Cars went so well, I figured I’d dive into some of the other Pixar movies I haven’t seen in a bit. I couldn’t even remember the last time I saw A Bug’s Life, because frankly, I hadn’t cared to. It’s a good kiddie movie, but it’s nowhere near the level we come to expect from Pixar. Granted, it was an early entrant, but there’s a reason it’s not really remembered as fondly as the others.
Do you even remember the plot? A colony of ants have to provide food for some grasshopper bullies in addition to preparing their own store for the winter. It goes wrong, thanks to a well intentioned but clumsy ant named Flick, and now the ants are on the hook for a double quota in a short amount of time. In an attempt to round up some bigger bugs to help fight, he instead ends up with a troop of circus bugs. Maybe they can work together to fight off the grasshoppers?
It’s cute, it’s fun, it’s got a good message. But why doesn’t it live up to Pixar standards? There’s a joke about Pixar films and the ideas that inspire them: What if toys had feelings? What if cars had feelings? What if feelings had feelings?! These bugs have feelings, sure, but they don’t have FEELINGS like you typically get from this studio. The emotional aspect just isn’t that strong. It doesn’t bombard you with nostalgia or higher level truths about humanity. It’s just a nice and pleasant moral. Perfectly fine (and welcome!) in a kids film, but it was quickly surpassed by the bigger and better that would come from this beloved studio.
Oh and remember how Cars made me nostalgic for Disneyland and Carsland? A Bug’s Land recently closed. I don’t really miss it. Heimlech’s Chew Chew train was cute, but I only liked it for the cookie smell. I’d ride the Francis spinny mini teacup thing fairly often if I’d get over there too early for my Guardians of the Galaxy fast pass next door. I’ve ridden every single kiddie ride at Disneyland, and the only time I ever got any judgement from the ride attendant (ahem, cast member) was when I went on Flick’s Flyers (which has now been reskinned and moved to Pixar Pier as the Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind).
Anyways, my point being, I didn’t feel as nostalgic for that part of the park. Totally the right call that they’ve squished it so they can build up Avengers Campus instead.