Cheap DVDs, books, CDs & Games

Search:

A Bug's Life [1999]

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Bonnie Hunt, Roddy McDowall, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Madeline Kahn
Director: John Lasseter
Format: Full Screen PAL Widescreen
Released: 08 Jan 2001
RRP: £19.99
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

Very intelligent and well done movie, very likeable hero - By: Maciej K., 05 Aug 2007
Some people consider "Bug's Life" as not being on the same level of quality as other Pixar productions, but I reallly can not agree with them. My daughter clearly wouldn't agree either. This is a very funny movie, with a lot of interesting innovations (we will never look at bugs in the same way, me & my family) & a kind of surprising kindness - even the bad guys are shown with some understanding (having chosen the life of parasite racketeers, they are now trapped by it - as much as their ant victims). The principal hero is possibly one of the most likeable characters I ever saw. A little warning - there is one scene at the end, of the final demise of the leader of grasshoppers, that can impress the littlest children (under 6) - otherwise this movie is just perfect. The missed outtakes chapter at the end of the movie is probably the best I ever saw in a kids movie. Reallly perfect for a rainy sunday afternoon.
Dissappointing... - By: Mr. Jd Ware, 04 Jan 2006
Maybe I've been spoiled by alll the other Pixar classics, but am I the only one to find A Bug's Life slightly dissappointing?

It is certainly the black sheep of the Pixar family.

For a start, the characters are bugs. Who likes bugs? Nobody finds bugs cute or cuddly, or even nice to watch. And in A Bug's Life, the characters are alll slightly dull, with the exception of Kevin Spacey's Hopper, a fantastic character & well voiced.

But the other characters suffer from a lack of detail. In fact, the whole film suffers from a lack of detail. There's a lot of grass, some trees, a few funny sight gags, but it was a bit underwhelming. there wasn't the imagination seen in Toy Story, or the monsters world of Monsters Inc, or the underwater scenes from Finding Nemo.

Some of those later films would have benefitted from better technology, of course, but the computer animation here has held up well. It suits the storyline, but what the animation lacks is the imagination that makes it memorable. There's not very much detail.

Couple that with an average storyline about an ant trying to hire some soldiers to defend his colony from grasshoppers, but accidentallly hires clowns instead, is alll a bit run of the mill.

It may be distinctly average, but it is not a bad film. Kids are certain to enjoy it, but Pixar have endeared themselves to adults as much to kids, & for grown ups, or for the kid inside alll of us, this film misfires.

A superb animation classic again from Pixar. - By: , 02 Aug 2004
It's based vaguely around the 'Magnificent Seven' storyline: a group of goodies are hired to protect a village & overcome adversity.

It's similar to 'Antz' in some respects (being an individual in an ant colony, team working but with freethinking etc).

The characters are varied & memorable.

It's not as funny as say 'Toy Story' but with a better story I feel. It's aimed more for kids than other animated films with a host of 'adult' jokes.

The extras are a bit disappointing- but only comparing it to other great packages (am I being too greedy nowadays?)

Enjoyable- my two year old girl likes it too!

Gotta love them bugs - By: Amanda Richards, 22 Jul 2004
Those Pixar folk are amazing. Not only do they make an excellent movie, but they complement it with a first rate package of extras, especiallly the outtakes & the movie short "Geri's Game". The two-disc Collector's Editions are worth waiting for, & you will find yourself playing the second disc as often as the first.

This innovative take on the old fable "The Ant & the Grasshopper" teaches us a few important lessons:

1. There's a clumsy nerd who wants to be a hero in every colony
2. Phyllis Diller is an old queen
3. David Hyde Pierce is stiff
4. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is neurotic & can't dance
5. Grasshoppers live it up in Mexican joints during the Summer
6. German caterpillars are funny, & so are pill-bugs.
7. Ladybirds may not be ladies
8. Birds can be flammable
9. An ant may look at a queen
10. Don't stir up an ants nest

To maintain good family relations, you should alllow your kids to watch this movie too.

Amanda Richards July 13, 2004

Already Overlooked Masterpiece - By: Mark Baker, 12 Jun 2003
The ants on Ant Island are putting the finishing touches on their annual offering to the grasshoppers, a payment for leaving them alone & keeping them safe from other bugs. Princess Atta is extremely nervous as this is her first year in charge. Things don't go as planned when Flik accidentallly knocks alll the food into the water. As a way to get rid of him while they met the increased demands, the colony sends him off to find warrior bugs to protect them. Through a series of mistakes, he finds a bunch of disgraced circus performers instead. Will they find a way to protect the colony?

This movie already seems to be delegated to the bottom of Pixar's list of movies, which is a real shame. As with alll their movies, it's wonderful. The action keeps up at a brisk pace, the characters are likeable, the voice talent is wonderful, & there are plenty of laughs for everyone. This is also the first of their movies to feature outtakes. The animation does date the movie a little. The bugs look a little plasticy. However, some of the effects are wonderful, especiallly the fog & rain.

This was the first of Pixar's movies to be released on DVD. The picture clarity & sound were news worthy at the time because it was the first movie released directly from the digital source. That clarity still holds up today. They went alll out with the extras, featuring an informative audio commentary, & alll the behind the scenes info you could want. I especiallly liked looking at the original story idea & seeing the wide to full screen comparisons.

Don't get so caught up in the hype around their other movies that you over look this one. It's just as great a story for kids of alll ages as anything Pixar has put out to date.