As far as I can see, there's nothing factually inaccurate in this article. It's competently-written and relevant and topical. And yet it so frustrated me that I had to blog it. Briefly.
The nut:
Pixar's Art Leaves Profit Watchers Edgy
Pixar Animation Studios has never released a movie that was not a commercial and creative triumph, and its 10th feature, "Up," is looking to be no exception -- at least artistically.
To the extreme irritation of the Walt Disney Company, however, two important business camps -- Wall Street and toy retailers -- are notably down on "Up."
The film, about the adventures of a cranky 78-year-old who ties thousands of balloons to his house, features dazzling animation that evokes the work of Hayao Miyazaki, the refined Japanese filmmaker and anime master. Like Pixar's Oscar-winning "Wall-E," there are stretches without dialogue. A few scenes are rendered in black and white.
...Richard Greenfield of Pali Research downgraded Disney shares to sell last month, citing a poor outlook for "Up" as a reason. "We doubt younger boys will be that excited by the main character," he wrote, adding a complaint about the lack of a female lead.
The article goes on to detail toy sales and product tie ins from other Pixar films, an effort that reached its pinnacle (so far) with
Cars, a property that moved over $5b in merchandise.
Cars is also distinguished by being
the worst fucking Pixar movie ever!
Seriously, Mister NYT article writer... fuck you. Fuck investors. Fuck Wall Street. Fuck toy retailers. It's a sad, impotent sort of arm flailing, but I feel the need to flail nevertheless. Flail at this cruel reality. By this bottom line logic, movie studios are better off churning out utter shit, so long as it's got cute characters with stupid lines that will momentarily hook the strobe light attention of toy-begging 6 y/os. You know, like every shitty Dreamworks cartoon.
Picture unrelated, but I saw it a few days ago, long before I read this anti-
Up article, and sensing the underlying truth it revealed, I saved it at once. Never suspecting I'd have the opportunity to regurgitate it on my blog so soon. Click to see it full size and legible.
Labels: movies, pixar
