(1998)
4
Matthew Doberman
Magnificently rendered by the computer-graphics company Pixar (of Toy Story fame), scored by the always-spirited Randy Newman and starring a cavalcade of impressive voices, A Bug's Life is a high point in animated family fare. It's the kind of film adults enjoy as much as, if not more than, their preschool offspring. Even the fake "outtakes" following the film are hilarious: like much of the film's humor, they aim for a surprising level of sophistication. The creators use animation not just to put a child-friendly face on some normally creepy critters, but to go where live-action can't, creating a world of shapes, colors and sounds that couldn't be accomplished otherwise. A Bug's Life was released only months after the more adult-oriented Antz; it's been suggested that the success of these films might have ominous implications for the future of traditional, hand-drawn animation. But it's not simply the computer handiwork that makes A Bug's Life so impressive -- it's the creativity.
cast-crew for A Bug's Life on AllMovie
A Bug's Life (1998)
