Ranking: Pixar Movies From Worst to Best
26. The Good Dinosaur (2015)
Kicking the list off with my choice for last place is The Good Dinosaur. People have referred to this film as one of Pixar’s worst for years, so going into it I didn’t have super high expectations. And it pretty much met my expectations. I didn’t finish it in one sitting and honestly it felt like a chore to get through. This isn’t a bad movie, it’s just one that failed to ever get me seriously interested in anything that was happening. It’s probably between this and Onward for the prize of “Most Forgettable Pixar Movie,” but The Good Dinosaur suffers in other ways as well. To put it bluntly, the story isn’t that compelling, the movie isn’t emotionally stirring for Pixar standards, and the themes of family and friendship unfortunately come across as trite. I’m making it sound like I hate The Good Dinosaur; I don’t, but it’s a disappointing film considering the general concept is intriguing enough, and it seems like a sweet little movie on the surface. There are a couple of scenes that I’d say are decent, and I liked how the dinosaur character is like the “human” in its friendship with the human character, who acts much more like an animal. The animation in this movie is also well-done; the background scenery in particular looks extremely realistic. There are a few saving graces, and there’s nothing to take offense to here, it’s just sort of a mediocre experience. All in all, I wouldn’t say The Good Dinosaur is an atrocious film, it’s just one that I’ll probably never revisit. There isn’t a truly “bad” Pixar movie, but this is as close as it gets.
25. Onward (2020)
While The Good Dinosaur is just sort of ineffective, Onward is basically a mess. It’s about as forgettable as the only movie on this list it’s better than, and while it has a handful of things going for it, my biggest issue with this film is that everything about it feels random. Onward feels like the result of the people at Pixar trying their hardest to create something “original” for the sake of doing so, instead of putting focus on coherence. The main characters are two elf brothers with blue skin who live in a world where magical creatures act as the humans in society, but magic itself has been forgotten. They have to go on an adventure to find magic to meet their dead father, who they are carrying the physical bottom half of already. There ends up being what feels like a million subplots; whoever wrote this must’ve had a lot of fun throwing anything they wanted into the story. Another thing that places Onward this low on the list is its lack of true “Pixar magic” feel. A film literally about the search for magic should have more of a sense of wonder and inspiration to it, one that proves surprisingly thought-provoking, like many of the strongest Pixar films. But no. Onward is fine enough but is about as good as you’d expect your average DreamWorks production to be. I do like the spirit of the film, it’s optimistic and pleasant and there’s nothing wrong with that. The things that work the best about Onward are the things that work the best about almost any favorable animated kids’ movie: it has an element of fun, its voice performances are decent, and at the end of the day, it’s endearing.
24. Cars 3 (2017)
Out of any of the Pixar sequels, Cars 3 is the one that probably needed to be made the least. Cars 2 often catches heat for feeling unnecessary (and I’ll get more in depth later about why Cars 2 is underappreciated and probably one of the most overhated films ever made), but Cars 3 feels like Pixar’s attempt at making a trilogy out of the series, nothing much more or less. The story is that Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), now a legend of the sport, is getting too old to compete with the newer race cars, who are more high-tech and just faster than he is. Like Toby Keith, McQueen ain’t as good as he once was, and he needs the support of his friends and trusted coworkers to get back in shape for the race track. McQueen learns some valuable lessons along the way about his place in the world and the passage of time. My favorite thing about this film is basically that Lightning McQueen is a legend. Watching him in this movie I felt like I was watching the Michael Jordan of animated race car driving or something; you really get the sense that he’s the greatest of all time. That’s super corny but I don’t care, that’s just genuinely how Cars 3 works. McQueen is a character that you can’t help but root for at all times, making the whole movie more enjoyable, regardless of how ultimately dispensable the film is. The stakes of Cars 3 feel low, and the only true antagonist is McQueen’s age. If you don’t like the Cars series – and turns out there’s a good amount of people who don’t (me not included) – chances are there’s pretty much no point in you watching this. If you like the idea of seeing good ol’ 95 take a few more laps around the track and hearing the word “Rust-eze” some more, then go for it, watch Cars 3.
23. Brave (2012)
The last time I sat down and watched any part of Brave for any amount of time was in theaters over a decade ago, so of any of the movies on this list, this is the one I had to revisit the most to write about. Upon rewatching a variety of the scenes in Brave, I drew the conclusion that yes, it is a good film, but one that I feel like doesn’t compete with a lot of Pixar’s best material. Like Onward, to me this doesn’t feel like a true Pixar film at its core. Brave has about as much in common with what I feel like is the “Pixar spirit” as films like Frozen or Wreck-It-Ralph: vaguely in the same ballpark, but not really. That being said, the good outweighs the bad in this movie. It’s a mostly well-balanced mix of some genuinely effective comedic writing and the more brooding, emotionally intricate character arc of its main character, Merida (Kelly Macdonald). While this is essentially your classic “upper-class character defies expectations and does their own thing” story, it’s told with enough strength and in a way that avoids making the whole thing seem way too familiar. On the whole, Brave is a satisfying watch. It’s a nice movie that I feel like most people would be able to find something to enjoy about, and it has its heart in the right place (similar to pretty much every other Pixar film). However, there are some parts of it that lose me a little, like all the stuff with the magic and the people turning into bears and stuff. I honestly don’t have a super strong opinion on Brave, but it’s pretty good. Nothing mind blowing, but more than serviceable.
