1 Great for the family
A bug's life is a great movie (cartoon/animation, actually) for not only children, but a movie that the whole family, parents included, will enjoy as well.
This was a great movie overall. One of those few Disney/pixar animations that really can be watched again and again without actually tiring of them. That in itself is a rarity.
Pixar, as always, does a great job with this film. I think this would deffinatly qualify for their 'classic' list.
2 Bugs
This is one our daughter has enjoyed watching...and she likes bugs!!! This and Monsters Inc has kept her focused and wanting to watch over and over.
Another Great One!!!
3 The Best Pixar Movie Yet
This movie is one of my favorites. In fact, I believe it is one the best CGI movie. My top 5:
1. Bug's Life
2. Shrek
3. Ice Age
4. Finding Nemo
5. Toy Story II
Dreamworks made a movie called 'Antz'. In my opinion, that movie was uncreative, annoying, and just plain bad. The worst thing about that movie was that it copied off this one.
Anyway, onto the review. The story goes like this: it starts off with a bunch of ants picking grain. One ant, named Flik, wants to help the colony by inventing a machine called a harvester. It turns out this machine does more harm than good, and ends up knocking down the food stockpile that is for the grasshoppers that come every year and expect the ants to serve them by giving them food. When the grasshoppers come, they are angry that there is no food. The leader, Hopper, gives the ants until Winter to replenish the food, and doubles the orders. Then he and his grasshoppers leave. Everyone is now angry at Flik, but he offers to make up by finding warrior bugs to fend off the grasshoppers. You'll have to watch the movie to find out what happens next. The story is not quite Shakespeare, but isn't shallow or simple, and has a lot of tension.
My favorite part about the movie was the characters. The best one was definitely Hopper. Usually Disney villians are just made so there would be villians. While he is not very complicated, there is something about him that is very funny, whether it is his humorous (not overly cruel) meanness, his lines, or a scar on his eye. The circus bugs are pretty close behind. They are also funny, and many others reasons which I can't describe. Flik and the Princess Atta are pretty good. Princess Dot...meh. Hopper's brother is almost as good as Hopper himself, and seems too nice to be his brother.
Other things I like a lot about this movie is it's story, it's animation and colors (not as good as Finding Nemo, but for 1998...), and how funny it is. Unlike Ants, it has several morals, one of which is "If we stand together, we'll win."
That is it for this long review. All I have left to say is that this is an excellent movie, and that it is good to buy. I'd recommend you'd rent it to see if you'd like it, but I'd recommend that for every movie in the world.
OTHER RECOMMENDED MOVIES
1. Shrek
2. Spirit-Stallion of the Cimmaron
3. Ice Age
4 Certainly better than that other ant movie
Hollywood sometimes has a history of having similar films going head to head for box office glory, whether it was meteors(Deep Impact vs. Armageddon), or volcanos(Dante's Peak vs Volcano). This is another which pitted Antz against this film. Antz came out earlier but it was decidely more adult with Woody Allen's typical humor and some pretty odd stuff(the villain has an almost Hitler-like plot), then this one came out and people actually found this better. And it is by a long shot.
Basically it's like Seven Samurai in the insect world. An ant colony has to gather food for grasshoppers, kind of like the bandits. Flik, an ant no one particularly likes creates an invention that'll cut down production time considerably(if only for a habit of launching the finished stalk on unsuspecting ants). However, he causes an accident where all the food becomes lost so the grasshoppers enter their anthole and double the order of food or bad stuff'll happen.
Flik gets the idea to get bigger warrior-type bugs that'll fend off the grasshoppers(the seven samurai idea). Only instead of vicious bugs he runs into a troupe of circus performers, and pretty lousy ones at that. But he manages to convince his colony that they are strong but they have to fend off the grasshoppers anyway.
This is probably in my opinion the most colorful film Pixar has done. It's so vibrant and rich looking that the colors almost seem to leap off the screen, which is different than the drab looking Antz. Voice talents are quite good too, especially Dave Foley where normally I don't like hyperactive comedians(Robin Williams anyone?) but he fits his character. And I've seen the film many times and I still can't see Kevin Spacey doing the voice, it sounds...different. Guess I've never heard him doing a more menacing voice.
One thing that A Bug's Life had in theatres that's almost a staple with some theatrical releases and especially DVD's is the gag reel or bloopers. This film had bloopers that actually seemed like mistakes or goofs rather than intentionally creating a scene with an obvious goof(like Green Goblin smacking into the bridge in Spider-Man's bloopers).
Pixar had a pretty good record with Toy Story, this, Toy Story 2 and the recent Incredibles(although I can't stand Monsters Inc) and this is just further proof that there's a new animation powerhouse to challenge Disney.
5 No less than 5 stars!!
There is no possible way anyone who watched "Bugs Life" could give it any less than a 5 star review. Flik is hysterical and Princess Atta is comical with how she keeps getting caught up in Flik's clutzy situations. Hopper is such a great bad guy(bug) that ya just gotta love him! This movie is a total keeper.
6 Best Pixar Movie of All Time
You can not go wrong with this movie. It is the greatest Pixar film ever made. The story, the characters, the quality of work is tops. I can watch this movie over and over and never get tired of it.
7 A classic comedy of errors in a bug-eat-bug world
This is one of very few computer-animated movies that I have seen that makes the genre one truly to rank alongside cartoons as a way of telling stories that do not require the time, trials, tribulations and, yes, money to make live-action movies. Yet the cartoon medium, especially when Disney has anything to do with it, has always been one designed principally to make otherwise unlovable creatures lovable with human characteristics and a sense (or lack) of morality.
This Pixar Animations movie focuses on a lovable, yet flawed character, who wants to make himself better in the eyes of his fellows, but ends up being shunned and even exiled before circumstances dictate that he should return as the hero. The difference here is that the main character is not human, rather it is an ant named Flik (voiced with conviction by Dave Foley), who ends up being the (very) unlikely hero when his colony is threatened with being "squished" by the evil Hopper (voiced with chilling excellence by Kevin Spacey), unless they accede to his demands for food - the ant/grasshopper equivalent of "protection money".
The straw that broke the proverbial camel's back for the colony is when Flik's harvesting machine goes out of control just at the wrong place at the wrong time, resulting in all the food for the grasshoppers ending up in the river just as Hopper and his cronies are arriving. Hopper is enraged as he confronts Princess Atta (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and demands an explanation for this apparent lack of obedience. Hopper seizes Atta's younger sister, Dot (Hayden Panettiere), but Flik, for whom Dot has a soft spot, throws caution to the wind and tries to stop Hopper, much to the astonishment of all the ants. Hopper nonetheless takes full control of the situation, ordering all the ants to prepare another offering, even if food supplies are running low.
The colony is clearly unwilling to stand up to these bullies in spite of their own overwhelming numerical superiority (something that Hopper directly refers to later on), yet the hierarchy allows Flik to leave the island on what they perceive to be a suicide mission, that is, to bring back "bigger bugs [...] to rid [the colony] of Hopper and his gang" - even if the real reason is so that Flik cannot possibly ruin their chances of preparing the new offering.
What follows is a classic comedy of errors when Flik mistakenly assumes that a trio of assorted insects are warrior bugs when, in a "city bar", he witnesses three of them challenging some other insects sporting for a fight. He pleads with them to accompany him back to the colony, but his new acquaintances mistake him for a "talent scout". To his horror, before an audience of ants, relieved at seeing these "warriors", Rosie the black widow spider (Bonnie Hunt) reveals (very discreetly) what she and her friends really are - circus performers. Hurriedly removing the "warriors", Flik is angry at what he perceives to be their deception, yet Manny the mantis (Jonathan Harris) accuses him of precisely the same thing. Not surprisingly, Atta becomes suspicious and distrusts him. Everything thus seems on the verge of disaster when an event involving Dot sees the "warriors" playing along with the deception - until their former boss, P.T. Flea (John Ratzenberger), comes looking for them and, because of his almost incessant babbling, the ants realize what the "warriors" actually are.
Atta immediately exiles Flik, yet the grasshoppers soon return and force the ants to prepare food. Dot manages to escape and (inexplicably) finds her absent friend and the circus troupe. The insects try and convince Flik to return yet he, in turn, is unwilling owing his shockingly low self-esteem: "The colony's right - I just make things worse." However, the colony's need is greater than that of just one individual (a theme explored in "Antz"), so they return to carry out their original plan to get rid of Hopper, using a facsimile of the one thing that the bully is most afraid of. It almost works, except that, once again, P.T., not realizing what is really going on, scuppers this in a somewhat "inflammatory" fashion. An enraged Hopper tries to assert his dominance when he tells the ants that they are "mindless, soil-shoving losers". Despite being "dealt with", Flik shows his true mettle and openly confronts the bully: "We're a lot stronger than you say we are!" What happens next is predictable. As with all good guy/bad guy stories, the bad guy somehow has to get his comeuppance - and, since it is, as Hopper puts it to Atta, "a bug-eat-bug world out there", one can guess how it all ends.
The chemistry between the cast members is all too evident, as the characters interact with vigor and vitality, thus helping to make this flick (no pun intended!) and the morality tale within it a highly enjoyable and entertaining experience for all the family, not just the little ones. What is even more enjoyable, in case the little ones are sad at what happens to one character in particular, are the deliberately made out-takes, so that the animated characters now become animated actors.
This is a true gem, and it gets my five stars.
8 Funny
This movie was hilarious and a Pixar for all ages! It is enjoyable and the "pure art" computer animation will just blow you away.
9 Horrible
I do not recommend this movie for 5-6 year old kids. I have a younger sister that is 6 and she thought it was scary. I did not it was funny one bit.
10 Pixar does it again.
Like usual pixar can make very good movies. The makers of Toy story,monsters inc. etc. bring you A Bug's Life.
This story is mainly about a hard working ant colony who has to work for the grasshoppers. Flick, who is pretty much the loser and outcast of the colony wants to make a diference. So, he gets an idea to get bigger and stronger bugs and the princess Anna who flick is also trying to win her affection pretty much lets him do it so they can get rid of him. An I'm not gonna go any thurthur. You'll have to watch this movie for yourself.
Anyways rhis is a great classic that the whole family will love! This is a masterpiece by Pixar with their vibrent colors and characters you'll care about. Reccomended to all.
