I am, or at least used to be a massive Pixar fan. From the first time I saw Toy Story in the cinema in 1995 when I was five years old I was obsessed… so obsessed and blown away in fact that for the next ten years of my life after this I tried to perfect my artistic skills so that one day I would be lucky enough to work in the fantastic Pixar building and help create some of my all time favorite films. Long story short, turns out I’m not exactly Picasso.
If you were to ask me this question five years ago: “Which studio is better, Pixar or Dreamworks?” I would have probably laughed at you and screamed Pixar in your face. However, if I am being completely honest, Pixar has let me down over the last few years. Pixar’s first six films were incredible and showed us beautifully imagined worlds like never really before on film. We were blown away by the technology and the storytelling was some of, if not the best in Hollywood at the time. But since the movie Cars, things began to change for me…
I am actually one of the very few people who don’t consider Cars to be one of Pixar’s two worst films in its history, and the film I do believe should be placed next to Cars 2 on that list would probably shock you out of reading this article… so I will tell you at the end like a wimp. But although I enjoyed Cars and thought it was a perfectly enjoyable and even touching film, this for me was the moment when Pixar went from being revolutionary to slowly becoming pretty darn average. It was at this point where I truly believe Pixar had run out of its best ideas, and although Pixar would create a few great films after Cars, the films wouldn’t be anywhere near as original as its first 6 and the best film to come after Cars was in fact a sequel.
When Pixar and Dreamworks have gone up against each other at the Oscar’s, most of the time Pixar is guaranteed the win. It’s because of this critical success that people haven’t really been paying enough attention to Dreamworks… at least not as much as they pay attention to Pixar. Dreamworks produces many more films a year than Pixar do, but Pixar’s films are certainly the more buzzed and talked about. But is this fair? Is Dreamworks just as good as Pixar, or maybe even better?
To find out, I am going to compare 5 Pixar films and 5 Dreamworks films to try to settle this debate once and for all. I will only pick each studios better films and try to match them to similar films within each studios catalog. Perhaps all along we have been lead to believe Pixar is far superior when in fact, deep down, we have been enjoying Dreamworks films much, much more…
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30 Comments
My vote for Pixar too!
Pixar, of course.
I prefer the first Shrek film, myself. As for Pixar vs Dreamworks, that’s too tough to call.
I’m surprised you didn’t bring up How To Train Your Dragon, arguably one of Dreamworks’ best films (certainly the biggest critical success).
Even bigger a critical success than Shrek? Yeah, I was going to mention the film but then this article would have been so long and I still would have come to the same conclusion.
Certainly How To Train Your Dragon is better than Pixar’s weaker films, but it doesn’t even touch upon Toy Story for example.
It seems Pixar’s fall since last two years have disturbed you, that’s why you are writing such articles.
Cars 2>>>>>>>>> Shark Tale.
Shark Tale is the only movie I hated of all the Pixar and Dreamworks movies, jamming its political agenda down your throat the whole time, and without making me chuckle, laugh, or guffaw.
Also, the Shrek movies rely on current event jokes that aren’t as funny a few years later (with the sequels covered in this type of comedy). Shrek was funny and creative at release, but is a film that does not stand the test of time well.
Best Dreamworks Films
1. How to train your dragon
2. Shrek
3. Kungfu Panda
4. Megamind
Worst Dreamworks Films
1. SharkTale
2. SharkTale
….
7. Over the hedge
8.9.10. Shrek 3,4, puss in boots
Best Pixar Films
1. Finding Nemo
2. Toy Story 2
3. Toy Story
4. Toy Story 3
5. Incredibles
Worst Pixar Films
1. Cars 2
…
3. WallE
…
5. Ratatouille
Pixar gets a solid A
Dreamworks gets a B-, barely, due to very bad worst films in conjunction with some good films and few great films
I agree with a lot of this apart from Shark Tale is a much much much better film than Cars 2 and Shrek 2 is Dreamworks best film. Plus, I’m not convinced that Finding Nemo is the greatest Pixar film but certainly top 5… probably top 3.
The great thing about opinions is your never wrong about your own…
But I can see your arguments
What is wrong with Puss in Boots? I think the movie is number 4 in the best Dreamworks films because I hated Megamind, but that is just my opinion. I agree completely with How to Train Your Dragon being Dreamworks number 1 film. I love that movie!
