Pixar are my homeboys.

Like quite a few people, I have noticed the whole Dreamworks/Pixar rivalry going on. [For the sake of my / key, I will call Disney, Pixar and Disney/Pixar just "Pixar".] Comparing the different movies each company have brought out, and realising the shocking similarities in some cases.

So, I'm going to write about movies. Mostly Pixar's rise to seemingly endless praise, and Dreamworks, when I can be bothered.

Toys are alive...!

Toy Story was the first full-length Pixar film, and has not failed to disappoint in either the original movie or its sequel. The first clearly had a few problems; being made over 10 years means that looking back on it the CGI work wasn't fantastic. But the storyline, the clashes, the subtle humour, and the songwriting just tied it all into a big hit. Now normally, a sequel is disappointing, and it's neither good nor bad, just an obvious excuse to sell more toys. But Toy Story 2 was original and just plain good. The scene where Jessie tells us about her previous ownership with "When She Loved Me" makes me tear up every single time.

Ants and Antz

This is Antz vs A Bug's Life. I give this one to Antz and Dreamworks hits back with what it does best, with its ability to hit a slightly blue note where Disney would fear to tread. Woody Allen is someone I adore and love, and I want to see what else he's done. The humour on Antz is sharp and funny at times, adult enough to keep me amused, with enough simple gags to keep kids laughing while enjoying the talking ants. A Bug's Life just didn't cut it for me, although I loved the ladybug stuff. And - purple ants? What the fuck.

Shrek

Shrek blew me away, and quite a lot of the movie industry hailed the use of the new computer technology that Dreamworks had developed for Antz and utilised and stretched to fit Shrek's needs. Beer flowed, swamps were swam in, fur was stroked, grass blew softly in the wind, and people looked like people. Add in the fact that this movie was a send up of most things Disney [movie stereotypes and theme park parodies], it's just a great hour and a half. The sequels were mediocre though. It lacked the sheer originality that the first Shrek had. The novelty of the idea had faded, and nothing outstanding had been offered. Shrek the Third was just... meh. I didn't want to watch it immediately again, which is really the sign of a killer movie.

Boo!

Monsters Inc., although flawed in plotlines, is always an enduring favourite. Boo is freakin' adorable. I just... want to eat her alive, she's so sweet. Every time I watch that movie, I just want 192 children, little Boo-clones. So cute. And, Billy Crystal is just hilarious. "Me and you, you and me, both of us together!"

Fishie, fishie, fishie, fish!

I always think of Sharky and George when I think of Finding Nemo, despite the fact they're totally different things. Finding Nemo was, again, an enjoyable Pixar hit. They killed the mother, the father's neurotic, Nemo is a cute little kiddy fish with a "lucky fin" and we just feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Plus, it features one of my favourite women, Ellen Degerenes [or Ellen Degenenerate, as her schoolmates called her sometimes]. Dory makes this movie. I am Dory. She is me!

Superhero-tastic

I don't have a lot to say about the Incredibles. Not to say it wasn't good, but... meh. It was good! CGI work was fabolous. Some beautiful visuals. I'm not a huge fan of superheroes. Although there were some killer moments.

Ratatouille

When I first saw this, I was surprised at how much I liked it. I'd heard a lot about it, how this kid's movie appeals to adults just as much, and I was sceptical, and I don't know why. It was awesome. I loved the story, and the rat, and the ginger kid and his hot girlfriend and... it was all good. I would watch it so much more if Disney/Pixar DVDs were ever put in the sale section.

WALL-E

Omigosh, this little boxy robot is so cute. David has already expressed his dislike of this movie ("Robots do not feel.") but I loved it! The LGBT community sprang on it, saying "This is any pairing you want. WALL-E is butch, EVE is femme. Two lesbian robots, falling in love in space. Or, one cute little boy robot, one sleek girl robot. Whatever." No matter what, this was a really cute story, with a "Don't fuck the planet, corporations" message tattooed on the side.

Pandas kick butt

Dreamworks kicks back with a movie I watched kind of by chance. If I hadn't drunk my own body weight in spirits and subsequently thrown up in front of a cute girl on the train, I wouldn't have ended up at my ex's house, eating pasta and watching this movie. It was quite funny, actually.

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This post has made me realise that Pixar should totally pay me for the massive positive PR I've done for them. Ah well. Pixar are awesome guys. I know they will eventually disappoint me, but I hope that that day never comes.