Kung Fu Panda

[Dissapointed]

Meg, I know and understand what you’re saying about sequels but wouldn’t you say that maybe Disney at times may have fallen short on your own standard for sequels (Do I have to name the movies?). However, it seem that DreamWorks is the only studio that gets repeatedly criticized or accused of: “it copies other studios works”, “it’s in it for the money”, “it makes movies about animals only’ and countless other accusations. And then we have our favorites who somehow get a pass when it does the same as DreamWorks. Why is that?

Whippet Angel, I think you should have ended your comments at “True, true.” because everything else you said just shows your bias for Disney and against DreamWorks. I think for a company founded in 1923, I think it’s fair to say that Disney has had a few flubs over the years but somehow you’d never know it if you listen to most here.

I agree that DW hasn’t had a perfect record but for a young company (barely four year old as a public company) it has done pretty well. A young company could take risks as you suggest but doing so risks their very existence if things don’t go well. For Disney when a movie fails it has other movies, a TV business and entertainment studios to fall back on in case things don’t go so well. I think a young company must thread cautiously in the beginning otherwise before you know it is all over for them and their employees.

Question to the site: I’m not accusing but does Disney subsidize the site or could it be that most here work at Disney directly or indirectly because that certainly would explain the obvious bias that sometimes exists here.

[Ben]

Nope...it could be that most of us feel Disney does (mostly) the best stuff.

It's true, being a bigger company, that it can take risks once in a while. But so should DWs.

Apart from abandoning tradigital animation, where are DreamWorks' Nightmare Before Christmas? It's Roger Rabbit? Heck, where is its Snow White, Pinocchio or Bambi?

While I love most of the DWs stuff, it is all following the same formula...there aren't many experiments or risks. That's what's really being pointed out here.

When Spirit flopped and the studio got sucked into PDI (or the other way around!) it seemed all creatively perilous artistic ambition went out the window and in came a need for the green. We're not saying DWs doesn't make fun movies, but that's what they are...just fun movies.

And, conversely, does your particular endorsement of DWs mean you have a tie to them? Because if so, great - perhaps you can tell us why the company squashes all the weird ideas.

A pretty silent movie about a lonely robot? That wouldn't happen at DreamWorks unless he discovered he could talk by tuning into various old radio waves, obviously brought to life by the voices of a thousand celebrity names.

[James]

Question to the site: I’m not accusing but does Disney subsidize the site or could it be that most here work at Disney directly or indirectly because that certainly would explain the obvious bias that sometimes exists here.

Sounds pretty accusatory to me. You've been here to make all of three posts and all of sudden you're accusing someone of bias - shilling actually since you think we're being paid for it?! Every post you've made is nothing but DW praise and disdain for anyone else, but WE'RE the ones who are being questioned about bias! Not a great first impression.

[James]

And, conversely, does your particular endorsement of DWs mean you have a tie to them?

Just googled his username and looks like he may just be a DW apologist who blasts into messagebords and overbearingly starts praising DW and dismissing everyone else. Here's one where someone who dared say something negative was dismissed as an "old man on viagra".

http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stock ... rt=2&off=1

Just a warning DWQ_lurker - unlike other web boards we actively moderate and ban members who don't want to have polite conversation.

[Macaluso]

Dreamworks isn't a young company

[James]

But Macaluso's name includes "Mac" like the Apple Computer and Apple was founded by Steve Jobs who bought Pixar and is now on the DISNEY board! BIAS!!!!!

[Dissapointed]

James, I’m sorry for saying that, it was not appropriate. I just got ****** off at Ben because even after hearing that maybe, just maybe “Madagascar 2” might possibly be good. The guys who says he loves DreamWorks instead of saying something encouraging or hopeful he chooses to make a snarky remark (not cool imho).

BTW, it should be noted that it took eighty-two years for Disney to be what it is today and it took sixteen years for Disney to have the early success (Snow White, Pinocchio or Bambi) and it should also be noted that none of those movies were original ideas except for Bambi but no one remembers this but expectations for DW is that it should hit the ground running and put out nothing but hit movies or else.

Macaluso, I think that compared to Disney it is safe to say DW is a young company.

I think I’m going to stop coming here because it is obvious that it is the Disney way or the highway around here.

[Macaluso]

hahahaahha you're ridiculous dude

edit: james is right CAUGHT ME RED HANDED

edit 2:

I think I’m going to stop coming here because it is obvious that it is the Disney way or the highway around here.

The newest registered user is Dissapointed

[James]

I think I’m going to stop coming here because it is obvious that it is the Disney way or the highway around here.

No, it appears that with YOU is't either DW or the highway. Even your name proves you are the biased one not us. Even a quick Google search shows this is a trend with you:

http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stock ... rt=2&off=1

Someone dared say something negative about DW and was dismissed as an "old man on viagra"?! Really childish.

