Pixar vs. DreamWorks Animation: Comparing the CGI Giants

I think that there is sometimes a difference between good (contains what the critics look for, ie character development, ingenious plot twists) and entertaining (provides a good time). Wall-e is one of the most overrated movies of all time (TIME Magazine named it the best movie of the decade?) Kung Fu Panda wasn't as good as Wall-e but it was more entertaining. Up was okay but it was a little boring. Pixar makes good movies while Dreamworks makes entertaining movies. Antz was definitely more fun to watch than A Bug's Life. And also, despite the fact that Toy Story 3 made over a billion dollars and the Shrek series has 4 movies, the Shrek series has a higher average than the Toy Story series. Of course Pixar made some of my favorite movies (like Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc.) but so did Dreamworks (How to Train Your Dragon, Antz, Shrek/2, Megamind). So I will disdainfully say that Pixar is the better studio overall but it's really about the individual movies. Still how can people say Pixar is better than Disney (Snow White, Little Mermaid, Lion King, Aladdin)? Of course, that's a whole nother argument.

I think Pixar focuses on excellent story telling thru' CGI medium. Their stories always touches upon deep human experiences like father-son relationship(nemo), tensions or connections between generations(Cars, Up), perspective on life reflected through the subject of cooking(Ratatouille), friendships(Toy Story), family(incrediables), etc. These subject matter are timeless. Paxir's movie grows on you.

On the other hand the tone of Dreamwork movies are cynical. It seems that the story itself is not very important. The focus is on creating CGI scenes within the story line to solicit laughter by ridiculing(or exaggerating)the characters' narcissistic behavior. They are forgettable.

Both companies' productions are entertaining but Pixar's will last a long time. I can see myself watching Pixar's movie with my grand kids when I get old. Can't picture that with most of Dreakworks' movie.

chuck.....
So we shouldn't find touching and meaningful stories in animation either? I hate the notion that animated movies are just for children-therefore entertaining but without much substance. It should be for adults/ all audiences in general.

I think it's said that when people go to see cartoons they want to see a touching and emotional wreck. What's that about? When I go see cartoons, I look for laughs, adventure, out-of-this-world ideas etc. DW provides that while pixar just goes over the top. Over the top being the fact that someone always dies or nearly dies in an awful way (Up, Toy Story 3, Incredibles, Wall-E) They blow there message up so everyone can see but wind up scaring kids (Toy Story, Incredibles, Wall-E, Up) and there movies are just so dramatic and it urks me to see people look for that in animation. I mean, I think animation should be the one place we look to to find happiness and joy and hilarity. While pixar just reminds me of all the drama of real life. I hate it and lots of litle kids don't like to say it but they do to. DW rules.

How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek and Kung Fu Panda aside, all Dreamworks releases have been unbearable for me. These 3 stand ad great movies, but they are all that the studio has come forward with so far.

Pixar on the other hand...! Every single film is engrosing, captivating and an emotional ride! Even Cars (their weakest film, a Dr. Hollywood ripoff) demands multiple viewings.

Dreamworks success is definetly do to their ability to create movies kids like. If I was 8 I might indeed like Madagascar more than Ratatouille, but I'm an adult, and Pixar makes far smarter, more original, funnier, and better written movies for adults. Outside Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon I don't think many Dreamworks movies will be much remembered in 10 years time, but I think 50 years from now a new generation of movie lovers will be in awe of the likes of Wall-E, Ratatouille, Toy Story, and The Incredibles.

Pixar is Lightyears (lol! Bad pun!) ahead of Dreamworks (with the exception of How to Train Your Dragon, which is just as great as a Pixar movie). While Pixar has never made a bad movie, Dreamworks has made a few bad ones (Shark Tale and Bee Movie are the best examples of sucky Dreamworks movies), and Pixar's movies are much more touching and memorable. WALL-E is Pixar's best, IMO, and it's my favorite movie of all time! (Too bad it's insanely underrated like Up; Cars; A Bug's Life; Ratatouille; The Incredibles; and Monsters, Inc.)

i love most of the pixar movies,,,as an animator myself,the technical things goings in pixar movies are always amazing,,but i found its movies,speciay after cars,not that good.the first thng i like to see in an animation movie,is to make me laugh,this is what pixar moviescan do these days,cars,ratatoe,UP and walle werent as much funny as i expected,but more dramatic,on the other side,dream works movies are always in lower CG qualty than pixars,but much more funny,which makes them more watchable for me,apart from that,shrek,over the hedge,kangfu panda and how to train your dragon had very very good stories too,nowdays i'm more intrested to watch a funny enjoyable movie from dreamworks than pixar....although toy story 3 was amazing in every aspect