The success revolving around Pixar animations mainly lies in the 
fact that they can so brilliantly combine a great story with 
stunning new technology. After a long streak of successes, 
starting with Toy Story, Pixar has detached itself from the 
Disney Studios and gone on to independently produce the animation 
films.

There are so many other films that come out these days that do 
have those equally amazing special effects, but why is it that a 
film like War of the Worlds or Batman Begins – that utilizes real 
people – doesn’t resonate with humanity as much as animations. 
Why couldn’t these studios come up with such brilliant ideas and 
screenplays as they did for the incredible and make films out of 
them.

The reason for this is that films that deal with actors have so 
many people working on it that after a while it loses it singular 
vision and it becomes a project that is out to please everyone 
and in the end, its variety doesn’t connect with any individual 
targets. Also, these films deal with locations and availability 
and contracts and sometimes it’s quiet difficult to redo a scene 
or reshoot a different ending because everyone involved is not 
available or willing to come back and work on the project again.

The great thing about animated films is that it all takes place 
inside an office and it becomes more of a product than a work of 
art and luck and service. If the storytellers come up with new 
bright ideas, all they need to do is send in a memo and the 
animators will draw a new character or they will sketch in a new 
ending.

Of course, this may be the reason why most animations are not 
nominated for the oscar for Best Picture because they are not 
really considered films. Except for the more recent exceptions of 
the Lion King and Beauty and the Beast that were both nominated 
for the coveted prize.
 
While making film, you are putting in a position to fail 
miserably but also you keep yourself open to experience magic 
and surprising sensitivity that is rare in animated films. In 
recent years, there were a few films that really hit those 
magical notes of truth and humanity and the reason why audiences 
gravitated toward them was precisely because it felt like it 
almost never happened. A few of those films were Sideways, 
Crash and the soon-to-be released Machiavelli Hangman.
 
Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc, and the Incredibles drew in large 
crowds of child fans but also adults because they made them 
believe in the stories and they had a central theme that 
resonated with everyone. If more films like Sideways and 
Machiavelli Hangman were produced, the world would be a much 
better place. 

Robert Hurtado is a movie reviewer.
Machiavelli Hangman
http://www.hangmanmovie.com