Why are computer animated movies so amazing to movie critics?

[Tommy_Carcetti]

Whenever the latest computer animated movie comes out, it always seems as though the movie reviewers fawn head over foot about how wonderful, amazing and inspiring the movie always is.

Now, granted, the computer animation in Pixar and these other computer animated movies is awfully impressive. However, am I alone in thinking that the movies themselves don't necessarily live up to the praise?

"Toy Story" was a cute movie about toys come to life. "The Incredibles" was a movie about a family of superheroes. "Shrek" was a movie about a grumpy green ogre living in a fairy tale land. "Finding Nemo" was about a fish who got lost and seperated from his father.

All of those were decent, enjoyable movies. And great movies for the kids to watch. All that being said, I swear, some of the reviews act as though these rank up with "The Godfather" and "Citizen Kane" in terms of great movies in history. I'm not sure I get it.

[Orrex]

1. Recall that they're first and foremost children's movies

Much of the criticism leveled against Cars complained that the story (the city boy who encounters the heart-of-gold smalltown folks) had been done to death elsewhere. Sure it had, but so what? The execution in Cars was novel and enjoyable, Larry The Cable Guy notwithstanding.

And if the choice is between Finding Nemo and The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, I'll happily choose the former.

But you're 100% correct that there's a mysterious rush to praise every CGI cartoon that comes out of some studio's Cray, and better than half the CGI films of the past ten years have been mostly crap. It's almost as though critics are afraid of being attacked as anti-technology film-luddites, so they overcompensate by glorifying the CGI-animal-movie du jour.

[AllegroRondo]

2. Doogal. n/t

[AlCzervik]

3. Wallace and Grommit, The Curse of the Were rabbit was fantastic.

claymation, stop motion--i dunno.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

4. "300" didn't get such great reviews

but then it wasn't just for kids.

[ghostsofgiants]

6. 300 wasn't computer animated.

The backgrounds were digitally rendered, but there were real actors on the screen.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

8. Well, maybe there were actors somewhere

but the "people" on the screen were certainly computer-"enhanced". Or maybe aliens. Dunno. Not quite "real".

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. Because every year they push the envelope.

The animation in Ratatouille (sp?) was better than Cars which was better than Finding Nemo which was better than Toy Story.

The films themselves have been getting better too.

[ghostsofgiants]

7. You're reading the wrong critics.

Bee Movie, for example, got 2 out of 4 stars from Slant Magazine, with the review beginning:

"Jerry Seinfeld returns to the mainstream spotlight with Bee Movie, an animated anthropomorphic bee adventure that proves as awkward and ineffective as George Costanza's attempts to wear a toupee."

[SoCalDem]

9. Because they are unable to do much more with a computer than to write a review

:)