Loosing? You mean ‘losing’
I’m not sure that I agree with your opinion but I think you argued your point well.
I obviously prefer Pixar but I will always defend a Dreamworks film because I think they’re all great even if they’re not trying to get critical acclaim. I think that Shrek 2 should be compared with Toy Story 2 as they are both the best films of each other respective franchises (well at least I think so).
Dragon should definitely been on the list it would even make a good comparison with Brave.
Dreamworks, for me, make fun films and that seems to be their goal (at least in their middle years) and I think Pixar were trying to tell really good stories.
Just for the record I’d say that Kung Fu Panda is my favourite Dreamworks film, I love that movie and even the TV show is somewhat entertaining though I’d enjoy it more if I was 8 years old.
But just to finish…How can you not like UP? I cry every time during the opening five or so minutes. Maybe it’s because I’m in a serious relationship and I put myself in Carls shoes but I think it’s great. I love the visuals and the environmental message and even the adventure aspects. Out of Pixars latest critically acclaimed movies most people I see hating on them dislike Wall-E and love Up.
Oh well, nice article and stick to your guns. It’s your opinion after all and everyone has different tastes…though I do implore you to watch Up again and look at it almost like it’s a tribute to older animation films that deal with adventure (For some reason I get like a Brave Little Toaster vibe from it or a film along those lines, it just feels like an old story with CGI)
Thanks. Honestly, I have watched UP about 4 times already and struggle to sit through it all. I agree that it is like a tribute to older animation films but I find the film too old fashioned and outdated for my taste. It is not terrible, but it does drag on, and I don’t find any of the characters all that engaging. It has a great concept and I can understand why the film was made purely form an animators perspective (balloons= pretty) but it is just not my kind of film I guess. I wouldn’t try to argue that it is terrible simply because I know many people who consider it their favorite, but it certainly isn’t mine.
It’s interesting that you don’t talk about some of the more recent critically acclaimed hits by both studios.
I personally feel that much of Pixar’s success comes from clever marketing (in that they do not show any plot at all prior to the films’ release) Also, if you’ll notice, some of Pixar’s greatest films were shepherded by either Brad Bird or Andrew Stanton, which speaks more on their storytelling skills as opposed to the entire studio.
For all the hate that Dreamworks gets, the kind of movies they produce always, on paper, look like the more fun alternative. Sure Pixar aims for mature and highbrow fare, but the nature of animation studios having to catering to a family audience almost always guarantees that their treatments, while revolutionary at first glance, will always follow a safer route.
It’s even more plain to see with their more recent efforts: Cars 2 and Monsters University are basically the studio going back on their word about limiting sequels, Toy Story 3 shares the exact same plotline as the first 2 movies, while failing to be as poignant as its predecessors. The best thing about Brave, was the international trailer, the one that promised an epic scottish fairy tale. What I’m basically saying is that Pixar is too ambitious for their own good. The ideas are solid, revolutionary even, but the follow through never really matches with the promise of the initial pitch.
Wall-E was going to be completely devoid of dialogue, humans show up and basically narrate half way through.
Toy Story 3 was supposed to deal with the mortality of Toys, they all live happily ever after anyway.
Brave was advertized as this epic bows and arrows adventure, it turned out to be Mother Bear.
Up was going to be about growing old and letting go, no one ever watches past the first 10 minutes.
Even Cars promised to be a racing movie, it ended up being Doc Hollywood.
Pixar is at its strongest when it deals with stories about families (Incredibles, Finding Nemo),
Compare that with Dreamworks’ recent movies which are concepts that at first seem rather juvenile (The movies are called “Kung Fu Panda” or “Ubermind” or “How To Train Your Dragon”, not to mention a movie with Santa Clause, The Easter Bunny, and The Tooth Fairy) but are explored to their limits.
Suddenly that movie about a Panda that does Kung Fu is about a Geek finding his destiny.
That movie about dragons suddenly becomes a movie about a boy and his dog saving the world.
Megamind suddenly is a movie about some guy’s identity crisis.
In a way its the opposite of how Pixar approaches making movies.
