Round 1: FISH FOR THOUGHT
DREAMWORKS: It sounds like a NEMO copycat, but SHARK TALE is not just another fish in the sea. Will Smith, Renée Zellwegger, and Jack Black are just a few of the A-list celebs lending their voices to this sure-to-be-big ocean flick. Look for it this October.
PIXAR: Topping the charts in 2003 alongside other Disney ventures such as PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, FINDING NEMO earned its place in Oscar history when it won Best Animated Film earlier this year. This movie’s animation is dazzling and amazingly realistic. FINDING NEMO screams “sequel!”
NEMO caught the first point for Pixar, hook, line and sinker!
SCORE: DREAMWORKS 0
PIXAR 1
Round 2: SCREAM MACHINE
DREAMWORKS: Though he may not be pretty and has really bad B.O., the original SHREK left moviegoers hungry for more green laugh-out-loud fun in 2001. Resident Canadian actor and comedian, Mike Meyers rocks the theatre as the headlining ogre. SHREK 2 hits theatres May 21.
PIXAR: MONSTERS, INC. is a cute movie about two monsters, Mike and Sully (played by Billy Crystal and John Goodman) who work for a company that scares little kids. Baby Boo wins over the audience, although it is not enough to scare away the competition.
Boo-hoo for Boo! SHREK takes a point home to Far Far Away.
SCORE: DREAMWORKS 1
PIXAR 1
Round 3: ANTS IN YOUR PANTS
DREAMWORKS: ANTZ was one of the first animated feature films of its kind directed by DreamWorks with breakthrough technology in computer animation. Again, an all-star cast is served up with Woody Allen, J-Lo, and others but sadly this film’s antics do not make the grade.
PIXAR: Coincidentally (or not?) Pixar Studios developed their own project about a colony of ants called A BUG’S LIFE, making 1998 the year of the ant at the box office. All the characteristics of a classic Disney film made A BUG’S LIFE the fan favourite.
Heimlich swallows ANTZ whole. DreamWorks trails on the scoreboard…
SCORE: DREAMWORKS 1
PIXAR 2
Round 4: ONE HIT WONDERS
DREAMWORKS: CHICKEN RUN is a bad egg when it sizes up to other DreamWorks achievements. From the creators of Wallace & Gromit, this not-so-wonderful movie stars Mel Gibson as the voice of Rocky. Bottom line, run away from this chicken.
PIXAR: For Pixar, TOY STORY defined success in 1995 and again in 1999 when Tom Hanks and Tim Allen returned for a second go in TOY STORY 2. The only question that remains is will Toy Story 3 ever see the light of day? Let’s hope so!
Buzz Lightgear blasts off with yet another point!
SCORE: DREAMWORKS 1
PIXAR 3
Round 5: REEL MAGIC
DREAMWORKS: In addition to SHARK TALE, DreamWorks is wasting no time at all on their next film MADAGASCAR due out in summer 2005. In the movie, Chris Rock and Ben Stiller will voice a zebra and a lion, as David Schwimmer will also share his voice post-FRIENDS.
PIXAR: Keep an eye open for another animated masterpiece when Pixar’s new movie THE INCREDIBLES joins ex-super heroes on their mission to save the world. I have seen a sneak peek, and what can I say? It looks incredible!
THE INCREDIBLES save the last point for Pixar!
SCORE: DREAMWORKS 1
PIXAR 4
ROUND UP: Dreams come true for Pixar, but they do not “work” for DreamWorks. Pixar has made millions with its blinding worlds of colour that can only be captured by the best. Pixar films are “pixel perfect!”
Web Links:
www.dreamworks.com
www.pixar.com