Not all animated movies are good.

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    Animated Movies
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the quality and appeal of animated movies, particularly contrasting recent releases with older styles. Participants express varying opinions on the effectiveness of animation, storytelling, and audience expectations.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants criticize recent animated films like "The Tale of Desperaux" and "Igor," suggesting that star voice actors cannot compensate for poor scripts.
  • There is a proposal for a new animated concept featuring a ghost opossum, which some participants find amusing.
  • Concerns are raised about the over-reliance on 3D animation at the expense of writing and acting quality in Pixar-type films.
  • Others express nostalgia for older animated films, stating that their visuals were more impressive and that they had better storytelling.
  • Some participants argue that animated movies are often perceived as children's entertainment, leading to a tendency for silliness and cheesiness in writing.
  • There are mixed feelings about the suitability of horror themes in animation, with some participants feeling that they do not blend well.
  • Several participants recommend specific films, such as "Belleville Rendezvous" and "Iron Giant," as examples of well-crafted animated works.
  • Disagreement exists regarding children's preferences, with some asserting that children enjoy childish and cheesy content, while others argue that children respond positively to well-written stories.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express disagreement on the quality of recent animated films and the expectations of children's entertainment. Multiple competing views remain regarding the effectiveness of animation styles and storytelling approaches.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference specific animated films and their reception, indicating a variety of personal experiences and opinions. The discussion reflects a range of assumptions about audience expectations and the nature of animated storytelling.

tribdog
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We keep getting hit by these awesome animated movies like Wall-E and anything by Pixar, but don't be fooled. Two recent cartoons are just crap. The Tale of Desperaux and Igor are not worth the price of renting them. The both have huge stars doing voices, but well known voices just can't save a rotten script. I think what the world needs is a scary cartoon staring an evil opossum. think about it.
 
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let me change that. we don't need an evil opossum, all opossums are evil. A ghost opossum, that'd work.
 
tribdog said:
...a scary cartoon staring an evil opossum...

Or an evil cartoon star scaring a ghostly opossum! :-p
 
tribdog said:
We keep getting hit by these awesome animated movies like Wall-E and anything by Pixar, but don't be fooled. Two recent cartoons are just crap. The Tale of Desperaux and Igor are not worth the price of renting them. The both have huge stars doing voices, but well known voices just can't save a rotten script. I think what the world needs is a scary cartoon staring an evil opossum. think about it.
'Possums are too cute! How about an evil snapping turtle, or an evil... Forget about it. I was starting to wander into "rat" territory until I remembered that my friend's son had a pet rat that was SO sweet, and loved to be held and cuddled (the rat, not the son!). Jesse was a little kid when he got the rat, and he named it after his grandfather. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
 
When have these animated movies ever been good? I didn't remember old fashioned cartoon movies being widely applauded but ever since theyve been able to put 3d animal with wide grins together people have been hailing them as scripted gold.

What happened to the good movies, Terminators, Total Recalls, Pulp Fictions?
 
I think these Pixar-type movies are overdone as well. It has become more about the 3-D and less about the writing or acting, the most important parts of the film, in my opinion.

I'd rather a 2-d cartoon or live action film will with a decent script any day.
 
I do miss old style cartoon films. The visuals were just so much more impressive for me.

Anyone who has not already seen it should check out Belleville Rendezvous, a recent great :smile:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BjjZsp2hDxk
 
Oooh, a Ghost Possum! I love possums!
 
Evo said:
Oooh, a Ghost Possum! I love possums!

Well then you will undoubtedly enjoy Phineas and Ferb with Perry the Platypus, Secret Agent on Disney.

As lovable as a platypus can be.
 
  • #10
How about a talking baby possum that doesn't want to grow up to be evil?
 
  • #11
Math Is Hard said:
How about a talking baby possum that doesn't want to grow up to be evil?
Oooh yes.
 
  • #12
matthyaouw said:
I do miss old style cartoon films. The visuals were just so much more impressive for me.