Thanks for this response. You make some really interesting points to consider. I agree with you that Pixar films always sound better than they are in reality. Their pitches (most of the time) are wonderful- far better than Dreamworks, but the execution is lacking in a lot of their movies… mostly their most recent ones. I am a much bigger fan of Pixar’s first few films than I am their most recent efforts- although I am optimistic about Monsters University.
I wish I had talked about the studios more recent efforts, however this article was becoming over long and I thought it best to just talk about 5 similar movies they have both produced for comparison.
As for recent movies, I still just about prefer Pixar movies to Dreamworks recent efforts. I like HTTYD and the Kung Fu Panda films but they seem more childish and rushed than any individual Pixar movie (except for Cars 2 which was without a doubt one of the worst animated movies I have ever seen).
Thanks for reading and giving such a well considered and mature view point.
I honestly enjoyed Cars 2. One of my favorites from Pixar. Sure, it may not have the traditional Pixar “touch” but think of it as perhaps a test run. Maybe Pixar released Cars 2 to see our reactions and base future films on how we react to that genre, or maybe they just wanted to produce something a little more mature. And yes, the spy theme may be a little old but cut it some slack. I’m sure most of you other reviewers are older than me (I’m 14) but all you people need to open your minds and imagine a little. It may not be Pixars best production, but its Pixar. Nothing compares.
I like the discussion that you’ve opened up here. I’ll admit that for me The Incredibles is the single greatest Pixar movie so far, even if it is a family oriented rehash of The Watchmen and much as you describe that plus the early movies of Pixar makes me naturally inclined to lean Pixar. BUT – for me I love and cherish the original Toy Story but find the sequels emotionally manipulative for the sake of being emotionally manipulative rather than clever or fun with heart. This distrubs me and I count it AGAINST Pixar rather than for Pixar.
I hated Shark Tale and was neutral on both ANTZ & Its a Bugs Life so for me those are washes. And you want to talk about a political agenda of Shark Tale (see comments above) how about the utter BS that was CARS2? Seriously can you get more ham handed than that? Oh wait, Wall-E. Yeah Americans are fat, lazy and wastful and we’re going to flee our planet or die in our own filth. Rollseyes.
For me Pixar has become the studio of Brilliant opening sequences and then falling rapidly down the rabit hole, which holds true for their last five films. I love the opening 8 minutes of UP and can turn it off after that. Hated the rest of the movie. Even the opening to Cars 2 is fun with the James Bond Aston Martin bit, and after Michael Caine’s character swims away the movie could have ended for me. Even Brave’s opening was awesome with the supernatural bear and her parents. But each movie in turn starts with an excellent scene and then fades faster than the Madonna CD sales.
I think that where Pixar really loses itself is the Volume. Honestly Dreamworks produce just a huge amount versus Pixar. They started three years AFTER Pixar did and have produced more movies than Pixar has in the same time frame and looking at future projects this will continue. And while this may be seen as a negative, compare that to Pixar with an utter turd like Cars 2 coming out and everyone going “CRAP”. But to then follow it up with a beautiful but passionless movie like BRAVE, and whats next for PIXAR? oh right another sequal. And a sort of sequal. And another sequal after that. Not to say Dreamworks isn’t pushing out sequals but they come out so quickly the good ones hang around, Shrek 2. And the bad are forgotten, Madagascar anyone?
You’re absolutely right, Pixar started off fantastic and pops out a few gems but nothing since 2007. In my mind Rattatouille was the last great Pixar movie. And with the departure of Brad Bird I’m not sure thats going to get better.
Dreamworks has had ups and downs but they make, discounting for the bell curve, better movies. Bringing in true story tellers like Guillermo Del Toro to oversee their films which is why Kung Fu Panda was a quality sequal, leaving the creative teams in place to maintain continuity and depth wheras Pixar can’t seem to keep their creative teams in place.
If you look over the entirety of the film libraries, yes Pixar is the better production company but if you look at the last 5 years only, Dreamworks has released 7 quality and even great films. Wheras Pixar has released 6 films total, and one great movies and then a lot of good ideas stretched far, far too thin. So Pixar MAY retain their title for now, but lets revisit in 5-10 years and I think a changing of the guard will be in order.
Thanks for this. I’d like to reply in more depth but I don’t have the time and feel like I have probably said everything I needed to in the article and the comments section.
