Posts Tagged ‘animation’

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317705/

Dir. Brad Bird

As with most Pixar films The Incredibles set a new standard for CGI animation on its release. They are masters of character and, in my opinion, the single most successful studio in existence as they have yet to make a bad film.

Every Pixar movie has phenomenal production quality and The Incredibles is no exception. The characters are amazingly performed by the voice actors and animators, the visuals are crisp and beautifully designed and the fact that is made with cutting edge computer technology rightfully takes a back seat to the story that is being told.

On watching it for a fourth time this is not what struck me the most. What was the most impressive thing to me is the use of newly created superheroes, ones without a background in popular culture, in a way that can draw anyone into the story. While it does examine the clichés and the comedy potential of the established conventions of Superhero comics, it does so without alienating those who aren’t already fans of the medium. It is, at heart, a story about family and the desire to live up to your potential, which is something people can identify with. It doesn’t require prior knowledge of the world of superheroes, everything the audience needs to know is present in the film without being obtrusive.

Every time I watch a Pixar film I learn more about storytelling, they teach me to strip things down to their essential components and to identify what each part of the film is telling the audience. I think that studying them is something that will help me as a director.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065421/

Dir. Wolfgang Reitherman

A classic Disney movie that would be unfair to analyse too much simply because my nostalgia from childhood will either cloud or enhance the feelings I had when watching it this time.

It’s not one of the finest Disney films as the plot is short and unadventurous but it is filled with charm and character that makes the old Disney movies so lovable. Disney, at this time especially, were unrivalled in the quality of their character animation, nobody else could inject such life into their subjects (one of the reasons the seminal text on Disney animation is called “Illusion of Life”).

The Aristocats is no exception to the quality that defines a Disney work, the animation is fluid, expressive and joyful, the voice acting is lively and convincing and the general atmosphere is one of cheerful enjoyment. It is far from the best of the Disney movies but it is proof that even a weaker Disney film is better than most other animated works, especially in the 70’s.