How Are Pixar Films So Timeless and Relevant?
It’s all about story.
YouTuber Kristian Williams’ latest video delves into how Pixar manages to create ever-relevant and -relatable films. Williams’ video-essay explains that where Dreamworks and other competitors use the medium of animated film to breathe new life into tired genres — Williams uses Shark Tale‘s rehashing of mafia film tropes as an example — rather than telling stories that can only be told in animated form. Furthermore, Williams argues, there is a distinct and noticeable difference between a family film and a so-called children’s movie; Pixar traffics in the former, while competitors and peers pigeonhole themselves by creating films that resonate mightily, albeit briefly, with children under 13. Pixar films, on the other hand, focus on timeless lessons of inclusion, coming-of-age and emotional maturity — Inside Out, anyone? — that transcends generations. This focus on empathetic nuance gives Pixar flicks a filmic appeal that escapes even many of Disney’s animated archetypes.
None of this, however, explains or excuses Cars 2.
Check the video out above and be sure to let us know which Pixar movie is your favorite in the comments below.