11 a movie for dreamers
in this one,a would be inventor is sent on a suicide mission by the other bugs in an attempt to save the team.it is not expected to work obviously.to make matters worse,when he gets to the big city,he finds actors not actual warriors.the actors think hes a talent scout and he thinks they are warriors.they head home for the big confrontation with the bad guy bugs.the kids like it but theres better pixar films out there.its better than that cheap rip off antz.thats real good guys mispell ants on a childrens movie!dennis leary does the voice of a lady bug with some sort of gender identification issue.the real deal here is that dreamers make things happen.the movement of all history crawls along slowly until a dreamer comes along.someone who dares to achieve that which is said to be impossible.then and only then oppurtunities arise.convenience comes and ultimately books are written about the noble dreamer who dared to change the normal humdrum way things are going.
12 Gotta love them bugs
Those Pixar folk are amazing. Not only do they make an excellent movie, but they complement it with a first rate package of extras, especially the outtakes and the movie short "Geri's Game". The two-disc Collector's Editions are worth waiting for, and you will find yourself playing the second disc as often as the first.
This innovative take on the old fable "The Ant and the Grasshopper" teaches us a few important lessons:
1. There's a clumsy nerd who wants to be a hero in every colony
2. Phyllis Diller is an old queen
3. David Hyde Pierce is stiff
4. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is neurotic and can't dance
5. Grasshoppers live it up in Mexican joints during the Summer
6. German caterpillars are funny, and so are pill-bugs.
7. Ladybirds may not be ladies
8. Birds can be flammable
9. An ant may look at a queen
10. Don't stir up an ants nest
To maintain good family relations, you should allow your kids to watch this movie too.
Amanda Richards July 13, 2004
13 A Fun New Classic From Disney
As always, Pixar delivered a breath taking experience when they brought us A Bug's Life. While not overly realistic, the animation is bright and rich and incredibly detailed. The colours and textures suck you into their world.
The movie features a nice mix of humor and excitement. Some moments are full of suspense and tension.
The voice actors do a great job, particularly Kevin Spacey as the villain Hopper. He's truly menacing! When the voice talents are combined with Pixar's fabulous job of giving natural movements and mannerisms to each different species of insect the mix creates very believable characters.
As per usual Disney style there is a great moral to be learned through the story, about the importance of standing up for yourself, and how one small person truly can change the world.
The only drawback of the movie is that the characters are relatively shallow and underdeveloped when compared to Disney's usual level of complexity. However, when you consider that this film is based off of the fable "The Ant and the Grasshopper" it puts things into perspective and you appreciate how much imagination and creativity actually went into this project. The end result is highly entertaining and sure to be a classic in generations to come.
14 Just a Few Notches Below Finding Nemo
This film was originally released in 1998, but I didn't actually see it until a few months ago. Simply put, it's Pixar doing what they do best. A widely caried and excellent cast of characters, a simple but elaborately executed plot, and of course, the rendition of a half a dozen themes that run universal throughout our lives.
Essentially, a mild and nerdy ant known as Flic accidentally destroys the entire food supply of his ant colony. Of course, the food was not for them; it was their yearly offering to the grasshoppers. As a result, the grasshoppers decree that the ants can spend the remainder of summer gathering it all again. Hopper, the ingenius and menacing leader, notes that Flic stands up to him for one brief moment, and this becomes pivotal later. I won't say any more past there, only that there are plenty of intriguing twists to keep things interesting.
Overall, this movie bears an obvious resemblance to Finding Nemo. First of all, both movies involve the creation and manipulation of a natural environment and its inhabitants. Second, they both involve unlikely heroes (A bumbling ant and a fearful clownfish). Third, both are at a standard of quality that the animation world has never before seen.
Honestly, Kevin Spacey's portrayal of Hopper is reason enough to see A Bug's Life. (I could say the same thing about Albert Brooks' portrayal of Marlin in Finding Nemo.) However, the movie offers much more in the long run, and the special features are deep and surprisingly un-boring. The director's commentary of this movie and other Pixar films is much, much more entertaining than most movies. I credit a lot of that to Andrew Stanton, but the guys just have a creative knack to them that makes their ideas and comments brilliant.
Recommended to all fans of animation, all lovers of Pixar, and all those with good taste.
15 A Bugs Life
I think that this movie was extremely creative and exciting. It was very unpredictable. The protaganist Flick was a character that has made a difference in my life because he had the courage to stand up to the antagonists, the grasshoppers. The main antagonist was Hopper who was head of the grasshoppers and was taking food from the little bugs and when Flick made the plan to fight them off he just showed a side of bravery and courage. If I were ever a bug, I would want to be just like Flick and if I wereever in a situation like that I could be just as brave as him.
16 This earned 0 stars with me
This movie is soooooo overly boring. I've watched it only two times (well, I couldn't even sit through it the second time.) It is actually painful to watch because it's so boring. If I could give this item 0 stars, then I would!!! I couldn't watch this movie again if you paid me to. I don't get why such a movie ever made into Hollywood. If you are looking for an interesting and fun movie, try the Spy Kids trilogy. Now that's something that I can watch through again and again. Bug's Life is not worth the money, even to rent it. It needs some serious re-doing, and if there ever is a Bug's Life 2, I will NOT be watching it because this movie was just too boring. I couldn't believe it if people were to call it a comedy. It isn't funny one bit. And instead of rating it G, it should be rated SB, for So Boring. This isn't on my recommendations list, and it could never make my top 10 list of hits. It could definitely make the top 10 list of the most boring movies ever made.
17 CGI Bug Story Extraordinaire!
"The Battle of the Bugs" is what the media labeled Dreamworks SKG's successful attempt to get their 3-D animated bug story released in theaters before Disney did, although the former began production several weeks after the latter. Whose film would be released first: The Company of Michael Eisner, or that of his former disgruntled employee Jeffrey Katzenberg? In retrospect, this behind-the-scenes drama seems more than a bit silly, because: 1) That a similarly-themed movie is released first does not necessarily guarantee bigger box office than its competition, and 2) The solidly-PG-rated ANTZ has less in common with the indisputably-G-rated A BUG'S LIFE than one might think, and 3) Therefore, each film attracted a different audience. As it turned out, both films were smash hits: ANTZ garnered better reviews; however, A BUG'S LIFE made a lot more money (as I'm sure it was destined to do).
Walt Disney Pictures' A BUG'S LIFE, co-directed by Andrew Stanton and John Lasseter, and released in October of 1998 (a full month after Dreamworks SKG's ANTZ), tells the very cute story of a not-so-bright worker ant simply named Flik, voiced by Canadian comedian Dave Foley. His constant bumbling attempts to help the ant colony drive the others to distraction, and to loathe him. I love the opening scene with Flik accidentally losing the yearly "offering" of food meant for the grasshoppers, who regularly exploit the ants for their own purposes. This leads to a very funny scene in which the grasshoppers angrily confront the ants, and demand satisfaction.
My advice is to see this film with an open mind; forget about "The Battle of the Bugs" as A BUG'S LIFE has really nothing whatsoever to do with ANTZ, with the only exception being that both films star a nerdy ant who attempts to win the affection of the ant colony princess. That's the only similarity! Otherwise, A BUG'S LIFE is a rather light story dealing with Flik's attempt to woo Princess Atta (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, brilliantly expressive in a superb comedic role) while he attempts to fix the aforementioned mess he made. Unfortunately for Flik, he is sent out of the ant colony all alone, and into the vast unknown, supposedly populated by big, scary bugs and other creatures. In his search for fierce warrior bugs to fight the grasshoppers, Flik unknowingly comes across a "bug circus" in which he is convinced that he has found the muscle that the ant colony needs. In what is one of the funniest scenes, Flik is welcomed back as the unlikely hero of the ant colony, impresses Princess Atta and then proceeds to find out the truth about these circus-performer bugs he has brought back with him. These bugs are hilarious, by the way. With Slim the walking stick (David Hyde Pierce), Heimlich the big fat German-accented caterpillar (Joe Ranft), the tough-talking male ladybug (Denis Leary), and Manny the old British-accented 'thespian bug' (Jonathan Harris--yep, Dr. Smith himself!), this is truly a motley crew of bugs if there ever was one. But the bug that really steals the show is the villain; the evil grasshopper leader Hopper (Kevin Spacey). Spacey's vocal performance is brilliant; so much so, in fact, that I had no idea it was Kevin Spacey until the first time I saw the end credits!
Spacey is hilariously deadpan while delivering lines like: "Do I look stupid to you? Do I? Do I...look...STUPID...to YOU? Let's just think about the logic for a second, shall we? If it [the offering] was UP THERE, why would I be DOWN HERE, LOOKING FOR IT??" Of course, as a typically self-referential Disney film, the screenwriters couldn't resist having fun with another Hopper line: "It's one of those Circle-of-Life things." Unfortunately, they gave some of the film's worst lines to The Queen (Phyllis Diller); for example, "It's our lot in life. It's not a lot, but it's our life! Ahahahaha!!" I'm sure Phyllis was paid enough to not care so much about the corniness of her lines, but still!
A BUG'S LIFE is an absolute triumph of 3-D CGI animation. It is a beautiful film to look at. The images are bright, sharp and colorful. This film offers a much better viewing experience than ANTZ, which has a more engaging storyline, but has mostly sepia-toned imagery that is neither as sharp or realistic-looking. Again, these are completely two different films: ANTS, with its mildly adult language, themes and occasional violence, is definitely PG-rated. Its humor is appreciated more by adults than kids. A BUG'S LIFE, however, is deservedly G-rated. You can let your 4-year-old watch it, and even though they probably won't be able to follow the storyline (as meager as it is), they will certainly be entertained by both the imagery and the funny voices over and over again. There may be a scene or two that may scare them a little; however, it says a lot that the scariest character in the film is a red robin.
The final verdict in my review: A BUG'S LIFE is a very entertaining combination of 3-D animation and excellent voice-over acting by excellent (and very well-cast) actors such as all who were previously named, plus Madeline Kahn, Bonnie Hunt, Michael McShane, John Ratzenberger and Brad Garrett. It is true that ANTZ has a better story; however, A BUG'S LIFE has superior animation. In addition, this was the Disney film that originated the idea of creating fake 'outtakes' to show over the end credits. Originally, I found this practice to be quite odd, but now I kind of like it. This Collector's Edition has even more bonus features than the original DVD. Now a two-DVD set, A BUG'S LIFE is really loaded; besides the behind-the-scenes featurette, there are interactive games that are sure to provide additional entertainment for your little ones, and maybe even for yourself.