You're welcome to stay, but grow up a bit. We discuss things like grown ups here, not put each other down based on what company made a film.

[Dissapointed]

WOW!!!! We sure do play hard ball around here.

I agree what I said on that board was childish but as they say when in Rome do as the Romans do…The guy I was talking to was talking trash so I had to respond in kind. I however haven’t said anything offensive here except to suggest that possibly there is some bias here.

You can disagree with me and discuss it as opposed to digging into backgrounds and posting embarrassing messages that on another day you normally wouldn’t post.

That is pretty low in my opinion.

[Macaluso]

this isn't rome this is the internet

god it's a little thing called geography

[James]

We do moderate things a little more strictly than other boards because (1) we've had issues with posters in the past who we gave too much leeway to, and (2) we don't want to set bad examples for any children that might be reading these forums.

As for posting the message - I actually looked it up before I posted my first message to you but didn't mention it. I was hoping you'd come back with a little more friendly tone. Instead you once again accused us (people you've talked with less than a day) of being biased, when you (someone who even has dreamworks in their email address!) seem to attack at the slightest remark. Reread the messages above and you'll see everyone was going out of their way to say something nice about DW, but since it was not 100% praise you jump on us!

All I'm saying is tone it down a bit! We're all animation geeks here and love everything about it. There are some hardcore DW fans here as well as hardcore Disney fans. But there are many more of us who enjoy both companies - warts and all. I'm sure you'll enjoy it here if you keep that in mind rather than assume the worst about us if we don't happen to agree with you all the time!

[Whippet Angel]

Whippet Angel, I think you should have ended your comments at “True, true.” because everything else you said just shows your bias for Disney and against DreamWorks

Funny, I don't recall ever saying that I had a bias toward ANY particular studio. I was merely trying to help answer your question as to why DW films are often "met with disdain or ridicule". That's not to say I feel that way myself.

Like I said, I'm not a huge DW fan. This is simply because I'm more of an "artsy" person, and as others have mentioned, DW tends to stick with making fun flicks, as opposed to more artistic ones (they came close with Spirit, but it really wasn't as good as it could've been).

Dude, you really need to chill, as James said. We generally like to share our opinions in this forum and discuss them in a mature fashion. If you consider someone posting their own opinion as "trash talking", this might not be the place for you.

[Ben]

I edited your post, above, for language, Disappointed (<I>sic</I>), but can only say that you are truly presenting an odd attitude. As James says, you have come to our board, welcomed, but have immediately kicked off with abuse toward our long time readers - with an argument that you are just as guilty of promoting yourself!

Please refrain from stirring up any further argument when what you are describing is really all in your head! James has pointed out that we have Disney fans and we have DreamWorks fans. We have Blue Sky fans and fans of other studios too. I myself have been dismissive of Pixar - another "young company", lest we forget - in the past, but they're out there making the kind of risky films that DWs just doesn't want or seem able to do.

Kung Fu Panda sounds pretty big fun, but does it have much risk attachment? Nope, it's playing along fairly safe lines (a kung fu pastiche, celebrity names) even if it looks great. But there really isn't any need for Madagascar 2 other than the first made a ton of dough and the audience loved the penguins. Just as with Shrek, the studio will now ram penguins down our throats until will all start complaining, which some of us are doing now. They may be HUGE fun, and raise big smiles, but it is all "more of the same", whichever way you slice it.

Part of the problem is that DWs went public early on, so they're committed to fattening up their bottom line. While they may well want to take on new projects and make some more edgy moves, they're pretty tied down to making sure those shareholders are happy.

DW should hit the ground running and put out nothing but hit movies or else.

No-one can put out a hit movie. No-one knows what's going to hit or not. What we're asking here is where the <I>interesting</I> movies are. Because they can be hits too. DWs has lost Aardman, which was arguably the unit that brought the "interest" to the company, and is now finding itself unable to maneuver any which way than towards the cash. They put a confident face on things, but it's just a shame that DWs has found itself needing each film to make money or else, without a big studio looking out for them, they're out of the game.

Essentially, DWs gets no more of a hard time here than Disney or Pixar does, in various topics and threads. But if you can't, won't or be bothered to see that, then maybe you should take your own advice and skip being a part of our forum, because there isn't anything being contributed here other than a bad feeling.

[Dissapointed]

I’m not purposely trying to be belligerent or difficult just for the sport but don’t you think that a simple “NO” or what James said would have sufficed to what I said as opposed to both Moderators jumping all over me or even worst digging into post made on another site and exposing them here for the mere suggestion of possible partiality or favoritism. I came upon the site the other day and thought I saw something that I see a lot of on different site and maybe reacted (maybe even overreacted) impulsively but it wasn’t meant to insult anyone in any way.

I’m sorry if I’ve ruffled any feathers around here because that wasn’t my intent.

Whippet Angel, I'm not proud of it but the trash talking that I was talking about happened elsewhere (on a different site) not here.