Disney 3D

[Spark Of Spirit]

Thanks to the other thread I have been thinking about Disney's 3D output. Let's be honest, by 90s end Disney's animation department in general was at a low. With schlock like Home On The Range representing their 'classic' line, and the TV department trying to be Nickelodeon they were not at their best.

I could do the typical spiel about how Pixar saved them, but I don't really think they did.

Taking from Pixar's massive success, Disney tried to start their own 3D department that honestly fell on its face out of the gate.  Now with material like Tangled and Wreck It Ralph, Disney has started to understand it a bit more (this is where Pixar comes in for helping Disney remember where it came from) but it was not a seamless transition for them. It took Lasseter's initiative to even get the 2D pictures back up again and even that has had more bumps than it should.

Does anyone have any memories or thoughts on Disney's whole venture into 3D from their early output to the most recent? It sure is an interesting area for discussion.

[Daxdiv]

I will say that when I heard that Home on the Range was going to be the last film in 2D, I thought that sucked at first, since I thought that traditional animation and CGI animation could co-exist. I personally believe that both have their strengths and weaknesses. One of my dreams as a kid was for something like Paper Man to come out, something that blended both 2D and 3D animation nicely. I want a film done in that style.

Personally, I thought that Bolt & Meet The Robinsons were like the Oliver and Company & Great Mouse Detective after Chicken Little to be like the Black Cauldron. I personally enjoyed Bolt and Meet the Robinsons, kind of like how I personally enjoyed Oliver and Great Mouse Detective. Provided I only watched Bolt and MtR on TV, but still I found those 2 to be better than people say they are.

As for Chicken Little, I rented this from Blockbuster back in the day. I remember not liking it as much. Felt too much like Dreamworks, and this is coming from someone that does enjoy the Shrek series of films.

Tangled. I still like it whenever I watch it, still a good film. Does feel like it's trying to be Renaissance film, but it's like

Wreck-It Ralph.... You know, I know it's new and all and I might be in the honeymoon phase, but dammit I think this film is up there as one of my favorites in the canon. I mean this movie had more heart than the last few years of Disney's output put together. Doesn't try to be overly Disney, doesn't try to copy Dreamworks or Pixar, it just feels natural to me.

I know Frozen, the next film after Wreck-It Ralph, is going to be CGI as well. I wonder how that will go since I've only seen pictures of it on Tumblr and right now the only pics I saw were that the 2 characters had the same face as Rapunzel & Flynn.

[Avaitor]

Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.
Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.
Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.
Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.
Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.
Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.
Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.
Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.
Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.
Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.
Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.
Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.

...ahem. That said, WIR really was great.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Chicken Little was basically exactly like a lesser Dream Works film with the fast paced pop culture jokes, unlikeable characters (other than the main gang everyone was basically a jerk), and way too obvious plot. The film does not get better with age.

Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.

I agree. That said, coming out with another 2D picture shouldn't take this long.

[Avaitor]

One of these days, I'll see Chicken Little, but I'm not expecting much.

And while I like MTR, Tangled and WIR, Bolt doesn't really hold up that well with me. It doesn't really feel like Disney at all, and not in an original way. It's more like a weaker Pixar movie than anything. By weaker, I mean A Bug's Life or Ratatouille, and not the Cars movies, so there's still some really good stuff in there, but not as much as a Toy Story or Monsters, Inc.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Yep, Bolt is pretty average overall. It reminds me very much of A Bug's Life tier film, not memorable but decent enough for what it is.

Chicken Little is still worse, though. 

[Daxdiv]

I'm curious to know what Bolt would have been like when it was still in production as American Dog. I mean I heard there were some development troubles to the point that Chris Sanders couldn't figure out what to do with the story anymore and how he got kicked off and then worked for Dreamworks to make Dragon. Sometimes I wonder about the things that could have been.

Princess and the Frog is better than Tangled.

I like both and think they're on the same level, but I do agree that PatF does have more rewatchability, better songs, a more memorable cast of characters than Tangled. Really I just wished that Disney stop playing the scapegoat card with PatF and admitted that they just released it at the wrong time. I know it's bad business practice to do something like that, but wasn't PatF was overshadowed by Avatar?

[Spark Of Spirit]

It was also not advertised properly or enough. A return to classic Disney material should have been played up more than it was, not to mention given a better release date. There was also the title that probably didn't reel in the guys or teenagers as much as it could have. Despite all that, and it being the first proper wide-release 2D film in ages- it did very well. Surely well enough to not have to wait so long for another go at the genre.

But anyways, while I liked Wreck It Ralph, I think Paperman was surprisingly great in what it aimed to do. I would certainly not turn down a full film in a similar style that looked as good as that did.

[Avaitor]

The thing is, a Christmas release should have been ideal for the movie. Disney always has a big release around this time of the year (except they cheaped out with Monsters, Inc. 3D this year for whatever reason, and people let them know as a result- the 3D rerelease market is way beyond dead), there's been a demand for hand-drawn films in the market for years, and it wasn't in 3D, so moviegoers with a budget can save without having to select their options.

Avatar was just a freak of nature, and having Alvin & the Chipmunks 2 come out shortly after didn't help, either. Oh well.

And PATF wasn't a bomb, as much as detractors want it to look it like was. Even before it did a lot better on video, the film already made its money back and then some through merchandise, and it did better in the box office than the past few DACs. It wasn't Avatar, but it made money.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I'm currently watching Meet The Robinsons.

I just got to the family in the future and this is now a completely different movie.

[Avaitor]

What did you think overall about it though?

[Spark Of Spirit]

It was very ambitious and creative, other than the over-caffeinated humor, the actual plot was very engaging and fun and the ending was great. I actually enjoyed it despite the jarring parts with the family that felt like an entirely different movie. The ending quote was nice, too.

Nonetheless it makes up for Chicken Little. They really tried with this one and it shows.

But I can't help but think that if it came out now it would be better.

[Avaitor]

Yeah, if Lasster had more involvement, it probably would be better, although I think the film would rely on its sob factor a little too much for its own good.

That's the biggest weakness of his reign, really.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Yeah, I think the emotional level was just right, the actual issue was the humor which really didn't seem to fit. It really needed to be less random in that area because it really jars with the not-random first half and final act.

For what it's worth I liked it more than Chicken Little and Bolt.

[The Shadow Gentleman]

Chicken Little has one good scene: the "true story" movie at the end.

I honestly found it hilarious.