RECOMMENDED
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR DISNEY/PIXAR FANS
18 A very, very good movie
I love "A Bug's Life"! It's one of my most favorite movies next to "The Lion King". The movie's about a hard-working bunch of ants that are being forced to feed and serve some very mean Grasshoppers. This life style lasted for a long time until, Flik, an adventurous young ant, who before, accidentally knocked the Grasshoppers food over a cliff, suggests that the ants get bigger bugs to come and fight. So he goes to look for some bugs and finds some so-called "warrior bugs" who are really a bunch of out-of-work circus bugs. Results aren't pretty when the other ants finally figure that out. So what happens to the grasshoppers and what becomes of Flik? That's for you to figure out!
I would recommend this film to anyone who liked Pixar's "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo". Just to warn you, a couple of the grasshopper scenes would be kind of intense for smaller children. But other than that the film is very funny and even has outtakes at the end credits! I hope you enjoy the movie as much as I did.
19 Not as good as it could have been.
My Grandma taped this movie for our family a while ago, and I was excited to see it because I had heard so much about it. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed but not much. And I'll tell you why.
The animation is great, but Finding Nemo is so much better. The story line is good, but not as good as it could have been, I thought. The dialogue is wonderful in some parts, but in other parts its not so great, especially when a bit of dirty humor came into play (for pity's sake, this is a kids movie!) . However, if you can get past these flaws, you will find a movie that is funny, interesting, and will keep your kids mesmerized for the entire film.
20 Toy Story Broke Ground, A Bug's Life Cracked You Up
"Toy Story" will always be considered one of modern cinema's greatest achievements. Unfortunately, movies like "A Bug's Life" and "Monsters, Inc." will always be brushed by the wayside for the fact that they weren't first. That's a shame, because both movies had better plots and performances. "A Bug's Life" is funny. It has a great cast of characters that are more memorable than "Woody" or "Buzz" and the villain, "Hopper," is one of the best villains in Disney history. His fate is also right up there with greats like "Scar" from "Lion King" and "Hades" from "Hercules."
Dave Foley is fun as "Flik." He's kind of a geeky lookin' guy in real life, so that made this character more believable. As state before, "Hopper" is the ultimate bad guy, and Kevin Spacey plays him perfectly. Denis Leary is outstanding as "Francis" the ladybug. Overall, this is an ensemble cast that is rounded out by great support from actors like John Ratzenberger and Phyllis Diller.
The animation is wonderful. It is bright, bold, and downright terrifying when need be(ref. the bird attacking "Hopper.") The music is good, though not as utilized as in "Toy Story." That is beside the point since the story of "Bug's" is so much better than "Toy Story."
Why is it that a Disney flick that is seriously funny always seems to get lost behind dramas such as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?" In Disney's storied history I've always felt that movies like "A Bug's Life" were overlooked because they don't have some great moral story to them. Granted, "Flik" realizing that he must never give up and the rest of the ants learning about strength in numbers is good, but these lessons just don't stick like in other films.
Watch this movie because it is funny. I used to give it a less than stellar rap until I watched it again. It really is funny and deserves to go down as one of Disney/Pixar's best films ever.
The DVD provides some great extras. There is literally something for everyone. For the kiddies there are games, for producer/director wannabes there are documentaries on the creation of the film. The best extras are the entire group of "bloopers" from the film, with personal favorites listed by members of the production team and, of course, "Geri's Game." This made me laugh out loud in the theater and at home.
If you want a funny, memorable movie that doesn't receive the attention it should, buy "A Bug's Life."
21 Awesome Movie - Terrible Extras
I bought this DVD because I love Pixar's animated films. After seeing both Toy Storys and Finding Nemo I have become a huge fan of their work. A selling point for me was the second DVD supposedly filled with great extras. I was disappointed to find that when I watched this second DVD I saw the Pixar crew doing these dumb little paradoies which they must have thought were funny, but which I found to be a total waste of DVD space.
I wanted to see how they made the film, in-depth views on the making of the characters, the story, and how the people behind the film developed their ideas. Instead I got The Three Stooges telling terrible jokes along with a muppet flea.
After seeing this "special edition" I would recommend you save your money and just buy the movie itself, which is far superior to the antics of its creators.
22 Bug's Life is a Masterpiece
Having recently re-seen this movie, i had already forgotten how good it really was. Pointing out that Monsters or Toy Story 2 was better really does not do it justice: All by itself, this movie is probably better than anything but one or two others that came out in the same year, and still pretty much on the top five list of all time great animated films.
The story is good for both kids and adults, though it contains some violent scenes at the end. But the most amazing feature for me is the depth of the story, which really gains as you watch it more often. The simple good/evil plot with gadgetery and a genius inventor / thinker-out-of the box is just a surface layer. Hidden underneath (and missed by literally all critics of the original film) is a story of rebellion of the people against tyranny. A rather more complex topic.
(spoiler ahead - read only if you have seen the film)
As Hopper says to his troops towards the end of the movie: "These Ants outnumber us 100 to 1. What if they ever figure that out?". And, indeed, the happy end does not come the way you would expect your typical hollywood popcorn flick, where a gadget wins freedom and happyness for the ants. Instead, the failed inventor turns rebel-leader and Hopper's worst fear comes true...
A great story.
23 A good and entaining film
This is one of those kids movies that isn't boring to watch over again, although I don't give the the same high marks I give to Shrek, Monsters Inc., or Ice Age. The story is pretty straight forward, the grasshoppers are the bad guys, the ants are oppressed and an enterprising and unique character, Flik, tries to save the day, often making things worse as he tries.
In comparison to Antz, this movie wins out hands down with the younger crowd, as the other movie is written on too high of a level for the younger viewer to really follow. The action here is better and more fun and the characters more colorful.
I highly recommend this one to add any family collection, it's worth seeing multiple times with the kids.
24 BUGS ARE OK TO LIKE
THIS IS A SWEET MOVIE. THE ANIMATION IS VERY GOOD. A BUG'S LIFE MAKES BUG'S SEEM NOT SO YUCKY ! VERY CUTE - WAITING FOR A PART TWO.
25 I'm writing this review for "oppressed ants everywhere"!
Go where no bug has gone before! Join Flik, Princess Atta, Princess Dot, Heimlich the caterpillar (the food lover), Slim the
walking-stick, Francis the ladybug and Rosie the spider. (doing
a web of safety in less than 50-- bleh!) Now that "in less than 50--bleh!" is in a outtake starring P.T Flea where he says "Spinning a web of safety in less than 50--bleh!". The other parts of the gang are the "Blueberry" troops, Dr. Flora, Thorny,
Cornelius, Queen, Dim the beetle, Mr. Soil, Tuck & Roll
(the pill bug cannonballs!) and their arch villian Hopper.
Now, in this movie, Flik (Dave Foley) is searching for "oppressed
bugs everywhere" but he can't. So he tries to get help from Princess Dot, P.T Flea's circus lineup ( voiced by Bonnie Hunt,
Brad Garrett, Michael McShane, Madeline Kahn and Denis Leary. ) and the Queen (Phyllis Diller). So that means the sun grows the food, the ants pick the food, the ants keep the food, the ants
eat the food and the people watch the movie.
26 Not Pixar's best, but still fun
"A Bug's Life" is actually my least favorite movie from Pixar. However, Pixar's worst is (at least so far) better than the best many other studios can produce, and "Bug's Life" is still a fun movie to watch.
The story of "A Bug's Life" is mainly about an ant named Flik, who is trying to save his ant colony from the bullying rule of a group of grasshoppers. He enlists the aid of a few circus bugs to help the ants fight the grasshoppers, but eventually, it is Flik's ideas which provide the main inspiration for the colony, and the strongest possibility for their liberation.
There's lots of funny jokes and lots of drama in "A Bug's Life." It's a clever film, but in the end, not a very moving one. When I compare it to the "Toy Story" movies or "Finding Nemo" or (especially) "Monsters Inc," I find that all of those films made me laugh and cry, and most importantly, they made me feel for these digital characters they create. The characters in "A Bug's Life" seem not quite so well developed -- they seem clever, but shallow.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this movie. It's a fun film for my kids and I to watch together, and technically, the animation is pretty amazing. For me, it simply lacked some of the emotional depth of the other movies Pixar made, and so is a slight disappointment when compared to those other movies.
Make sure to watch through the end credits... the bloopers are priceless!
27 One of the best DVD's in my collection
What a great movie!
Super extras and a high quality DVD.
28 An Okay Film
But you would be much better off some of Pixars other animation masterpieces, such as Toy Story, Monsters Inc, and the new and my favriote of the bunch; Finding Nemo. A bugs life's plot is not interesting at all, and the only reason it was worth some of my money was Pixars great animation.
29 Already Overlooked Masterpiece
The ants on Ant Island are putting the finishing touches on their annual offering to the grasshoppers, a payment for leaving them alone and keeping them safe from other bugs. Princess Atta is extremely nervous as this is her first year in charge. Things don't go as planned when Flik accidentally knocks all the food into the water. As a way to get rid of him while they met the increased demands, the colony sends him off to find warrior bugs to protect them. Through a series of mistakes, he finds a bunch of disgraced circus performers instead. Will they find a way to protect the colony?
This movie already seems to be delegated to the bottom of Pixar's list of movies, which is a real shame. As with all their movies, it's wonderful. The action keeps up at a brisk pace, the characters are likeable, the voice talent is wonderful, and there are plenty of laughs for everyone. This is also the first of their movies to feature outtakes. The animation does date the movie a little. The bugs look a little plasticy. However, some of the effects are wonderful, especially the fog and rain.
This was the first of Pixar's movies to be released on DVD. The picture clarity and sound were news worthy at the time because it was the first movie released directly from the digital source. That clarity still holds up today. They went all out with the extras, featuring an informative audio commentary, and all the behind the scenes info you could want. I especially liked looking at the original story idea and seeing the wide to full screen comparisons.
Don't get so caught up in the hype around their other movies that you over look this one. It's just as great a story for kids of all ages as anything Pixar has put out to date.
30 a real kids' film
unlike some of the other animated films put out by pixar, this one really is for kids. it's a bit too cute and there's not much humor for adults. compare 'bug's life' with 'antz' - another film about bugs - which is really an adult film thanks to humor courtesy of woody allen. watch it (bug's life) with your kids, but don't bother if you're looking for something for yourself. try 'antz' instead.
31 There isn't another story about bugs better!
A wonderful depiction of our little creatures below. It gave me wonderful insight and made me think about our little ant friends.
