90s Movie Review - A Bug's Life

Director: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Comedy/ Adventure
Runtime: 96 minutes
Year: 1998
Starring: Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Hayden Panettiere, Phyllis Diller, Richard Kind, David Hyde Pierce, Joe Ranft, Denis Leary, Jonathan Harris, Madeline Kahn, Bonnie Hunt, Michael McShane, John Ratzenberger, Brad Garrett, Roddy McDowall, Edie McClurg, Alex Rocco, David Ossman, David L. Lander

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 15: A MOVIE SET IN SPRING

Description: A misfit ant, looking for "warriors" to save his colony from greedy grasshoppers, recruits a group of bugs that turn out to be an inept circus troupe.

Review: After Disney Pixar brought us the first fully computer animated film “Toy Story” in 1995, everyone was waiting for the next project. In 1998 they came with “A Bug’s Life”, an animation about the insect world.

“A Bug’s Life” tells the story of an ant colony that is terrorized by a group of grasshoppers. Every year the ants have to give the grasshoppers a large amount of their food in exchange for protection. This year something goes wrong, because of ant Flik. He has to get help, but no one think’s he will succeed.

This clumsy ant, who thinks beyond the ‘ant tradition’, manages to find other insects to help them in their war against the grasshoppers. Flik thinks he is dealing with strong and brave insects, but they are actually a touring group of circus artists.

Like in “Toy Story” the audience is presented a colorful and diverse group of characters, with lots of quirks. The show is stolen by the macho ladybug, a fat caterpillar, a cynical praying mantis and a stick-insect. But also the ant queen. All get wise lessons: believe in yourself. This is brought to us the Pixar way, without any false sentiment.

Although the story is pretty predictable, the style is breathtaking. It has some great action scenes. And the story is filled with visual and textual jokes, that will make children and adults laugh.
“A Bug’s Life” is probably one of the lesser popular Pixar films, but to me a joy to watch and totally worth your time!

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 99: Wet Hot American Summer

Director: David Wain
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2001
Starring: Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Molly Shannon, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Christopher Meloni, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, Marguerite Moreau

Description: Set on the last day of camp, in the hot summer of 1981, a group of counselors try to complete their unfinished business before the day ends.

Review: It’s August 1981. The campleaders at Camp Firewood are trying to make the best of the last day of summer camp.
The movies has some big names: Paul Rudd, Janeane Garofalo, Elizabeth Banks, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler. And they all have done some really funny things. Well, this is not one one of those movies. I love a good satire and spoof when done well, but “Wet Hot American Summer” is just not funny and sometimes it goes a little too far into the absurdism that it’s just not funny anymore.
I did like Paul Rudd and Christopher Meloni though, but overall the movie is not that interesting and there is some really bad acting in it. “Wet Hot American Summer” is not a good comedy, because it isn’t funny enough.

Rating: 2/ 5