Pretty much agree with most of your points of view… I also hated UP as I already stated but liked (not loved mind you) the opening 8 minutes. Same with Cars 2, but I liked the opening less… it was still a hell of a lot better than the rest of that film. I feel that Pixar is slowly running out of good ideas and a lot of this is because arguably they are trying to hard to be better than Dreamworks that ultimately (although their films concepts are better) the films themselves are basically the same level of quality at this point in time.
This all said… and while I agree that Dreamworks latest films are probably more enjoyable (though there is not that much between them) Pixar’s films are always the ones that look the best. Their animation is far more superior although Dreamworks is slowly catching up. I would also say that you can tell more work goes into a Pixar movie than Dreamworks… but because of this you’d expect Pixar films to be much greater than they are in comparison although they are not.
I would actually disagree with you though… I think Pixar will start to raise their game because of the criticism the studio has been given recently for producing fairly average films. I predict that in about 5-10 years time Dreamworks films will be of the same level as they normally are or worse, and Pixar’s films will be more in line with their original 6. Only time will tell though… thanks for reading.
This whole article is solely based on your personal opinion – which is useless.
I agreed with most of this article, though I don’t understand the flack about Wall-E. Personally, I loved Wall-E — it was the first Pixar film that made me cry, and I love the expressions between Eve and Wall-E. It was the first optimistic post-apocalyptic film I’d seen, and I was inspired to plant a peach tree in my backyard (for about two hours, then I stopped caring). As for Dreamworks, what grates me about many of their recent films (particularly How to Train Your Dragon and Megamind) is the dialogue. The writers resort to cheap cliches so often, and it can be pretty clunky. Comparing Brave to How to Train Your Dragon, Pixar blends modern idioms with archaic dialect to create authentic and relatable dialogue, while Dreamswork resorted to using lines straight out of a teen romcom. I loved How to Train Your Dragon (despite being somewhat misled by the title and wincing whenever a trailer came on TV with my parents in the room), but clunky dialogue always makes me throw up in my mouth. Take Megamind: I thought it was funny (Roxanne’s plan to “go gangsta” was just hilarious) but the writers laughed at their own jokes so often, it teeters between egotistical and desperate. Pixar doesn’t sacrifice credibility for laughs. Mr. Potato-Head’s line in Toy Story “You uncultured swine!” gets me every time. I can relate to it culturally. Take a look at Glee; though the show has a notorious reputation for “gayness everywhere”, the dialogue is well written (or at least in the episodes I’ve seen), and it takes place primarily in a high school, the social precipice of the audience Dreamworks appears to cater to.
I feel like I am the only one who did not enjoy Toy Story 2 as much as the others. It felt slow to me, and Jessie’s backstory (and it’s accompanying song) was forced emotion. Imagine how much more emotionally impacting it would have been to just see Jessie’s facial expressions as the environment changed around her and Emily abandoned her with a *brief* gloomy melody. The way her background was revealed in the film made me think “Oh, so NOW I’m supposed to care about you, you sabotaging toy-stealing floosy? Woody needs to get back to Andy; he’s got no time for your drawn-out 3-minute sob-story!” Honestly, “When She Loved Me” was 3 minutes and 4 seconds long, the movie was 92 minutes long, so that scene was 3.3% of the movie. A rationed revelation and Joan Cusack using a much more subtle accent would have made me more sympathetic to this noisy character. I didn’t actually like Jessie until Toy Story 3, when she revealed her muchacho-fetish and supplied optimism for the team in Woody’s absence.
In the end, Dreamswork seems to be in their element when they focus on character-contrast in its simplest form. Alex and Marty’s perspectives on the wild (everyone seems to have forgotten Madagascar, which was a great movie in spite of its successors) set up the premise for the whole movie. Hiccup’s ability to see love in something alien whereas his father can only see danger is a story that never gets old. Po’s ambition and lack of discipline battles Master Shifu’s controlled, focused abuse. Ironically, they are both pandas. Shrek’s belief that he can never be loved matches Fiona’s fear of never being rescued because of their exteriors; who could love an ogre? But the contrast lies in that Shrek embraces the darkness of his “curse”, while Fiona hides from it and scorns it even until the end. I’ll say that Shrek hit the mark that Beauty and the Beast missed; seriously, way to express the theme “inner beauty versus outer beauty” by turning the Beast back into a blond-haired hunk in the end. Fiona is content with “the ogre she married”. That is Dreamworks at its best, with the exception of Over the Hedge. I didn’t think the movie was terrible, but the turtle annoyed the hell out of me. Great job, Daniel!
