Following a less-than-friendly departure from Disney in 1994, Jeffrey Katzenberg teamed up with Steven Spielberg and David Geffen to found a new animation studio: DreamWorks. This new studio quickly got to work pumping out 2D and 3D animated films, and in 2001, they cemented themselves as a major rival to Disney with the release of <em>Shrek</em>. Since then, they have released dozens of beloved animated films that have become pop culture staples.
DreamWorks’ success came from its ability to blend familiar tropes and pop culture references with gorgeous animation and heartfelt stories. This approach has naturally resulted in a huge library of quotable dialogue, of which this list will only cover a small fraction. However, this list will aim to rank the best quotes in DreamWorks’ library, based on their memorability, the role they play in their respective movies, and their meaning and depth.
10
“Ya like Jazz?”
‘Bee Movie’ (2007)
Perhaps the most bizarre example of DreamWorks’ ability to influence popular culture is Bee Movie. It’s one of the company’s strangest movies, with a plot that goes all over the place, and features a plethora of big-name celebrities in bit roles, from Oprah Winfrey to Sting. While a mixed bag on release, it found new life online thanks to its off-the-wall premise, and spawned memes that included posting its dialogue on message forums and highlighting particular one-liners, such as when the bee protagonist, Barry (Jerry Seinfeld), practices pickup lines to use on his human crush, Vanessa (Renée Zellweger).
If people don’t know anything about Bee Movie, this one line perfectly sums up everything they need to know. It’s so out of left field and absurd in the moment, and Seinfeld’s delivery perfectly encapsulates someone trying to sound cool while completely out of their depth. It’s quick and extremely random, but the earnest delivery and the strange context ensure that it’ll live rent-free in the heads of all who hear it.
9
“One life spent with you is all I could ever wish for.”
‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ (2022)
Shrek 2 introduced the world to Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas), a Zorro-inspired cat who became one of DreamWorks’ biggest breakout characters. He got a spinoff movie in 2011, and it received a sequel in 2022 that, to everyone’s amazement, exceeded all expectations thanks to its outstanding animation and stellar writing, especially how it pushed Puss’ story forward by making him fear for his mortality. This set-up leads to a simple but very poignant line near the end of the film directed to his female partner, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek).
The main theme of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the inevitability of death and how we need to prioritize what matters most in the time we have. Puss’ main problem was that he was too attached to an idealized version of his life that he could never hope to capture in full, which blinded him to the genuine relationships and affection around him. Thus, we should take a moment now and again to appreciate the people in our lives, for these relationships are what make life worth living.
8
“Oh, you’re a villain alright, just not a super one.”
‘Megamind’ (2010)
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