Pixar Golden Era Seems to Be Long Gone, Modern Trends to Blame
Is the era of Monsters Inc and Up really over?
Pixar's animated movies are notoriously deep and sometimes tear-provoking, with many people growing up with the cartoons and considering them classics. Such movies as Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, Toy Story, Wall-E, Cars and the like are true hits up to this day, with their magical atmosphere felt even by adults.
However, present-day Pixar movies do not seem to be putting enough effort into keeping the magic alive — or at least that's what Reddit's Pixar lovers think.
Not only are people taking issue with premises and writing of modern Pixar movies, but also about a certain trend that seems to be common for the majority of new projects.
"A huge reason why yesteryear Pixar films were "magical" were because they had themes of community and relationships," Redditor AdEffective590 noted. "Now, Pixar movies have themes of individualism (Soul focuses on entering, exiting and experiencing the world all by yourself."
Indeed: Soul focuses on how a person entering, experiencing and exiting the world on its own; Luca is about living for yourself and sticking to your own truth; while Pixar's most recent movie, Turning Red, is about mothers learning to let go of their daughters.
While there is nothing bad about being individualistic, the fan argues that "films that display and allow us to experience community truly are "magical," while individualistic films, though capable of being well-made, will never have that same magic."
Many people agree, noting "a certain feeling of loneliness and soullessness" in Pixar's present-day movies. It was especially painful for fans to watch Toy Story 4, because the fourth movie "[rendered] the first three meaningless" by making Woody suddenly go live for himself instead of sticking to his lifelong mission of being by his owner's side.
However, there is still hope for Pixar — for instance, fans were rejoiced to see Inside Out, which they believed was yet another addition to Pixar's classics.
The animated movie that follows several emotions who control a little girl is set to receive a sequel in 2024.