Still, cut Cars 2 some slack. Once again this comes directly from the mouth of a 14 year old, Pixar has not produced as many films as Dreamworks, but Pixar more than makes up for it, with the astounding ratings the films get, with them, it will always be about the story. They bring out one film roughly every 1-2 years, I prefer that than 4 films from Dreamworks per year. Shrek was good but Personally, I think they should have stopped at Shrek 2, 3 and 4… too much. Also, the two main Directors of Pixar films, John Lasseter and Brad Bird aren’t directing the films any more, only Producing, new minds with new ideas are directing the films, they don’t know the “Pixar Way.”
I have cried in almost every Pixar production, and in my short life, I have discovered this: If animation can make you truly cry, Its good animation. I cried my eyes out in Up. Cried in Toy Story, Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3. Etc etc. The only Dreamworks film I cried in was Kung Fu Panda 2, during the scene where Po finds the village he grew up in and when he has the flashback, I cried a fair bit. Dreamworks films don’t exactly give us enough time to warm up to the characters. Pixar does this quite well, watch the first 20 minutes of Up and you’ll understand. I am an avid fan of Pixar, I own all films and shorts to date and i plan to work there, even though I have to move half way across the world.
Good luck with your dream to work there… I sincerely hope you get there one day. I have dreamed of working there for a very long time though it will probably always be just a dream for me.
As for Cars 2 however I still hate the movie, though you are right… no Dreamworks movie has ever made me cry (that I can remember) but I have cried at Pixar films, hence why Pixar films are still better. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Thankyou! That means quite a lot to me! And no problem at all :D
It’s no problem at all. Really best of luck… the right kind of determination, passion and commitment and any thing is possible. If I could tell my 14 year old self any thing it would be to never give up on this dream… like you, when I was 14 it was also my life goal to work for the company… had I put in the effort then and not let other things distract me and get in my way I am sure I could have very well been on the way to making that dream come true. So never forget this dream, keep on working towards making it a reality and I am sure your name could be on the credits to a Pixar movie in 10 years time. :D
Pixar, obviously. Dreamworks SUCKS.
I think that Pixar is just having a rough patch, to be honest. They either need the old team back or hire new people (like me!). The need a new script doctor to look over the scripts they make fire these epic premises and fix the problems that are popping up now. Also, the need to change up with the animation, try a short in stop motion or a feature movie in traditional animation, the seem to be on auto drive when it comes to animation (it’s all good but the animation never seems to be building from the last film they made).
Dreamworks, on the other hand, seems to have (for the most part!) decided to make quality films without the competitive fear of Pixar they seem to have had for most of their early films. The realise they are good at taking silly premises and making them epic and believable. The best examples of this are Rise of the Gardians and How to Train Your Dragon. Both films are epic and believable while taking a somewhat silly and childish idea.
I would also like to add that Disney is now on tip top again, a spot they haven’t been since Lilo and Stitch. Wreck it Ralph was amazing, funny and touching while being obviously not a Pixar or Dreamworks creation, it was all Disney. Winnie the Pooh, Tangled and Princess and the Frog were great too. I think Frozen will eclipse both Dreamworks’ Turbo and the Croods and Pixar’s Monster University!
Ps. What do you think of Blue Sky? I think they’re ok but would work better as a subsidiary of another studio.
PPs. What are your thoughts on the animated movies coming up for 2013?
PPPs. (last one!) What would you say my age was, based on my writing style?
Personally I think the only good film Blue Sky has made was the first Ice Age movie (their first movie). The rest of their work has been very disappointing but Ice Age 1 is up there with the best animation movies.
As for the upcoming animation movies I think Monsters University looks like it will be a lot of fun but I doubt it will be up there with Pixar’s greatest. Blue Sky’s Epic looks like an idea that has been done time and time before (Antz, Bugs Life, Arther and the Invisibles) therefore it doesn’t interest me at all. I haven’t really seen or heard that much about Dreamworks films in 2013 but The Croods doesn’t interest me but Turbo sounds like it could be good.
