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(About Our Ads) DVD REVIEW FOR "A BUG'S LIFE" (1998) (voices of Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey) (G) Length Screen Format(s) Languages Subtitles Sound Sides 95 minutes Letterbox (2.35:1) Full Frame English English Dolby Digital 5.1 1 (dual layer) PLOT & PARENTAL REVIEW VIDEO: (A+) Easily one of the best looking DVDs we've reviewed, the picture quality of this release is outstanding. The images are crystal clear with no instances of pixelation or film artifacts (due to the transfer going straight from the computer to the master disc without the normal in-between stop on film). In addtion, the colors are so vibrant and the detail is so amazing that you'll be tempted to freeze-frame nearly any scene and leave it "sitting" on your TV looking like an oversized, original animation cell. This is an exceptional digital transfer of this movie. AUDIO: (A) The disc's audio is also quite good. From the lively score, perfect character vocalizations and fun sound effects -- including the motorcycle sounding grasshopper wing effects and loud thuds upon large insects landing on the ground -- the disc sounds great throughout. EXTRAS: Scene selection/Jump to any scene. Geri's Game: The 1997 Academy Award winner for Best Animated Short Film. Both sets of out-takes seen in the original theatrical releases. Widescreen and full-frame versions of the movie (with the later using special "restaged" shots reassembled to move characters and other elements closer together so that they fit onto a standard TV screen). COMMENTS: The first DVD release to go straight from the computer to DVD without the normal, intermediate (and quality degrading) transfer to film, this disc looks great. It's also the first movie to be reassembled for video release in that characters and elements from the widescreen version have been moved closer together so as to fit onto a normal TV screen. As far as the movie itself, it's nothing short of a pure delight. Like their earlier, groundbreaking, and completely computer generated film, "Toy Story," the wildly imaginative folks at Pixar have delivered another technically amazing picture. Pushing its computers and artists/technicians to the limit -- with the more elaborate scenes reportedly taking more than 100 hours to process per frame -- the picture''s visuals are nothing short of breathtaking. Compared to the similarly constructed and plotted "Antz" that was often darkly lit and occasionally foreboding in its mostly subterranean setting, "A Bug's Life" unfolds in a bright, airy, and colorful place. With a great deal of sweeping camera movement through the film's near microscopic world, the visuals not only showcase the massive advances in computer generated imaging, but also make this make believe world even that much more realistic. The film also features a simple, but smartly constructed and highly energetic story and a cast of lovable and fun characters. Filled with more than enough funny, adventurous and interesting material to keep children and adults alike fully satisfied during its ninety some minute duration, this is easily one of the best family films to come along in years, and it should enjoy as much success as its computer-generated predecessor, "Toy Story." Our only complaint -- and it's rather small -- is that the supplemental material is rather lacking, especially when compared with what was found on the DVD release of "Antz." Although it was smart of Disney to include both sets of the well-received and imaginatively funny out-takes as well as the brilliant Oscar winning short, "Geri's Game," some behind-the-scenes extras should have been included. Perhaps they're earmarked for a "special edition" of this film. Nonetheless, and until that time, this is a must-have release for any DVD collection.