Anyone who has not already seen it should check out Belleville Rendezvous, a recent great :smile:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BjjZsp2hDxk

"Triplets of Belleville" as it is known (or rather, as it is criminally unknown) in US. Truly a great film, and truly robbed of Oscars for best Animated film, and best original song.
 
  • #13
Chi Meson said:
"Triplets of Belleville" as it is known (or rather, as it is criminally unknown) in US. Truly a great film, and truly robbed of Oscars for best Animated film, and best original song.
Don't remember the song, but loved the film.
 
  • #14
matthyaouw said:
Anyone who has not already seen it should check out Belleville Rendezvous, a recent great.
I loved it. Also, anything by Miyazaki, especially Spirited Away (Japanese name: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi). I liked Toy Story and Monsters Inc. too.
 
  • #15
DaveC426913 said:
Don't remember the song, but loved the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6YpYp6XYRI"

I also have the pleasure of having kids between 3 and 8 years, and have a perfectly good excuse to enjoy Miyazaki's films. I think we will wait a few years before screening Princess Mononoke, though.
 
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  • #17
I liked Igor. We started watching a strange new version of resident evil that is animated, and it was so terrible I had to shut it off! Horror and animation just don't mix well... at least not in that movie!
 
  • #18
fileen said:
I liked Igor. We started watching a strange new version of resident evil that is animated, and it was so terrible I had to shut it off! Horror and animation just don't mix well... at least not in that movie!
a lot of people have this strange idea that animated movies and shows are for kids so they very often wind up being silly and cheesy. even if they wanted to make it serious they would likely have a hard time finding a good writer who will take it seriously. even the few cartoons I have seen on tv seem to have all turned into cheese ball crap. there are a couple good ones on cartoon network like boondocks. I really miss aeon flux and the maxx from mtv and the batman animated series from the 90s. other than that you have to look to anime for decent writing.
 
  • #19
TheStatutoryApe said:
a lot of people have this strange idea that animated movies and shows are for kids so they very often wind up being silly and cheesy. even if they wanted to make it serious they would likely have a hard time finding a good writer who will take it seriously. even the few cartoons I have seen on tv seem to have all turned into cheese ball crap. there are a couple good ones on cartoon network like boondocks. I really miss aeon flux and the maxx from mtv and the batman animated series from the 90s. other than that you have to look to anime for decent writing.

I think of it like people who try to make soy taste like meat, its not meat. One will simply be disappointed. If you want meat then eat meat, if you don't like tofu then don't eat it. When I think of a cartoon I expect it to be childish because it is geared for children. If you expect that, you won't be disappointed. Of course its going to be childish and cheesy, that's what children want. I was intrigued by the idea of an animated horror movie, clearly not for children. I was disappointed, and I should have known better. I feel like it was doomed before it began. I felt like I was watching my brother play video games.
 
  • #20
fileen said:
Of course its going to be childish and cheesy, that's what children want.
Children don't want childish and cheesy. Children respond to a well-written story just like anyone else.

I highly recommend Iron Giant.
 
  • #21
DaveC426913 said:
Children don't want childish and cheesy. Children respond to a well-written story just like anyone else.

I highly recommend Iron Giant.

haha, how many children have you encountered? They eat that stuff up! I have 5 brothers and sisters under the age of 12, and enough experience with them to know that they love the childish and the cheesy.
 
  • #22
fileen said:
haha, how many children have you encountered? They eat that stuff up! I have 5 brothers and sisters under the age of 12, and enough experience with them to know that they love the childish and the cheesy.
I've got to say that children certainly have a tolerance for crappy animation with lame stories. As a kid, I hated some really lame cartoons with cheap "animation" like Johnny Quest, Speed Racer, etc. Some of my friends loved that crap, and I could never figure out why.

Warner Brothers and Disney set the standards in the '50s and '60s. Warner Brothers, in particular, put out many cartoons that were intended to be used as shorts between newsreels and main features in movie theaters, and they often had jokes aimed squarely at adults - kids wouldn't have gotten them.
 

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