Although I used to be somewhat excited for Frozen, having seen some animation from the film I find myself a lot less interested… though I like the voice cast so who knows? It will probably be good like the majority of Disney films but I doubt it will be great. I personally wish Disney would go back to exclusively doing hand drawn animation as they made some truly amazing films in the 90′s. Tangled was good, but it doesn’t compare to the films from that decade.
And in response to your last PPPs… Based on the fact that you know what script doctors are I would guess that you are 18 + (you can also write quite well although there are a few spelling errors in your comment… that said, I am a terrible speller so I can easily forgive these). However, based on the fact that you asked the question in the first place I am assuming you are probably younger, so maybe 15? So my guess would be 14-20. That said, there is nothing wrong with your writing style so you could really be any age. If you are asking because you’d like to write for this website, I’m sure if you applied and submitted a well thought out article you would be accepted.
Thanks for reading.
ahaha I know it’s late to post comments but anyway….
I love every movie you mention! I have to say though, Toy Story is still one of the best 3d animated film for me (besides Wreck it Ralph, I know it’s Disney but they’re the best for me. nostalgia, feels, funny jokes, unique animation and charms all wrapped up in one movie!).
There’s one thing that’s bothering me. I always thought that Wall-E is absolutely a great movie! It has it’s own charm that makes you want to watch it again.
So far, only Disney and Pixar made me really cry. There are times that Dreamworks made me touch my heart and sympathize the main characters like few scenes of Hiccup from How To Train Your Dragon and Jack from Rise of the Guardians. But overall, it was only Pixar and Disney that made me look for tissues or pillow to sob on. On the other hand, it could be just me but, Dreamworks never fails to make me smile and laugh.
I thought Despicable Me from Illumination Entertainment was a very good animated feature so there’s a promising animated studio for you. And although Blue Sky’s catalog does not compare to Pixar and Dreamworks, their new film, Epic looks like a game changer from the trailer alone.
And how about a separate article on stop motion features of say, Aardman Animations vs. Tim Burton? That deserves a look as well.
How about we put these great studios up against real judges–my kids! Cars was my son’s favorites, but both my son and daughter absolutely love Despicable Me (Illumination Entertainment). That was until Hotel Transylvania (Sony Pictures Animation), the movie my kids watch repeated over any DreamWorks or Pixar flick. But we just saw “The Croods” and the kids want to see it “100 times!” So DreamWorks is the current champ.
As the list goes, the kids get upset when I tease them by playing Up, WALL-E, Ratatouille, or Toy Story 3, so Pixar is definitely not the kids favorite. My son loves Megamind, How to Train Your Dragon and Rise of the Guardians, while my daughter prefers Brave and Shrek 4. So when counting all the “favorites”, DreamWorks comes in ahead of Pixar, but Sony Pictures Animation and Illumination Entertainment have the two most-watch films in our house.
So I’ll add in my two cent here and say that DreamWorks movies tend to embed lessons that teach kids to overcome social obstacles. In Monsters vs. Aliens, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda series, Rise of the Guardians, and Croods, there was either a stereotype, phobia, or fallacy that was identified and overcome. As a parent, I prefer my kids watch something with some sort of educational value. Pixar movies fall short here, but they’re fun for sure.
But the truth is that all these studios are winners because we’ve bought all the movies I’ve just mentions, plus some.
Thanks for this perspective on this topic. Personally, unless you consider animated films to be completely aimed at children I would never use kids as a judge on whether or not a film is actually good. I know when I was a child there were tons of films I probably loved then but if I watch again are actual garbage.
Personally, I think animated movies these days are made for adults first (especially Pixar films) but with the intention to have strong appeal with the children. Perhaps because Pixar films are generally more adult and I would argue more educational, mature and well made (I know you said Dreamworks was the more educational, I’ll have to think about that one- but by your argument I would say most if not all Pixar films also have characters overcoming social obstacles and stereotypes) they don’t appeal to young kids as much as the less deep, more on the surface films made by the majority of the other studios.
Therefore, because Pixar is more mature, with more in depth characters, storylines and situations, kids probably prefer the more colorful, easy going, and less emotionally strenuous films made from the other studios. As films to be critiqued by adults however, Pixar comes out on top in my opinion.