A Bug's Life

Right now you can watch A Bug's Life in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 9,792 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Dave Foley sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight on Disney Plus and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, A Bug's Life earns its spot. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate A Bug's Life from the crowd. On behalf of "oppressed bugs everywhere," an inventive ant named Flik hires a troupe of warrior bugs to defend his bustling colony from a horde of freeloading grasshoppers led by the evil-minded Hopper. Dave Foley and Kevin Spacey lead a cast with the timing to make it work. A Bug's Life came out in 1998. What keeps A Bug's Life from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

A Bug's Life is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Dave Foley anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.