Hi there! Welcome to Pakalang's Favourite Corner at CIAO.com.. (JUST MOVED UNI, so will be AWAY to s...
Hi there! Welcome to Pakalang's Favourite Corner at CIAO.com.. (JUST MOVED UNI, so will be AWAY to settle in!! SORRY!!)Reaching my 60th op soon! Watch this space coz it's definitely not another film review! ;)
Member since:13.07.2000
Reviews:59
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(It took me a week to get this into perfection! :)
Intro ~~~~~ In 1998, the movie world saw one of the strangest battles in recent memory, with two entirely computer-animated features about bugs duking it out for box office glory. Having the benefit of first release was PDI/DreamWorks' Antz, which boasted a cast including Woody Allen and Sylvester Stallone (how's that for diverse?) and a nicely adult-geared storyline filled with political intrigue and Allen-esque neurotic humor. Critics praised Antz, and there seemed to be little hope for its seasonal second-runner, Pixar/Disney's A Bug's Life. Despite Pixar's towering success with the first computer-animated feature, 1995's Toy Story, the initial predictions for A Bug's Life were grim. Just how many insect-centric cartoons can moviegoers stand in a two-month period, especially when the second wears a more kiddie-oriented finish?
Well, A Bug's Life proved its critics wrong, smashing Disney's own record (a record broken by Disney/Pixar's next film,
Toy Story 2) and earning praises from audiences and critics alike. While it is indeed a more kid-friendly movie than Antz, it also proved to be a more rewarding moviegoing experience, one that offered audiences a glimpse of the potential and progress of computer animation. Perhaps the most colorful movie of all time, A Bug's Life is an incredible visual experience, with the technology behind it seemingly light years ahead of its Toy Story predecessor. When the spectacular visuals are combined with a delightfully pure-hearted story (in stark comparison to Antz' cynicism), a stellar vocal cast, and Randy Newman's populist score, A Bug's Life emerges as a singular cinematic achievement, and merits a place beside Beauty and the Beast and Pinocchio as one of the greatest family films of all time.
The film ~~~~~~~~~ Like the most enduring stories, A Bug's Life is a simple tale told well, an "epic of miniature proportions." We are welcomed to Ant Island, home to a colony of ants who toil all summer long, gathering food to meet the demands of a rough-and-ready gang of grasshoppers led by the menacing Hopper (Kevin Spacey is brilliant!), perpetually putting their own needs second to those of their tormentors. After a freethinking misfit ant named Flik (Kid in the Hall Dave Foley) accidentally undoes the work of an entire summer's gathering, he volunteers to leave the island to recruit other bugs to serve as the colony's protectors. After an arduous journey to the city, Flik encounters a group of recently unemployed circus bugs in search of a gig. Flik, believing the mixed crew of insects to be warriors for hire, entreats them to return with him to the island. After the initial misunderstanding is overcome, the "warriors" inspire the ants to work as a colony to defend themselves against Hopper and his gang, while Flik finally finds his place amongst his six-legged brethren.
The storybook simplicity of the basic plot allows Pixar's creative team (led by writer/director/guru John Lasseter, head writer/co-director Andrew Stanton, and story maven/vocal actor Joe Ranft) to flesh out the film with a large and remarkably well-developed cast of characters. From the assorted ants (including Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Princess Atta and Hayden Panittiere's royal pipsqueak Dot) to the mixed nuts of the circus bugs (led by Denis Leary's gender-bending ladybug Francis, Bonnie Hunt's maternal black widow, and Joe Ranft's endearingly gluttonous Bavarian caterpillar Heimlich), A Bug's Life largely succeeds on its character development. And, true to Pixar's impeccable form, the film is layered so thickly with visual, narrative, and humorous details that it offers ample rewards with repeat viewings.
The dvd ~~~~~~~~ However, as the film is brilliant, the region 2 DVD of A bug's Life is just OK. For a real pleasure, A Bug's Life Collector's Edition is the one to get, but so far it's only available in region 1(if I'm not mistaken)-head down to dvdboxoffice.com or play247.com to get one today!
Still, this DVD edition has been created directly from Pixar's digital source, producing one of the the clearest picture possible, and two viewing formats is available; original wide-screen and special full-frame, digitally recomposed to retain the entire image. Special Features includes: · Interactive Menus · Scene Access · Two Sets of Hilarious Outtakes--really funny! · Pixar's 1997 Academy Award winning "Geri's Game"-a masterpiece!
Conclusion ~~~~~~~~~~ A Bug's Life is a brilliant, ground-breaking animation, full of life. The film is strong and an enjoyable watch, for adults and kids alike. The DVD is not all dissappointing, but for extras, the normal edition does not offer much. So, I suggest you wait for A Bug's Life Collector's Edition on DVD for that extra life!
(p/s: You can get A Bug's Life Collector's Edition DVD at dvdboxoffice.com or play247.com, both sites sells cheap region 1 dvd--read my opinion about them here!)
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Production Year: 1999 - Family - Director: Rob Minkoff - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Geena Davis, Michael J. Fox, Nathan Lane, Chazz Palminteri
There was a rare magic on the big screen in 1995, when the people at Pixar came up with ... more
the first fully computer-animated film,Toy Story, and their second feature film,A Bug's Life, may miss the bull's-eye but Pixar's target is so lofty that it's hard ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
There was a rare magic on the big screen in 1995, when the people at Pixar came up with ... more
the first fully computer-animated film,Toy Story, and their second feature film,A Bug's Life, may miss the bull's-eye but Pixar's target is so lofty that it's hard ...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Journey inside the miniature world of bugs for larger-than-life fun and adventure under ... more
every leaf! Crawling with imaginative characters hilarious laughs and colourful lifelike computer animation Disney and Pixor's "A Bug's Life" is a masterpiece t...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
![A Bug's Life [DVD] [1999]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78539799.jpg "A Bug's Life [DVD] [1999]")
Jan 14th, 2001
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