Good commentary, guys.

The early Pixar movie extras showed what I think is the Pixar secret sauce: the writers pitch ideas to each other over time (like years) in sessions led by the director, and what everyone agrees works and feels right is what stays. I think Dreamworks makes their animated movies more like regular movies: a couple of guys put a screenplay together, a few other people give them notes, and they go thru a few drafts until everyone is too tired to argue anymore. They don't collaborate as a team.

I liked Cars (I'm a car guy), but it is definitely the most thematically confused Pixar story. It's not just Doc Hollywood (city boy falls in love with the country and learns to slow down). It's also the archetypal apprentice story (kid with potential learns the secret to success from an old master--the first part of the monomyth). So the ending is like, "Now he has all the tricks he needs to win! Wax on, wax off, Daniel-san! But wait! There's more to life than winning! Chuck it all and live the quiet life, Doc Hollywood!"

Pretty much hated Shrek. Fiona was creepy and annoying. The Matrix/Robin Hood parody stuff was agony. The pop music was grating. The Shrek/Donkey relationship was all I cared about.