> > To charge a Disney movie with being "formulaic" is not much to the point, I realize. But "Lion King" felt like it was on autopilot from start to finish. I started getting interested in the story around the time Simba began adapting to life outside the pride -- and then, of course, the intervening years were skipped over completely to drop me right back in the storyline I didn't care about.
>
> You know, I actually felt the same way. To this day, the story of The Lion King strikes me as all too simplistic, with the exception of Scar, a great movie villain.

True. I did like Scar.

> ...I saw Emperor's New Groove much more recently and barely remember it at all. It's not bad (I gave it a mild thumbs up on At-A-Glance), but it's just so empty and superficial.

Also true. But it was so completely goofy that I didn't care. "New Groove" was obviously just as pleased as punch to be a silly, superficial movie that would distract people for an hour and then say bye-bye. It worked for me. I loved it.

> I don't know how good or bad Madagascar will turn out to be, but if the movie is what the trailers suggest it is, I think it'll be basically forgotten in a year, while the Toy Stories and Shrek remain at the forefront of 3D animation for years to come. Instead of just being funny, they're funny and have the stuff of humanity in them.

Probably so.

Iss "the fluff of humanity" achar