoyt 13]

I am glad that Disney was able to come to a deal with Pixar. I love all things Disney and its been clear for some time that Disney Animation just isn't popular anymore. With the purchase of Pixar, Disney guaranteed themselves a continually excellent stable of incoming characters.

[Morlock 11]

For scores, I only have Incredibles and Ratatouille, and the former is WAY superior to the latter.

In terms of film, I've seen all except Cars and Robots,

Robots was made by Fox.

[Red 75]

The Incredibles for best score.

A Bug's Life for best film (but really, I could have chosen any one of those).

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Ratatouille for both.

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

Ratatouille for score, Toy Story 2 for film.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I don't think I've seen any of those movies!

[Trent B 337]

I voted Cars for my favorite score and Toy Story for the film.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Not sure about the score.

But The Incredibles is a great movie, animated or not. It takes the top spot in the movie poll for me.

Brad Bird

[robthehand 3]

Not sure about score, but Toy Story is my favourite of those films.

[Richard Penna 3,770]

I voted Cars for my favorite score and Toy Story for the film.

Cars is your favourite score?

Now that I'm in any way criticising your opinion, but why? I consider it by far the weakest, and it's the only Pixar score to share the CD with songs.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Toy Story in all departments.

[ChuckM 1]

I'm glad to see that no one voted Cars as best movie. It really bugs me that the entire storyline is pretty much exactly the same as Doc Hollywood. Pixar is usually a lot more creative in coming up with original story lines.

[Ollie 1,069]

And Doc Hollywood took it's general idea from some previous film as well. There are quite a few movies that have their roots or same idea from a previous film.

Cars may not be 100% original but it's done rather well in my opinion. Plus it's a beautifully animated movie.

[ChuckM 1]

Yeah, there's no doubt that it was well done. Typical Pixar quality there.

[Morlock 11]

It was well animated (the landscapes, not the cars). But it's writing is terrible. I wasn't expecting Pixar to reinvent the wheel.....but how banal can you get?

[Ollie 1,069]

Well you can't expect Pixar to hit one out of the park everytime.

It's still miles better than most of the other CGI cartoons released.

[Trent Hoyt 13]

Its always a safe bet when you see a Pixar film. Their movies are far beyond the garbage that Dreamworks puts out (I'm looking at you Shrek.)

[Morlock 11]

Shrek is a terrific movie. Shrek 2 ain't bad either. Shrek 3 sucks, yes.

[ChuckM 1]

...the garbage that Dreamworks puts out (I'm looking at you Shrek.)

Excellent score however.

[Trent Hoyt 13]

The Shrek films are too dated for my taste. Although I have no problem with it, they rely on pop culture references a little too much for me.

[Salacius 7]

I love each and every Pixar film (including Cars)

The scores are all great and work really well but I'm not crazy about them

[Morlock 11]

The Shrek films are too dated for my taste. Although I have no problem with it, they rely on pop culture references a little too much for me.

I find the first two Shrek's to be funnier than most Pixar movies. They are more dated, and not nearly as good story-wise. But they've got some inspired comedy, a twinkle in thier eye that I love, even while acknowledging the general inferiority of the product.

[Ollie 1,069]

The first Shrek was funny, the score was good.

The 2nd film was ok and the score boring, the third was just boring and the same can be said for the score.

I wish John Powell had stayed with the Shrek films and HGW had left.

[Morlock 11]

The second score was fun. The third score sucked. Either way, yes, John Powell is the more interesting of the two.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I found Shrek 2 to be funnier and better, both film-wise and score-wise, than the original. Shrek The Third was just aweful, a change in director significantly changed the film. Not looking forward to Shrek Goes Fourth.

