Here’s a little quiz for you. Name the lead actor, or at least some actor, in Dreamworks’ Shark Tale.
Sure, sure. There’s Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, Jack Black, Robert DeNiro, and so on. Now, name the voice of someone from The Incredibles.
You might know it, but chances are fair you don’t. I believe this underscores one of the many reasons Pixar’s animated films are, in general, so much better than those from other studios. It all boils down to this: Dreamworks and Warner Brothers spotlight the talent; Pixar spotlights the story. It’s seemed to hold true for any animated film ad I’ve seen lately. Robots, which grossed a lot of money at the box office this past weekend, is the same. I know Robin Williams is in it. Great. What’s it about?
Shark Tale. The fish even looks like Will Smith. But the film has been widely criticized for being thin on plot and heavy on talent. I would think that other studios would see that Pixar is doing well not because they got so-and-so to contribute voice talent, but because the story always comes first.
I don’t mind a few movies from other studios – particularly Shrek. But I would take a Pixar film over almost anything else that’s out there, because they’re entertaining – not because Hot Actor Of The Moment is the voice behind the screen.
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