32 Pixar continues their excellent run!
The sophomore slump doesn't apply to computer animation studio Pixar. "A Bug's Life" stands as a worthy follow up to Pixar's 1995 classic "Toy Story". To find a film that celebrates bravery, loyalty, individuality and the power of imagination in such a entertaining package is cause for great celebration.
But before discussing this film's virtues, which are many, I must applaud the wonderful Pixar short film Geri's Game. Pixar has outdone themselves by infusing such a delightful romp of a short. Watching a delicious short subject before a feature harkens back to a time when film going marked a major event. Thank you Pixar for such quality.
Like the equally classic and excellent "Toy Story" series and their super fun latest romp "Monster's Inc." , "A Bug's Life" is a classy event that children can enjoy along with adults. Every scene is a luscious and rich tapestry. The art of animation enables the most ornate of children's illustrations to breathe and move in vivid detail almost impossible to render in a live action film. There is a fully three dimensional sheen, sparkle and shine to the color palettes illuminated here. Although many hand painted cell animation purists may bristle at the notion, computer generated animation supplies the filmmaker with an even more complete tool box to the craft of fantasy storytelling.
Computer animation is really made for the DVD format. Boy how these films glisten on DVD!
The story, respectfully borrowing elements from "The Seven Samurai", Italian Filmmaker Federico Fellini, "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" and even a bit of "A Midsummer Night's Dream", concerns the efforts of Flick, a genius in the rough worker ant, attempting to aid his colony from the evil marauding hordes of Hopper (cunningly voiced by Kevin Spacey). After an epic scale journey, Flick finds help in the form of some flea circus rejects.
The key to making an effective animated film lies in creating plausible characters. Characters can be creatures from the widest steppes of the imagination, but unless the audience connects with them, all is lost. And although I personally don't find insects as warm and cuddly as a stuffed cowboy and spaceman, these ants, grasshoppers, dung beetles, black widows and not too lady-like lady bugs are real people.
Director and scriptwriter John Lassiter provides us with an entire cast of odd balls, heroes and slimly villains. Of special note, this is the only film in history to be stolen by two twin potato bugs. This bugs are a strange hybrid of Dan Akroyd and Steve Martin's "Wild and Crazy Guys" and the late Hispanic actor Cantiflas. They have to be seen to be believed.
Special note must also be made of the very end. If you are not one to stay through the closing credits, stay through to the end of this one. The film's creators, not content to simply make a visually complex and complete movie, provide faux "outtakes" at the end. These "deleted scenes" may have provided the most knee-slapping cinema experience the year the film was initially released. "Outtakes" have now since become ritual with the Pixar people. It all began with this film.
It is the willingness to capture little moments and details like these that make this and all of Pixar's marvelous films work. A certain contemporary film classic.
33 GREAT MOVIE I HAVE IT.
Some obvouse democrats are saYING That this movie is politically incorect! It's all together icorreect its fiction its supposed to be DUh. Magda get real!!!!! "The blades cut down t yap yap yap blah." he can plant more. AND its just a television show. Ants cant make those. ants arent being taken over by grasshopper. But no the thing that gets YOU PEOPLE IS THE BLADES ARE CUTTING DOWN THE GRASS. ITS FRIGIN' FICTION!!~111! Dont anyone say that ya dont have lawn mowers!!!!!!!!!!11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im sure ya dont have little pluckers that pull it out of the ground. DER!!!!!!!! Oh and also the thing that gets ME is how does the dandeilion stay up and what stops the bird from gettin' 'em in the air. a BUG civilization. OH Why cant they team up and stop the bird w/ a rifal or something. they cant be that smart eh? ok im done
34 Fantastic fun
This visual smorgasbord is yet another triumph for Pixar, following the immense success of Toy Story and preceding Monsters Inc. and the near-masterpiece Toy Story 2. In A Bug's Life we're following Flick, an ant who is searching for warrior insects to fight against the grasshopper horde that is terrorising his colony, forcing them to produce double rations this year. On his travels Flick mistakes a bunch of circus bugs for real fighters and takes them back home promising victory and freedom at last.
On watching A Bug's Life I didn't have high hopes, thinking it certain that it could never be anywhere near as good as the Toy Story movies. Although that's probably true (both of them were real breakthroughs), it's still one of the best children's movies of the 90's and follows in the ever-growing trend of making films that are appealing to older and younger audiences. Adults will find enjoyment in the highly astute observations about bug life that are frankly innumerable; notice in particular, the queen ant's pet aphid, and a slug complaining that he got salt in his drink. There are also some stunning set pieces, such as a bug city comprising of cardboard boxes and milk cartons that bears more than passing resemblance to New York. Add to these camerawork that, picking up where The Lion King left off, treats its animal characters like real people in a real movie. Add to the mix a bunch of personable characters, such as loser-turned-unlikely-hero Flick, greedy Heimlich the caterpillar who is obsessed with becoming a `beautiful butterfly' and Francis the ladybug that is sick of everyone assuming he's a she. Although everyone in the cast is pretty much pitch perfect, notable celebrity voices are worthy of noting. Kevin Spacey adds yet another fantastic performance to his already long list, playing Hopper, the tyrannical ruler of the grasshoppers, and David Hyde Pierce of Frasier fame is consistently hilarious as a stick insect who wants to get into real acting rather than constantly play the swords, the broom and the stick.
As for messages and morals, A Bug's Life has plenty, but thankfully none of them are as in-your-face as other similar movies. The most obvious theme is believing in yourself, which surprisingly perhaps, doesn't come over as corny in the slightest, but works well in not only focusing on Flick but also the Princess Atta, who feels the burden of responsibility on her shoulders along with self-doubt. There are also more than passing resemblances in the grasshopper's rule to an absolutist regime, something that is superbly realised in the finale with some really very stunning animation showing the bleak landscapes of Ant Island as well as being representative of the dreary situation in general. Whilst erring on the side of funny the majority of the time, Bug's Life does well to be a pretty moving and genuine feature that should please everyone in the whole family. Why aren't all children's films as good as this?
35 What are we teaching our kids???
Along with Monsters, Inc., Disney/Pixar seems to be taking us back to the industrialism that started all of our environmental problems. I grew up with Dr. Seuss' "The Lorax" in which we kids learned that if you chop down all the trees to make clothing, there will be no more trees, animals will die, and we will smog up our world. This movie teaches the opposite. Flek, the main character ant, is known for his inventor talents which get more work done than following tradition, and solve the ants' problems. This good-old-American idealism is great, if the ideas he had come up with were more politically correct. Instead of ants running up blades of grass to pick seeds, his machine comletely cuts off the blade of grass, denudes it, and harvests the seeds. I admit that grass is not trees, and as anyone with a lawn knows this won't cause the forest of grass to disappear. But I am surprised that such blatant destruction of the environment has been so accepted by so many people watching this movie. The grass on the little island provides protection to the ants, probably would prevent erosion during the rainy season, and even provides the clubhouse for the children ant troop. The movie focuses its message on "not following along with everyone else when there is a better way". The ants' only concern with Flek's inventions is the fact that it is not traditional. They do not even consider other issues.
This is my main problem with the movie, but other messages are also surprising when considering the intended audience. The bike-gang rough boy grasshoppers are just big bullies, and pretty darn scary for a child. Back again to the 1950s. My 4-year-old daughter completely refuses to see this movie. Maybe she is too young for it, but why do we need to have such incredibly scary, nasty characters in our lives? Is this a lesson of some sort? And if it is entertainment, for whom? The parents? I didn't find the grasshoppers entertaining. Just violent. And mean.
Although it may not need mentioning, I feel I cannot leave it out. Romantic love between ants? I admit that animals in children's films are not always shown portraying the characteristics they do in the wild. But the authors went as far as having only one line of females in the colony (Queen and daughters being "trained" for the job). Adding romantic love to this makes a very unbalanced mix of truth and fiction.
I give this three stars for the animation. But I would like to warn people when being charmed by cuteness and technology, to still watch for the messages being taught. Or not taught.
36 Superior to the "Toy Story" movies.
Borrowing elements from films as varied as "Seven Samurai", "Star Wars" and (heh) "Three Amigos", and combining them with groundbreaking computer animation and stellar vocal talent, Pixar's "A Bug's Life" is one of the best movies ever to come out of the Mouse House. It's certainly better than Toy Story 1 or 2, at least in my opinion, if only because "A Bug's Life" features Dave Foley.
37 good flick (pun intended!!)
This movie is great, and my 20 month old loves it too. The main character, Flick, is extremely entertaining and the whole cast keeps you laughing and interrested. We keep it in the minivan to play when on the go!!
38 Amazing Rate Of Progress Continues
PIXAR is a truly innovative company that is literally redefining what can be accomplished with computer animation. The company has a much longer history than many are aware of, they were once part of George Lucas's empire before the company was sold and then taken public by Steve Jobs of Apple fame.
"Bug's Life", is my favorite full-length film from PIXAR although there are individual character creations from other films like, "Monsters Inc.", that also rate amongst their best computer generated thespians. This film has a great story, and great performances from a host of players including Kevin Spacey, Kevin Foley as Flick, and Phyllis Diller as The Ant Queen. The list continues with Denis Leary, Madeline Kahn, and Roddy McDowall as Mr. Soil.
The extras that are included on the disc are almost worth the cost of the disc alone. Both sets of, "outtakes", are included, and these provide some of the best moments of humor in the film. They are so well done; you get a similar feeling of seeing an actor in a traditional film making an error as opposed to just a computerized character. The fact that these characters don't exist, either means that I get a bit too lost in these films, or PIXAR is that good. I tend to believe it's the latter.
One of the more notable experiences was watching the film short, "Geri's Game", once again. When this was first released in 1997 the realism that was presented was almost hard to believe. Now only 5 years later it not only shows its age, certain aspects look like nothing more than well drawn cartoons. The trees in, "A Bug's Life", can pass for the real item, in the short film, the idea of realism for the trees never occurs. This in no way is meant as criticism, quite the opposite, the folks at PIXAR have continued to push past barriers at an amazing rate so that each subsequent film exceeds the first. I believe you can watch the films and place them in order of release, even if this is the first time you have viewed them.
And PIXAR is showing no signs of slowing down much less pausing, as a look at the trailer for their next film demonstrates. Next Spring, "Finding Nemo", will open, and based on the trailers I have seen, they have once again raised the bar by a factor of 10. This time they will take you to a world created under the sea, and the bits I have viewed will leave your jaw a bit slack.
