Why is A Bug's Life so underrated?

[Jake Lipson]

In looking back upon Pixar's impressive resume as the release of Finding Nemo nears, I can't help but notice A Bug's Life seems underapriciated. Sure, it was a big hit in 1998 and was the highest-grossing family movie of the year, beating out (cough) that other bug movie (cough) as well as Disney's in-house animated Mulan and live-action remake Mighty Joe Young. It was a big deal on video too, but somehow it's faded away into obscurity in the minds of the public and is overlooked when people talk about Pixar. Even Disney's ads for Monsters, Inc. were quick to mention Toy Story but not A Bug's Life; the Finding Nemo ads mention both Toy Story and Monsters, Inc., but I've yet to see a single ad that mentions A Bug's Life. Shame.

My best guess would be that it wasn't the landmark first that Toy Story was but came before CGI became the hot ticket, so to speak - but you'd think with the recent flood of CGI people would look back at it more often. I've never seen A Bug's Life get as much attention as the other Pixars -- and on the rare occasion that it is remembered, it's usually for the outtakes (a Pixar first.)

Hopefully the re-release of the Collector's Edition DVD will help people rediscover this great movie. But somehow I don't think so, since Disney isn't mounting a big campign for it and is only using it to cross-promote "Finding Nemo." to the fact that it is coming again, because I never got it in the first place, but to the fact that it won't be as big a deal as it normally would be because Finding Nemo will overshadow it.

[Jack]

I think the mere fact that because it was the second Computer Animated film after TS hurt it. Everyone probably was comparing it to TS, which makes it hard for the film to become individually memorable.

Personally, I didn't care much for it. It just felt really empty - not as heartfelt as Pixar's other films, IMO.

[maj]

Bug's life may have been good, but it'll always be compared to the other films in the 'series' as such- it's not the fault of Bug's Life, toy story and monsters inc are phenomenal and totally dwarf what is otherwise a very good movie.

Also conceptwise, if hadn't seen the films or heard anything about them, and someone told me that the pixar films were about a)your toys coming alive when you left the room b)the monsters under the stairs c)antz d)fish looking for lost children, I'd choose to watch a and b, and forget c and d no matter how good the resultant story of c and d was.

Bug's Life may have gotten massive box office sucess, but I feel in part that was due to people wanting to see what they saw in toy story. It was enjoyable, but nowhere as good- a lot of the adult audience without children watched it once at the cinema, and just went back to toy story (myself included)

[Jake Lipson]

Funny, but I always thought A Bug's Life was better than the original Toy Story. I saw it twice in theaters (once with each set of outtakes) -- the first time by itself and the second time on a double bill with the sneak preview of Mighty Joe Young. And maj - you spelled ants like (cough) that other bug movie (cough) spelled it. Intentional?

[Luke]

I agree that A Bug's Life is underrated in comparison to the other three. A Bug's Life is my second favorite Pixar film after the original Toy Story. It just oozes charm and reaches beyond the traditional conventions of animation.

Things I love about it:

-Hopper, the most memorable villain Pixar's had thus far and really, one of the all-time great animated villains. He's pure evil, and yet a part of you likes him. Kevin Spacey did a really excellent job with the character.

-Flik. I love the protagonist being this idealistic outcast. Again I give a lot of credit to the voice talent. Dave Foley (who was terrific on NewsRadio, which is *HURRAY* coming to DVD later this year!) just is able to make us relate and sympathesize with this klutz. It's an extremely funny character, and really more nuanced and mature than most toon characters.

-The visual scheme. It's just so stunningly beautiful, the pastel-colored bugs, and the beautiful landscapes. I think it's certainly the nicest-looking Pixar world, and it's just so incredible how they've rendered the world of ants with such detail. There's totally an eye for realism, and then distorting that realism to make it just a wonderful-looking atmosphere.

I love the way they utilize the 2.35:1 frame. I love the way the grasshoppers come out of the fog, approaching Ant Island. We hear them scattered, and their arrival is just so well done. I love Randy Newman's score. It's more dreamy and low-key than the powerful, fast scores for MI and the Toy Story films, perhaps even a little reminiscent of the fantastic score he did for "The Natural." I love the moment when they realize it's about to rain. Plus the most inspired and amusing set of outtakes Pixar has done. And the epic story translates so well to the plight of insects. Part Biblical, part Kurosawa...entirely winning.

Just an all-around fantastic movie. Funny, charming, visually delightful...one of my very favorites.

[Luke]

Oh, and the "Baba O'Riley" trailer is one of my favorite trailers ever.

[maj]

And maj - you spelled ants like (cough) that other bug movie (cough) spelled it. Intentional?

Now would I do that intentionally

Must say I've seen that movie more than Bugs Life. As for Bugs Life compared to the other pixars, it may have a heart of gold, but the others have the 'cool' factor and goes for territory we all wondered about in our childhoods but never addressed.