[tpigeon 3]

I have to vote Ratatouille on both counts here. I'm slightly less certain about the score, because I think I would need to really listen to all of them in the film and by themselves to make that judgment. But in terms of my memory of the films, Ratatouille stands out as not only the most innovative of them all, but the most visually and thematically complex within the streamlined narrative formula of most Pixar movies. I was totally amazed by the film when I saw it, and have since seen it two or three more times, each time observing subtle details and a greater sense of the film's overall excellence.

Ted

[Morlock 11]

The second time I saw it, I really liked it. But I think the character of Linguini is a weak one, and I feel that the character of Anton Ego may have been a bit on the pandering side (even though it is a wonderful character. Give O'Toole the oscar for his performance!!!).

[tpigeon 3]

Yeah, Linguini wasn't too nuanced. But he carried the story effectively as a counterpart to the much more interesting protagonist, Remy. I loved Ego though, especially how he kind of ties everything together, particularly the thematic threads about individual/cultural perception and how we colour it. Plus his remarks about criticism are deeper than many critics would like to acknowledge. It actually speaks to the importance of the mutually-dependent relationship between art and criticism.

But I don't think the film's structural or thematic underpinnings are what make it so great. Obviously, they help, but how Bird and his animators construct that world and create motion is staggering. It's not so much about individual elements, i.e. characters, themes, musical cues, etc. but about experience of them all. As a pure piece of cinema, a marriage of movement and sound, the movie is sublime.

[Morlock 11]

For me, looking at the details were what made me love this film, to a certain extent. Too many of the elements of the story didn't feel good enough to deserve to be in this magnificent setting, and were constantly jarring. Ego was the only human character that deserved the setting.

[SeekUYoda 0]

Score - The Incredibles. Definitely. Absolutely no contest. I saw a late showing in the theatre and had to find a Wal-Mart to have the soundtrack immediately afterward!

I see nobody voted for Monsters, Inc. - that might be a 2nd choice for me. I'm surprised no one voted for it because I really enjoyed that score too! It is fairly Randy Newmanish, but it's very memorable and very listenable outside the film.

Film - I could vote for any of them except Cars. It's a 7-way tie.

[Richard Penna 3,770]

The only Shrek movie I truly enjoy is the first. The second had some good parts, and after 2 viewings I have no desire to see the third again. Why do they feel the need to get a pop star to play a main character? I know it's to get all the teenage girls in, but that IMO is a totally pathetic marketing attempt. Pixar has proved that with a good story and some strong characters, it doesn't matter if the maintenance guy provides the voice (and Ben Burtt is providing a voice for Wall-E for heaven's sake, who's heard of him?).

[Morlock 11]

Justin Timberlake is not a bad actor. Although his voice acting was rather annoying.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Well, Wall·E is going to be much like R2-D2 - his voice consists of sound effects. I couldn't think of anyone more perfect to do that than Ben Burtt.

- Marc, who loved the JT superbowl commercial, albeit mostly because of the physical abuse...

[Richard Penna 3,770]

Justin Timberlake is not a bad actor. Although his voice acting was rather annoying.

Yeah but it's the principle that they relied a lot on marketing his name.

[Morlock 11]

Oh, I don't know that they used his name any more than the big four stars.

[Ollie 1,069]

Well, Wall·E is going to be much like R2-D2 - his voice consists of sound effects. I couldn't think of anyone more perfect to do that than Ben Burtt.

- Marc, who loved the JT superbowl commercial, albeit mostly because of the physical abuse...

Especially the mailbox sequence.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Wall-e looks more like short circuit.

[Red 75]

The Shrek movie(s) may be good, but they don't have near the heart that Pixar films do. That has a lot to do with why the studio has been so successful.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Well, Wall·E is going to be much like R2-D2 - his voice consists of sound effects. I couldn't think of anyone more perfect to do that than Ben Burtt.

- Marc, who loved the JT superbowl commercial, albeit mostly because of the physical abuse...

Especially the mailbox sequence.

Yes...

[David Coscina 4]

Score - The Incredibles.

Movie - Finding Nemo.

same here Mark.