PIXAR has redefined animation, and are rapidly creating a genre that needs a description all its own, computer animation does not place these creations in their own category, and they deserve one. PIXAR is not the only company producing great computer products, but so far they are the best and most consistent. I don't believe any other studio can state that every single film they have made resides securely in the top 100 grossing films of all time.
39 Get Monster Inc and Toy Story instead of this!
... This movie is about bugs that don't to what they say. I rather would have watched Lilo & Stitch. ...As the movie opens, Flik (Dave Foley) and all the other ants are slaves of Hopper (Kevin Spacey) and his grasshoppers. So the ants want to be free from Hopper and his gang, and since Flike keeps messing them up, they sent him out to find stronger bugs. Flik does find bugs but not warriors instead the bugs he found are circus bugs. But he doesn't know that. Flik was sent out by Princess Atta (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss). Phyliis Diller voices Atta's mother the Queen. The Movie should have been rated PG for the one swear word that I caught... This movie also came out in the same year as Antz. But if you want better movies from Pixar Toy Story, and Monsters Inc are the two for dvd or video...
40 Cute
This a cute little movie. After seeing "A Toy Story" i didn't think this movie was going to be too special. How can you top "A Toy Story"?
Simple, Have a good story with funny characters. The story centers around a group of ants who are forced to gather food for a group of mean grasshoppers. The main character flick sets out to get the help from some warrior bigs. He finds some, not knowing that they are really bad, and I mean bad, circus bugs. Compared to ANTZ, these ants are cute. and "A Bug's Life continues the Disney tradition of producing good quality family entertainment for children and adults.
41 Walt would be proud!
For the past few years it seems that the Disney company has produced animated films that have been made for one purpose only: money. I think that Walt Disney would roll over in his grave if he saw the likes of "Tarzan" or "Atlantis". However, as I watch "A Bug's Life" I think of Walt Disney smiling and being proud of the movie, because this movie continues in his tradition of good quality, fun, and imaginative Disney films. This is certainly the best animated (albeit computer-generated) film since Disney's own "Beauty and the Beast". As weird as this sounds, I think the characters of Flick, Atta, and Dot are some of the most "human" characters I've seen in movies. They all have good qualities and bad qualities, which makes you love them even more. The movie is hilarious and doesn't take itself too seriously, and is not afraid to laugh at itself. The script has a good message about standing up for what is right, even when that makes you unpopular, but you're never hit over the head with it. I'm a teenager, and I just rented "A Bug's Life" and I've already watched it three times. Kids, teens, and adults can all find something to love about this great movie. The cast is amazing and perfect for each character, and even though they're computer-generated, the characters and scenery never look fake. Also, if you have the chance to go to Disney's California Adventure or Disney's Animal Kingdom make sure to see the adorable show based on "A Bug's Life", "It's Tough to Be a Bug". "A Bug's Life" is one of the best movie's I've seen in a long time!
42 A MUST FOR EVERY FAMILY
Very nice DVD and bonus disc. Interesting stuff on 2nd disc, especially the outtakes, but I doubt I'll watch the making-of stuff again anytime soon. Unfortuantely you have to buy this 2 disc set to get an anamorphic transfer of the movie, but the making of shows how the full screen version of the film was specially created so that you don't miss out on anything in the sides. Still, I like the widescreen format. Very sharp picture and crisp sound. A must for any family library, and a great digital animated flick.
43 Better than Antz!
This is a great movie, including that it has to do with city and country, why I give this Disney Movie ***** (5 out of 5) aka 5 stars.
44 Excellent
This is a wonderful film, filled with some of the great gags and jokes found in the other three Pixar animations. the voices are well done, including a great Kevin Spacey as the grasshopper baddy. for an adult like me, i will say that, compared to Toy Story, A Bug's Life was definitely intended for a kiddy audience. whereas Toy Story 2 was filled with jokes any grown-up kid could enjoy, A Bug's Life was definitely made for kids. that doesnt take away from its greatness though. a great story for kids.
45 5 Stars for film, 4 for DVD
This was one of the two ant-themed films out in theatres this year, 'Antz' being the other. Being a pretty loyal Disney guy, I never saw the other. Knowing that Jeffery Katzenberg left Disney while this film and 'Armageddon' were both in production tells me a lot, since after he helped form Dreamworks, 'Antz' and 'Deep Impact' each came out from that studio. HMMMM...
Anyway, this a very likable film, with broad bits of humour that cover the entire spectrum, so that the entire family will be entertained.
Covering the exploits of Flik, a likable ant who just wants to make things better but only screws things up, the film hops along at a wonderful pace, with great dialogue and even better charactors. The voice talent is top-notch, and perfectly cast.
Really, I'm kinda tired of two-three editions of films, what with 'Gold Collection', 'Special Edition', and such, and wonder why they can't just put out one package and leave it at that.
Oh well. This film is remarkable for many things, not the least which was the inclusion of 'outtakes', specially-made 'screw-ups' by the charactors, which are every bit as funny as the actual film, itself. they alone are worth buying this film for. And, the short cartoon 'Geri's Game', which won an academy award for the studio, and is brilliant.
All in all, this film is very nearly on a level with the Toy Story films, and is positively worth the time!
46 Hip, charming animated movie
1998 was a banner year for animated insects on screen. Both Disney and Pixar's A Bug's Life and Dreamworks' Antz were smash hits. The fact that two movies with the same subject came out so close together may be no coincidence. After being fired from Disney, Jeffery Katzenberg, who had rebuilt that studio's animated division, co-founded Dreamworks. The competition between the two companies is now legendary, and the real beneficiary is the public.
A Bug's Life is a delightfully entertaining work. Produced with the latest digital technology, it is a visual feast. The characters and scenery are beautifully rendered. The color is exquisite. And the story? Anyone over twelve years old might enjoy it, and everyone younger should be mesmerized.
Basically, this is a twist on the old children's story about the Grasshopper and the Ants. In a reflection of the changing times, these grasshoppers don't beg for food. They forcefully demand it. In fact, they can get pretty scary. Every year, at the end of summer, they fly in. The ants are expected to have harvested plenty of food for them - or else.
Our minuscule hero is Flik, an intelligent young ant who is forever inventing things to try to make life less routine, much to the amusement of the rest of the colony. When the grasshoppers' share of the food is accidentally destroyed, it's up to Flik to figure out a way to save the colony. He leaves home to seek help, and in a comedy of errors, returns with a band of unemployed bugs from a flea circus. There are butterflies, spiders, lightening bugs, lady bugs, walking sticks and even a rhinoceros beetle. All are good-natured, but none have an ounce of heroism in them. Flik must come up with a game plan before the grasshoppers return.
There is a love interest, and, of course, she is a princess. Women's Lib may have laid Prince Charming to rest, but a Princess remains a mandatory element of childhood fantasies, at least as written by adults. Another ingredient is a multitude of cute precocious kids, and this movie is full of them, tiny though they may be.
While it has a G rating, you will have to gauge your children's emotional levels. When I was a kid, I was terrified by the wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I was afraid to look in a mirror, in case I found her looking back at me. There are parts of A Bug's Life which have that same typical Disney scariness. In particular, Hopper, the head grasshopper, is quite menacing. We grownups laugh at these characters, because we know that a happy ending is a prerequisite, but all small children may not be yet aware of this fact.
The music by Randy Newman is excellent. The end credits are clever. While all those names scroll up the screen, we are shown "out takes" from the movie which are quite amusing.
47 Excellent collector's edition for Disney fans
The collector's edition of A Bug's Life with bonus material is a great value for all Disney collectors. It's worth the extra money to upgrade to this edition.
48 Stays Funny After Dozens of Viewings
There aren't many children's videos I can sit through dozens of times (and many I can't stomach even once). But this one is a spectacular exception. The story is good (Seven Samurai, The Magnificent Seven, The Three Amigos). The scripting is clever and funny. The voices are good and the animation is really top-notch. My 3-year old son loves it (he has practically memorized it) and I have no problem joining him and enjoying every minute. The DVD also includes a short animation which alone is almost worth the price.
49 Entertaining Movie
"A Bug's Life" is a simple plotted movie about the ant who always seems to invent a "better way to do things," but for some reason the inventions go wrong. The anthill where he lives, must collect food for grasshoppers annually for "protection" from other bugs. One of his inventions eliminates the annual "gift" to the grasshoppers, and the story is off and running. Our hero, Flik, as "punishment," it sent to the "Big City" to find some bigger bugs to fight and hopefully chase away the grasshoppers. Like Flik, the "bigger bugs" he finds are a misfit (flea) circus troupe that are trying to fit it. However, Flik mistakes them for warrior bugs, and they mistake him as a talent scout.
A sub-plot focuses on Dot, a young little queen ant who's wings are too small for her to fly. Dot, being cute and adorable, will steal a scene or two from the main story.
One lesson taught in this movie is that "the gift you treasure is within you." You just have to look deep enough to find and cultivate it. Within every tiny seed (or rock--you have to see the film), a mighty oak is inside. I have mentioned this lesson taught in the film several times when doing motivational presentations or team-building exercises.
Although the pre-teen group might not understand all the jokes in the movie, they should enjoy it nonetheless. Teens and adults should be able to catch the pokes at Disney and few other well-known companies in the jokes. And who knows, maybe learn a thing or two about themselves in the process.
If watching the movie for the first time, watch the "outtakes" at the end of the movie. When "A Bug's Life" was in movie theaters, there were two versions of the outtakes. On the DVD, you can view the both versions of the "outtakes"--both have very funny spoofs of various scenes throughout the movie.
50 A Bug's Life Gold Collection DVD
While not nearly as packed as the "Collector's Edition", this Gold Collection issue still deserves 5 stars because of the film itself. Disney & Pixar created a film that at times passed "Toy Story" in both quality and entertainment value.
The story is very simple, about an outcast that tries to fit back into his society. Then there are the bad guys, in this case Grasshoppers, that are beyond cruel and may be too intense for VERY young viewers.
All of the characters are likable & creative. My favorite twist, the Male Ladybug, was genius. The world seen through the eyes of bug's was obviously thoroughly planned and thought through becuase every inch of the different cities, "sets", or landscapes were right on target and were totally believable.
One can hope that Disney & Pixar contiune to make great animated film's such as this one.