[Porce]

I liked ANTZ and A BUG'S LIFE. I agree that Bug's Life is underrated, though I think this is because people compared it to Toy Story.

[Loomis]

I enjoyed A Bug's Life and the other film (ok, I enjoyed Antz) for different reasons.
I enjoyed Bug's Life because it had a Disney-esque charm about it (despite not being made in-house) that I think had a broader appeal than Antz, and the outdoor scenery was nothing short of breathtaking. In other words, I think it was more fun.

Antz on the other hand did advertise itself as a more 'adult' film, and the voice of Woody Allen was perfect (plus I'm a big Woody Allen fan).

I think I do enjoy Bug's more overall, but Antz is not without its appeal. It was shame such a rivalry developed, particularly over these movies, as I think both of them are now destined for relative obscurity in comparison to what came before and after (Toy Story, Monsters Inc and Shrek - from the other people)

[Ariel]

I just love A Bug's Life. It had me going from the beginning. I love the "I'm lost!!!!" scene in the beginning and it cracks me up every time.

My 2 year old always wants to watch 'Bugs'

[herman_the_german]

Please see Kurasawa's The Seven Samurai. Then see Bug's Life. You will see why it fails.

The straight and serious (though not without comic relief) portrayal of the events depicted works better than the funny watered down version.

[Prince Phillip]

Please don't hate me, but...

I saw Antz first and really liked it and wouldn't mind getting the DVD. Although I really don't remember it. When I saw A Bugs Life, because my aunt brought it over i thought rip off! Well I don't know which came first and really don't remeber either too well, but have a good feeling about Antz, but not so much about Bugz, which at the time a liked less. However, it is probablt time for me to view each of these again and give Bugz another try, which I;m sure was enjoyable, it also probably didn't help that at the time my mom didn't like Bugz, but she probably just enjoyed the more adult themed movie. One thing Antz had going for it in my opinion was the realism, the way the characters looked. Anyway now Bugz has something going for it, and that's the 2 DISC collecters Edition, that Antz does not have...

[Luke]

Well, certainly you should know that Pixar's never gone for photorealism. Yeah, ants aren't pastel-colored, but what movie looked a lot prettier?

As for which came first, well both were in production at the same time, but Pixar started first and Antz made it to theaters quicker.

[indianajdp]

Well I don't know which came first and really don't remeber either too well ... |

Antz was a Summer '98 release, while A Bug's Life was a Thanksgiving weekend release...if I recall correctly. But even if the release dates were reversed it would be entirely unfair to say the latter ripped off from the former. We all know it takes a few years from concept to completion for these films.

Oh, and A Bug's Life was much, much better
My 2.5 year-old requests it by saying "Daddy, I wanna watch the ladybugs!"

[Luke]

Antz was a Summer '98 release, while A Bug's Life was a Thanksgiving weekend release...if I recall correctly. "

Actually, Antz was released the first weekend of October, but you're right about A Bug's Life with the wednesday before Thanksgiving.

[indianajdp]

Antz was a Summer '98 release, while A Bug's Life was a Thanksgiving weekend release...if I recall correctly. "

Actually, Antz was released the first weekend of October, but you're right about A Bug's Life with the wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Really? Wow...I don't remember them being that close together.
Oh well, I stand corrected

[Luke]

Please see Kurasawa's The Seven Samurai. Then see Bug's Life. You will see why it fails.

The straight and serious (though not without comic relief) portrayal of the events depicted works better than the funny watered down version.

I'll have to disagree there. Seven Samurai is a good movie, but it's not particularly fun to watch. A Bug's Life, on the other hand, has a serious plot with a sense of humor. I think it works better, actually.

In fact, as much as I like Seven Samurai, I prefer the movies that use the plot for comedic effect - like Galaxy Quest and Three Amigos.

[Sulley]

I always liked the concept of A Bug's Life. I believe it is different from Antz because it seemed to be a takeoff of Disney's own, "The Grasshopper and the Ants." Sort of what would happen if the lazy grasshopper started to do that every year and told his friends, until the ants were actually intimidated and bullied into making food for the grasshoppers. It took me a while after I saw the movie to figure it out, but I got it and thought it was hilarious. Iown the Antz VHS (before I had DVD), and though I can't remember its plot, I liked A Bug's Life much better.

[Joe Carioca]

Some people say that when "Antz" started production, "A Bug's Life" was already in development... I heard Katzemberg took some ideas with him when he left Disney... Well, DreamWorks and Disney films have had a LOT of "coincidences".

The Emperor's New Groove - The Road To El Dorado: Latin American setting
A Bug's Life - Antz: do I need do say something?
Treasure Planet - Sinbad: very obvious (as far as I know, Katzemberg used to hate stories about pirates...)
Finding Nemo - Sharkslayer: do I need do say something?

How creative!

[MickeyMouseboy]

i hope Sinbad drops out of the tops 20 this week! i hope it doesnt even make half of what Treasure Planet did! so katzenberg can eat his words! ahhhahahhahahahahaha!