51 The Animation Is The Only Good Thing About This Movie
I saw A Bug's Life at the show at a theatre a three years ago on opening weekend and came completely ripped off and disappointed.What makes this film diapppointing is that it seemed like the writers of the film didn't even try to make the film funny.I guess what I thought it was going to be another Toy Story masterpiece but I guess I was wrong.This is disney's worst animated film.
52 Oh my goodness....
This movie is soooo funny...you gotta see it.
53 Supah Genius
This is an example of a truly great DVD. I liked "Bug's Life" well enough when I saw it in theaters, but I didn't feel any need to see it repeatedly or own it. But the slew of excellent bonus features make this good film into an exceptional DVD. The Pixar crew does some of the best DVD commentary I've heard, filling you in on little in-jokes, behind the scenes story processes, and technical info all the while sounding very natural and spontaneous. You'll find just about everything you could possibly hope for on the bonus disc in terms of artwork. Drawings trace characters from their sketchy beginings to final form. You also get a look at the first version of the story, which is vastly different from the end product. I think the Fleabie reel, a hilarious little film which Pixar sent to Disney to show their progress so far, nicely sums up the sense of fun that seems to exist at Pixar and that translates so well to this DVD.
54 Terrfic computer animation .
This movie has unquie storyline and also a great plot and best of all it has fantastic animation you've seen movies before but most of them have sketchy animation but not this movie it actually made everything aboustely everything in this movie look so real .The movie is a fantastic family film but I also should be extra credit in for the comedy in this movie . For one thing it is not everyday when you see a animated comedy film about bugs that is .This movie also has a great voice casting such as Kevin Spacey as Flick the engertic and lively ant . Best of all this movie is not a musical Toy Story was kind of a musical movie also Toy Story 2 was but this movie didn't have music THANK YOU PIXAR ! Let me tell you the recpie for a good movie
A pitch of comedy ,a spoonful of good story plot ,and Tsp of animation put all together and you've got the best ever movie . I'm also happy that it's NOT a disney movie if it was I would just burn it ! Any hoo this movie disvere two thumbs way way up !
55 Enthusiastic Thumbs Up
Dynamic film with superb structure and style. Flawless production. Characters are lively and unique. Encourages kids to look at things differently, even to value the life of a bug. Good stuff. Children who watched were positively entranced. They laughed, got scared, cheered, and even cried. One kid said, "They were trying to work together but it was like when we tried to learn square dancing." Another said, "I did not know bugs were so smart." Enthusiastic thumbs-up from our crew.
56 A Bug's Life has little impact on mine
Perhaps shadowed by the EXCELLENT film Antz, released around the same, A Bug's Life is a similar premice. It's humor seemed much more directed towards children than adults than I would have appreciated - judged against other Disney successes. It IS possible to create a youth friendly film and yet entertain the parents as well. This film, in my opinion, only achieves the the first.
57 "Ha Ha! The comedy of the century!"
I really liked the movie, I liked it when the two Spanish bugs kept on saying "you fired" in front of people. The bloopers were especially funny, when the two Spanish bugs were burping an the one on the right farted. One classic animated movie, better than Toy Story.
58 Superior filmmaking
A BUG'S LIFE is Disney/Pixar's second full-length computer animated film after their charming TOY STORY. And what a film it is. While the screenplay is not as "human" as TOY STORY, it is more than compensated for with great animation, humor and creativity. This type of family film carries an unfair label, "Kid's Movie". There is nothing childish about the intricate and sophisticated humor... it's just 'clean.' The story follows FLIK, an Ant that tries too hard and always fails. While trying to benefit the entire Ant Village, he accidentally puts everyone under the wing of evil old HOPPER (Kevin Spacey) and his "Wild One" Gang. The evil grasshopper gives the ants a deadline for his demands to be met in full. But, Flik has another idea... So, he heads off to the (hysterical) "City" where he hires a group of heroes to save his hometown. Soon, the heroes are revealed to him as circus performers. They all must join forces to save the village. The characters throughout are extremely endearing and each one is given a nice pay-off at the end of the story. Especially entertaining are twin acrobatic bugs with only a limited grasp on the english language. A BUG'S LIFE is a wondeful film for kids and adults alike. It also includes what I consider the funniest couple minutes in the past 30 years of cinema... Bug Outtakes during the closing credits. They alone were worth the price of admission. The Special Edition DVD set make the film a workshop in itself including documentaries, commentaries, and other mini-attractions. The Disney organization has often used their characters in many of their other ventures. Watch for Flik and Hopper in IT'S TOUGH TO BE A BUG, a 3-D attraction showing in DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM in Florida and DISNEY'S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE in, you guessed it... California. A BUG'S LIFE is a big movie from some of the smallest of creatures. Released the same year as the other computer animated bug film, Dreamwork's less charming ANTZ.
59 Gorgeous and feature-packed
While I do like Toy Story 2 better than A Bug's Life, this is only because Pixar keeps outdoing itself. Pixar's DVDs provide the best showcase for your DVD player's picture quality, and the animation is even more stunning in 1:2.35 format. The second disk is amazing, with too many features to mention and of course the antics of those crazy Pixar folks. This is not only a great family movie, but also simply a great movie.
60 Fun and Witty entertainment for all.
I've loved each of the movies that Pixar has released so far, and am eagerly awaiting "Monsters, Inc" later this year. The animation is superb, and the voices for the characters are very well done.
"A Bug's Life" was so bright and happy, with a good story that it's enough to brighten the day of the most cynical person. Evey time I watch this movie, I see something new.
My favorite part of all, is the "blooper reel" during the credits. They are just so funny I had tears streaming down my face when I first saw them.
61 Brilliant!!!
If you love 3-D computer animation, especially from Disney/Pixar, then you got to check this movie out. It's awesome and it's better than Dreamworks movie "Antz". I like "Antz", but "A Bug's Life" is much better. It's a really colorful movie and the characters are really smooth and round. "Antz" it's not as colorful and the characters in it are boxy. Both are great productions, but I like "A Bug's Life" a little more. If my memory serves me correctly, "A Bug's Life" came out in movie theaters a couple of weeks after "Antz" hit the movie theaters, it seems to me that Disney did that on purpose just to directly compete against Dreamworks. I think it was a good competitive move for Disney, but not so good for Dreamworks. Well, the DVD Gold Collection is pretty good, it has two different versions of the out-takes and it has the humorous short film "Geri's Game", which is my favorite short film from Pixar. Even though I got the Gold Collection version, I think the Special Edition version is probably better. I would also recommend the "Toy Story" movies and the upcoming "Monsters, Inc.". Going with the theme of CGI films, I would recommend Dreamworks's "Shrek", and Columbia's "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within". It seems to me that 3-D computer animation will soon take over 2-D hand drawn animation, and I say, "Why not?"
62 My Favorite Movie
This is easily the best "kids" movie I think I've ever seen. The humor is suitable for all ages, adults will enjoy this film at least as much as the kids will. I own it on DVD and it's a good thing. I've seen it so many times that I would have worn out a VHS tape.
In addition to the excellent plot and animation (if you haven't seen an all computer animated film, what ARE you waiting for) the extra blooper scenes alone are worth the purchase price.
This is a must have for ANY DVD collection, and essential for anybody that has kids. (Or anyone that knows someone who does, for that matter.)
TJG
63 I see how this works!!
Reading the reviews of this movie, you would think that plagerism had never before been invented, that is until "A Bug's Life". Believe what you wish, but in my humble opinion, this movie is everything a movie should be! It has humor, drama, creativity, and an all-star vocal cast! Please buy this movie to form your own opinion, and for heaven's sake - enjoy!
64 Great DVD but...
A Bug's Life. What can you say but...wow! Great script, simple plot (Though acusidly "overused" but who cares) and all-star cast. It's a very creative cross of the "The Grasshopper & The Ant" fable and "The Seven Samuari". A great family film even when not watched by the whole family.
The picture detail on this DVD is absolutely flawless. Since this is the world's first digital to digital transfer. Congratulations to PIXAR for another great innovation! Too bad the only put a anamorphic transfer on the Collector's Edition DVD for those of you with widescreen TVs. The sound on this is great too. I can't really say much since my sound system is a puny 2.0 channel plain sterieo. But I'm sure it would be good. The extras on this disc are unbelievably low. Nothing that you couldn't see at the theater. They didn't even include a trailer. That's why I would prefer the Collector's Edition DVD to this anyday.
But other than that, the movie itself is something to cherish altogether. I can't give this DVD a 5 star rating because of the lack of extras and lack of anamorphic transfer. But if you don't have a widescreen tv and don't care about the extras, this ones for you. For those others like me, check into the Collector's Editon DVD.
I'm going to pay my respects for Madenline Kahn since this was her last filmography (or second to last) before her untimely death. I will not elaborate since I have only seen her in two roles. She was just right for the role of Gypsy. Perfect voice. That's all I'll say.
Anyway, great picture & sound, awesome movie, a family feature must-have.
65 Very Good But lacks support for wide screen TVs
Although this movie is one of the best I have seen in years, this version of the DVD does not have "Enhanced Support for Widescreen TVs" like most other DVDs have. There is a big difference between having a wide screen version, and the wide screen version supporting wide screen TVs. This is a serious omission for the serious video family.
66 A great disc & film
Not the best but a great Disney release. A Disney DVD with extras!! Imagine that. Great picture quality. I'm glad I bought it.
67 ANTZ is better
thius movie's story is unoriginal and boring. Other than some funny gags and some great animation, there is nothing for me to recommend this movie. TOY STORY 1 & 2 are much better and I recommend getting the DVD box with those movies.
68 A delightful movie the whole family can enjoy
This is one of the rare children's movies that can be enjoyed by an entire family. The youngest person in my family is 14, and "A Bug's Life" still manages to be one of our most frequently watched movies. It's based on the old moral about the ant and the grasshopper, where the ant spends all summer working to prepare for the coming winter while the grasshoper lazily puts it off until it's too late. Here it is a colony of ants forced into working for the grasshoppers every year so that they barely have enough food for themselves to last the hard winters. All that changes when Flick, a well-intentioned yet clumsy ant, goes off in search of mighty warriors to help them fight off the grasshoppers once and for all. But in a twist of fate, he accidentally hires down-on-their luck circus bugs instead. The premise is somewhat cliched, that anyone can be a hero if they believe in themself - but it is told freshly and with humor. Besides, that is an important lesson, and one that adults could stand to remember as well. "A Bug's Life" is high on my list of the best Disney movies ever made, if not the number one. I highly reccomend it, and not just for children.
69 Pure Eye Candy!
Pixar produces the best animation effects bar none, and it shows on this DVD. The color, sound and movement is perfect. It has many humorous moments and a pretty decent story overall. None of the characters are overly endearing but I always enjoy watching it anyway and I'm 37 years old. I can hardly wait until the next Pixar production comes out! If you have DVD player, this is a must have to show off what pure digital animation can do to your senses! I have the standard single disk version, but you might want to consider getting the version with the extras on a second disk.
70 Excellent, even for people who own the regular edition
While I could tell you all about "A Bug's Life", in the case of a Special Edition it is probably better to talk about the features (since you should already have seen the movie before getting a special version of it). I'll begin on disk 1. Well, there is the basic movie, a commentary track, an audio only track and a sountrack only track. The basic movie is very well done, and maybe even better than the theatrical version because of the conversion process and sound quality. Superb stuff, but its also available on the regular version so we'll move on. The commentary track is very insightful and actually provides a lot of information about the process of making the movie. Its very interesting to listen to and will keep you watching, unlike most commentary tracks where the speakers generally just drag on and on about how great the actors are or something similar without actually talking about the movie. The soundtrack only section is pretty interesting, and it lets you hear the more subtle parts that you miss with FX and voice, but it gets pretty tiring. The FX track, on the other hand, was absolutely riveting for some reason. You would think a track with no voice and no music would be boring to all hell, but in fact it was incredibly entertaining to watch and it really lets you get a sense into the amount of effort they put into the sound. Things you don't even notice or realize are happening in the background are made very clear on this track. I would recommend this edition for anyone who is thinking about going into Sound FX later in life simply for this track.
On to disk 2 now, which is pretty much all design sketches and production notes. There are some really fascinating things on this disk as well. They go through all the stages from beginning to end and you really get to see the story evolve from its original form (recognizable, but oh so different). Also, the short feature on turning the storyboard art into 3d art was very interesting (especially if you want to go into graphics).
In the end this is a DVD I think any A Bug's Life fan will love. All the various options and ways to view the movie are excellent and will keep you entertained for hours while all the special features on disk 2 will make you appretiate the effort behind it all that much more. Pick this one up.
71 What's up with some of these guys...
Okay so I'm just now getting around to reviewing this movie that I bought on the day it was released. I've seen it 15 million times and I love it. Yeah I'll admit that some of the parts are kind of weak and could be funnier, but the characters are so loveable that that's what did it for me. All you reviewers who raved about the DVD release make me want to go out and buy a DVD player just to get this movie on DVD. I am still stuck with VHS. Oh well. Anyways, I would love to see a sequel to this, just to see these characters again. So I end up asking stupid questions about them...
I wonder why Flik had to go and devise this whole bird plan even though he had a black widow spider in his gang, she could've taken care of those grasshoppers easily...but then this wouldn't be a kid's movie. (but I still think about that every time I watch it..) and maybe Rosie is defanged. (but still, she was widowed 12 times...hmmm! one starts to wonder.)
Also, Francis is supposed to be this macho tough guy who doesn't let ANYONE think he is a girl.. well then why is he in the circus dancing around ballet-style with flowers on his head?? Was unemployment that bad for bugs that he had to run out and join the circus? Oh well, he's cute anyways. (Denis Leary is the best.)
Okay enough of my dumb questions about the movie. It's a really cute movie and I would love to see it on DVD. Whenever I get around to getting one it will be partly because of this movie.
72 The Best CGI film ever made
Let's face it - anyone who uses brand new CGI technology is on to a winner, but how does Pixar do it? Their films are so meticulously detailed, so beautiful and perfectly casted, it's unreal. ABL is better than Toy Story, not least because of the (literally) thousands of neat touches which make a superlative film into something just that little bit more special. The story follows Flik, an inventor ant who is shunned by the rest of his colony on account of his clumsiness and his need to be different. On the way, he hires a certain motley crew of circus bugs to head off some rather troublesome grasshoppers (led by the awesome Kevin Spacey). The film also explores moral issues, and is of course technically stunning to anyone in the animation business (the initial reason why I went to see it - but came out with a thousand different ones for going!). On top of this is the obvious, and very colourful appeal to kids, who will, basically put, ADORE this film. Bye it, Love it, get the T-shirt, and start praying for the impending sequel!
73 Just plain.....
I was so excited to finally see the movie. It was a real let down. None of the punch and emotion of "Toy Story". I had seen "Antz" before this one and I thought "Antz" was ok. Compared to "A Bug's Life, "Antz" was great. Don't waste yout time. I don't see how little kids would even like this one.
74 I enjoyed an animated movie after a very long time.
Aldin was the last animated movie I enjoyed a lot. Now this one. I was almost into their world while watching it. My TV never looked this good and my audio was almost at its best. The quality of this DVD is absolutely marvelous. Looking forward to buying it soon!
75 Been there done that...
Toy Story was in many ways a new kind of film for Disney. It had an origionality that the company hadn't shown in a long time and was quite refreshing to say the least. A Bug's Life, however is pretty much the same formulated and trite Disney film that he have all seen a million times before wrapped in some flashy new computer animation.
The movie starts out with Flick(an ant) trying to find a more efficient way to gather nuts. Flick is part of a colony and doesn't fit in. The evil grasshopers force the poor ants to give them food every year. Flick decides the only way to end this is to this is to get some "warrior bugs" to come and get rid of the grasshoppers. However, being a niave little ant, he instead gets a bunch of circus rejects by mistake. If this sounds familiar, it should. It's the same old contrived plot that we have seen more times that we can count in Disney films and other films. Anyone with half a brian can guesse what is going to happen. The "warrior bugs" are going to be exposed as fakes but the ants are going to find the strenght to defeat the grasshoppers themselves. How touching.
The film has a few amusing parts but for the most part A Bug's Life is a total disapointment. When compared to the likes of Toy Story, Ants, or even Alladin; A Bug's Life ends up looking terribly dated(even with it's great computer animation). Maybe Disney should quite telling the exact same stories in new settings and try to do something origional.
76 A GREAT BUG'S MOVIE
This is a great movie,a great story and great charecter.The DVD is totally awesome,the picture look great and the 5.1 surround sound was awesome,the hopper gang was flying around my house WOW! GREAT MOVIE,GREAT SURROUND SOUND,GREAT PICTURE and GREAT DVD.
77 Just rocks straight out.
This movie is awesome. Much better than Antz, because for one thing Flik goes to take care of hsi problem than sitting on a psychiatrist's couch whining about it a la Z. The jokes were great, as well as the bloopers during the end credits.
Bug's Life was also the farewell performance of Roddy McDowall, one of the greatest actors _ever_ IMHO, as Mr. Soil. It would have been nice if there had been a small dedication or something like that during the end credits but... Whatcha gonna do?
78 Great DVD for a very good animation movie
Ok, this is Disney always doing the same kind of film, but I really loved the characters and the story in this one. Cute, funny and entertaining. The DVD quality is also great!
79 Amazing detailed animation and great story
I didn't think I would see the day that I would actually enjoy a children's movie. I found it actually quite funny, especially the caterpillar and the pop bugs. What I also found amazing was the computer animation. Every aspect of every scene was incredibly detailed and colorful, with great textures.
This deluxe collectors edition disc is packed full of supplimental materials. Probably my favorite of those are the outtakes that they created. What a great idea to add in. I also found it interesting to see how this movie was actually made, lots of work involved. Grab this disc while you can. I found it hard to find as there aren't many left.
80 Way too scary for my kids (2 and 5)
There's a lot that's good in this movie -- fabulous animation, nice (if unoriginal) story, good performances, clever humor. But the scenes where characters we've come to love are in dire peril are way too intense and frequent, and there is too much brutality meted out by the menacing bad guys for me to consider this an acceptable movie for kids under 8 or 9. My 2 year old cried and had to leave the room with her father; my five year old spent much of the movie with her hands over her ears and her eyes buried in my shoulder. (And my kids are not wimps -- they'll watch real bugs attack and eat each other with total fascination and they love nature documentaries where the predators catch and eat their prey. But movies like this intensify everything and assault their sensitive young eyes and ears and emotions.) I realize that I am probably in a very small minority with this judgment, but I don't think this sort of thing is good for small kids. I really feel it is our job to protect their tender little hearts from such intensity, menace, and brutality, not show it to them over and over again until they are desensitized to it. So I give it two stars as a kids' flick; four stars as over 10 year old fare and average it out at three stars.
81 I am very dissapointment
In the information appear Dolby Digital in Spanish and French, but only Traks is in English. My languaje is in Spanish.
The movie is wonderfull and the audio too. My only dissapointment is the Traks.
82 NO SPANISH TRACKS
If you want your kids to watch this in spanish, BUY THE VHS, because this new edition which is supposed to have an spanish track, doesn't have it. I wasted my money and lost any intention of hearing it in spanish.
83 EXCELLENT MOVIE...BUT HAVEN'T WE SEEN THIS BEFORE?
"A Bug's Life" is a fantastic movie, full of comedy, drama, and charm. You feel for those poor ants and you can't help but cheer them on. But, wait a minute...the Disney plagiarism machine is at work yet again! After all the flak that Disney endured because its movie "The Lion King" was so similar to the Japanese animation classic "Leo The Lion", you'd think they'd have learned their lesson. Well, they haven't.
This time, Disney & Friends have decided to rip off ANOTHER Japanese classic movie, albeit a rather obscure one to the average modern American movie audience. Their plagiaristic target? The 1957 classic "Seven Samurai" --later remade into the American film "The Magnificent Seven". In this movie, a village of farmers (Disney's ants) is under threat of pillage from the countryside-roaming bandits (Disney's grasshoppers). So the village dispatches a few of its residents (Disney's Flik) to the nearest town to enlist the help of brave samurai (Disney's big bugs). Although there are a few plot changes, probably just so Disney can stay one step ahead of a copyright infringement lawsuit, the big bugs eventually help defend the village from the attackers and all ends well.
Despite all the story-stealing, Disney has managed to produce a visually stunning movie. The DVD image is unbelievably clear, crisp, and super sharp. With a large screen TV, you will swear you're there with the ants sharing in their adventure. The audio is excellent, with neither the dialog nor the music being too soft nor too loud (DVD producers, take note: there's nothing more irritating than having to crank up the volume because the dialog's barely audible, only to have the house rattle when the music or sound effects kick in!). I have the standard edition of the DVD, so there aren't many extras. There is an alternate French audio track. AND there are the much-loved outtakes during the end credits, both sets in fact! These are hilarious and, in my opinion, are actually funnier than the movie. I'd pay to watch a whole DVD of such outtakes. If there's ever the possibility of a DVD wearing out, mine will be at the outtakes, for I often pop the DVD in the player just to watch those. They are truly funny.
So, despite my beef about the plagiarism, I must give Disney kudos for cranking out a top-quality product. But you still owe it to yourself to check out the original film from which this was taken, the Japanese classic "Seven Samurai". It's a wonderful movie that's suitable for the whole family.
84 Absolutly Adorable
Flick has never fitten in with the rest of the ants. He dose things diffrently, he likes to create things and make them work. And frankly most of the other Ants would be happy if he just stayed out of the way. So when Flick's new invention knocks over the offering stone, which full of food for the grasshoppers, the other ants would like to tear them limb form limb but there too busy collecting more food for the grasshoppers. So Flick comes up with an idea to find warrior bugs to defeat the grasshoppers. The other ants agree with him just to get rid of em. But when Flick actually dose come back with "bigger bugs" he's considered a hero. Unless they find out that the "warrior bugs" are actually circus bugs! This is a great movie! It's cute and good for the whole family.
85 Not as good as "Antz" but good
I finally saw "A Bug's Life" and it was good, but it wasn't as funny as I thought it would be from seeing the previews. A colony of ants must try to rid their colony of Hopper and the rest of the grasshoppers that demand some food from them every so often.
"A Bug's Life" reminded me a lot of the movie "Antz" while I was watching it. In my opinion, "Antz" is a little bit better than "A Bug's Life." However, if you like the other computer animated cartoon movies such as "Antz" and "Toy Story," then you will probably like "A Bug's Life." I do recommend seeing, if not adding, this movie to your collection.
86 The best DVD I've ever owned
This is probably not going to surprise anyone-- This is simply an excellent DVD, in every scale. The first disc contains the movie itself, which is transferred from its original, digital source. The picture quality is unbelievable. Not one spot comes up during the movie, not one scratch appears-- because this wasn't transferred from film. This is the way A Bug's Life should be watched. The colors are amazing, bright and contrast eachother perfectly. The sound is also unbelievable-- this movie challanged my 1.5 surround system perfectly. Unlike some other movies I've seen, where the two rear speakers are only used about twice in the movie, A Bug's Life uses them almost constantly-- You can hear the crickets and cicadas all around you in many of the scenes, Hopper's gang are flying at you from behind; Even with a simple scene like the "Royal Huddle" the ant's footsteps are coming from around you. The first disc contains a Cinemascope widescreen version and a pan-and-scan version. I'll have to say that if you don't have a widescreen TV (I don't), you probably should forget about the widescreen version here as it is aspecially small. Besides, the PSP version was edited digitally in a very special way, even described on this DVD-- you hardly miss anything in the PSP version because of that special editing. If anything, you actually get to see more detail. Also on the first disc are two special audio choices, Music Only (cool) and SFX only (VERY cool), and a director's commentary (quite cool, although not the best I've heard. John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich seem to talk too much about the story, which sometimes makes it sound as if they're just describing what you already see on screen.)
(I'm not going to give review to the movie itself here-- In short, it is definitly a 5 star movie!)
The second disk is where the real fun begins. I've never seen so many extras, with so many choices to choose from. It's almost confusing-- You not only get to see how they made the movie, you get to literally see how they developed EACH AND EVERY character in this film. It's astonishing. You can also hear how they edited the sound, see how they made the PSP version so good, see how they made the outtakes at the end (and also see the outtakes by themselves, clean, full screen and with no credits to interrupt), see an interview with the characters themselves (which is simply hilarious), and... See Geri's Game in all its glory. And there's even more.
Basically, if you don't have this DVD, you WILL buy it. Otherwise, what's the point of having a DVD?
87 What a DVD should be
Okay, so i preffered AntZ, and i keep expecting to hear Woody Allen every time the hero speaks. But this is a lovable film. I don't think it is that suitable for very young children as a friend of mines kids will attest. The DVD is full of stuff and the quality is perfection. Hope they keep up high standard they have set when it come to reslease there other works.
88 Head and shoulders above Antz
Pixar's A Bug's Life is the true king of the insect movies. And it's one of the best animated films Disney has produced since the first Toy Story.
The storyline is far better than that of Antz, as is the animation, color scheme and vocal talents. An A+ movie all the way, and one that adults can enjoy every much as the kids.
This Special Edition dvd is by far the most feature rich dvd I've yet to see. If people are wondering just how a movie like this gets made, all of your questions, and then some, will be answered in full.
And no matter how many times I see them, I just have to LOL @ the two sets of outtakes. An all around great package for your money!
89 A Kurosawa Copy for the Kids!
_A Bug's Life_ is a great animated film, and, although it was marketed largely to children, has anyone other than me drawn a parallel from this movie to Akira Kurosawa's _Seven Samurai_? It is nearly an exact imitation, from the farmers (ants) being bullied by the roving troop of bandits (grasshoppers) to the farmers' (ants') search for samurai (bodyguard insects) to the climatic battle scene. Of course, _A Bug's Life_ is modified to suit the innocent, impressionable minds of children, so there are no severed limbs or dead grasshoppers (bandits) lying about.
If you are an adult and enjoyed _A Bug's Life_, see Kurosawa's epic _Seven Samurai_ (as well as his other wonderful films!).
90 K.I.S.S.
Keep It Simple Stupid.
Storyline: Sometimes the simplest story line is the best. A must have DVD for children and adults(who must be reminded that we were children once & must fight for what we believe in). As adults, take a good look at the world we live in. How many "Hoppers" do we see out there?
Eye Candy: Amazing computer generated images. Lighting, textures, shadows, etc down to the last detail, is a pure joy to watch. A must have for the DVD owner even if you do not have any children. Nice going Pixar!
91 Entertaining for kids and adults!
A Bug's Life is entertaining for kids and adults alike. This movie is a non-stop action fest that has been masterfully captured on DVD.
The picture quality if superb, if not the best I've seen, for an animated DVD due to the direct digital to DVD transfer. In full screen mode, you will be amazed how clean and delineated the picture is; the detail is incredible!
My big surprise was how amazing the sound is on this disc. You can use this to show off your Dolby Digital sound system to friends just as well as any action film. The surround effects are crisp and the bass is well defined.
My only complaint would probably be that the action and sound is so non-stop, that it can tire out adults, albeit mesmerizing children the whole time.
The extras are plenitiful and well done. The inclusion of the end-title outtakes is the highlight of a wonderful special edition disc you're sure to enjoy.
92 Funny for all!
One of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time! I saw it first in the movies and was impressed with the dual levels of humor running simultaneously! The kids would laugh and then the adults would laugh; at different things! It seemed that Pixar and Disney KNEW that parents must sit through these movies and went out of their way to entertain the WHOLE audience. The "outtakes" at the end are not to be missed! The animation is fabulous and makes the cast come "alive"! I have recommended this movie to all my friends; with or without kids. A must-have for any video collection.
93 Small as a bug itself......
Crap. Boring. Stupid. A Bug's Life deserve's no praise. Apart from it's excllent cast (Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus) the whole film is pointless and silly.
There is this bug called Flik who goes out looking for more bugs to help him save the colony from giant grasshoppers. And what has he got around him?
A Bug's Life is no good, trust me. It isn't "marvellous" , "wonderful" or "lovely" - it is just STUPID!
Antz isn't any better either.
94 My son's favorite
We've only had this movie since Xmas 1999, but my son has almost the whole movie memorized, and he's only 2 1/2 years old. Whenever he watches it, he mimics virtually the whole movie, scene by scene, movement by movement. And not just one character. He just loves the action, and so do his parents (us). The graphics are superb and even the facial expressions are fantastic. The characters' movements match up pretty well as to how the actors would actually look like if it were a real life movie. Great movie for all ages. I would recommend anyone to get this movie, whether or not you have children.
95 The Bugs didn't Bug Me
I got A Bug's Life free with my iMac DV, and boy do I love it!
it was my first DVD i'd ever seen, and it really set the standards for me!
way to go pixar! way to go Apple!
Michael
96 Love Your Bugs
I find the movie "A Bug's Life" very amusing. Its computer graphics are amazing and its characters are charming. It presents the ant's colony in a different, enjoyable point of view. It's thrilling and will keep all the family entertained. In its clever way, the movie visualizes a world that can not be seen with special effects. Though the main idee is the same, "A Bug's Life" is even funnier then Antz.
97 Witty, Charming and Downright Funny
My girlfriend made me go to this movie in the theatre and I was not expecting much. Boy was I surprised! This movie had me rolling in the aisles. I especially liked the outtakes at the end. When she bought the movie, we proceeded to watch it many more times and I think I'm up to at least 10. It never fails to make me laugh and every time I watch it, I notice some new aspect that I missed before. The voices are great and so are the jokes. This is much better than "Antz". Disney never fails to make movies that appeal to kids and adults. I'm not ashamed to say that I can recite the (extremely funny) dialog along with the movie. Really, "it's a rock"!
98 Witty, Charming and Downright Funny
My girlfriend made me go to this movie in the theatre and I was not expecting much. Boy was I surprised! This movie had me rolling in the aisles. I especially liked the outtakes at the end. When she bought the movie, we proceeded to watch it many more times and I think I'm up to at least 10. It never fails to make me laugh and every time I watch it, I notice some new aspect that I missed before. The voices are great and so are the jokes. This is much better than "Antz". Disney never fails to make movies that appeal to kids and adults. I'm not ashamed to say that I can recite the (extremely funny) dialog along with the movie. Really, "its a rock"!
99 Disappointed
this movie is really just for kids, i did not like it really at all.
100 Most likely Disney's most comical, next to Toy Story!
Although this movie is mostly aimed at a young audience, the wit and cynicism of this film will have adults laughing until their sides hurt. When the oppressive grasshoppers threaten the ants, the small creatures elect Flik, a highly imaginative and sometimes goofy ant, to seek the help from other bugs. He unknowingly recruits a group of circus bugs who do not know what they are getting themselves into until they return with Flik to the ant colony. Flik, not wanting to look like a failure in front of the ants, pleads with the bugs to stay, and they begin to hatch a plan to keep the grasshoppers away. The voice talents of some hot stars, as well as terrific computer animation from Pixar and a hilarious script that delivers laughs, this Disney movie is second only to the brilliant Toy Story, and I recommend it to everyone, old and young alike.