22. Lightyear (2022)
Pixar’s newest creation (at the time of me writing this) is one that definitely left some heads scratching upon release. Why was this being made, exactly? Why further complicate the Toy Story mythology when even Toy Story 4 was just at the border of pushing it a bit too far? As it turned out, this film has hardly anything to do with the Toy Story saga: it’s a movie within a movie; it’s the film that young Andy saw that inspired him to go out and buy the Buzz Lightyear toy. This is sort of an interesting concept for a movie, as it is essentially a “fictional” movie. However, this takes away some of the sense of urgency for the film as far as I’m concerned. The biggest problem with the fact that this is a movie within a movie, though, is that it takes away from what initially made the Buzz character complicated in the first place. In the 1995 Toy Story, Buzz is lost, a self-important yet misguided figure who is forced to realize his place among the other toys. The Buzz in this movie is literally none of that, and while he does go through his own struggle in the film, the fact that the character is literally not the same as the original Buzz kind of took me out of the experience at times. That being said, this isn’t a bad film by any means, and if it’s removed from the lens of the Toy Story universe and maybe even the larger Pixar picture, it works well as a lighthearted space action adventure. There’s plenty to enjoy here, even if it’s not the most emotionally or even visually engaging (the lighting in this film really reminds me of the recent Star Wars installments) Pixar offering out there. Lightyear is easily one of the most overhated Pixar movies: it’s a fun and breezy kids’ adventure story, even if it’s not necessarily a standout in the long run. The thing about newer Pixar movies is that even if they are really good, they’re honestly just never gonna measure up to the original hits.
21. Cars 2 (2011)
Compared to the other films on this list, I have Cars 2 ranked sorta low. But I feel like now is my opportunity to finally speak my mind about this film. Because I’ve been saying for probably years now that Cars 2 doesn’t deserve half the hate it gets. It often gets desribed as completely unnecessary, sort of confusing, spastic and having way too much style and not nearly enough substance. Look, I get it. The original Cars is a relatively smaller-scale film that concentrates on a hotshot race car that comes to learn about hard work, friendship, and a different way of living life. Cars 2 throws the small-town charm of the first film, as well as any expectations whatsoever, out the window and is essentially a spy thriller set in Tokyo where criminal cars kill each other and Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) is as much the main character as McQueen is. It’s… a lot. But that’s literally why I like it. Cars 2 does something that I kinda wish more big-budget sequels would do, which is coming up with a bunch of crazy ideas for what the characters from the first film could do, and then saying, why not. Why shouldn’t Mater and McQueen get caught up in a major criminal scheme? In my opinion, it’s a better idea for a plot than something like McQueen simply having a new rival that he has to be faster than. Cars 2 completely jumps the shark, and I’m glad it does, because the world needs more unique pieces of art like this. If the first Cars movie is the story of a young celebrity removed from his flashy lifestyle finding true meaning deep in rural America, Cars 2 is a story of expansionism. This is a story of international warfare, pitting the righteous patriots against the truly despicable foreigners. But at the end of the day, who is the real foreigner? In a way, all of us are Mater eating a pound of Wasabi after mistaking it for green ice cream -- making our way through a world full of the unknown, the lines of what is familiar and what is not becoming increasingly blurred.
20. Turning Red (2022)
I expected to dislike this movie for whatever reason. Judging off of the trailers, it just didn’t look like a Pixar movie to me, and the general cutesy tone of the promotional material didn’t look up my alley. I probably would’ve never bothered watching Turning Red if I didn’t feel motivated to see every Pixar movie for the purposes of this ranking. I’m glad I did sit down to watch it, because this is easily one of the most pleasantly surprising Pixar films. It’s the story of a middle school-aged girl who has never disobeyed her parents or done anything remotely “wrong” in her entire life because she genuinely thinks there is no other way to do things. She begins to feel conflicted about this because of the influence of her friends, and to make matters more complicated, she now transforms into a huge red panda whenever she feels a surge of strong emotion. Over the course of the film she learns the nuance in the relationship between her and her strict but caring mother and what it means to embrace herself for who she is. It’s an endearing story that is undoubtedly related to growing up as a woman, and in that sense I couldn’t relate to every last detail, but I could still relate in spirit. The animation is extremely well-done, combining the traditional Pixar style with an anime-inspired take on certain settings and objects. While at times I found the uptight nature of the protagonist somewhat insufferable, over the course of the film that became less of an issue and I found myself getting more and more interested in the movie. This isn’t a movie I’m likely to look back on when I think about my favorite Pixar films, but it’s a worthy addition to the canon that seems timely and well-thought-out.
19. Incredibles 2 (2018)
This is the first of three movies on this list that I’ve already written full reviews for, so if you want to see my more in-depth thoughts on Incredibles 2, you can go check out my review. Since writing that, I can’t say I’ve thought much about this film, although looking back through what I wrote about it, it seems like I thought highly enough of it to give it an A- grade. Retroactively, I wouldn’t necessarily change my grade for it, but I will say that I wouldn’t put this movie up with other films I’d give the same grade to. Incredibles 2 is a nice blend of funny scenes and action scenes, and stays pretty consistently entertaining throughout. I remember watching this in the theater; the bright flashing lights towards the end really got to me and I could barely focus on the movie because I was feeling sicker by the minute. To be honest, that’s my main memory of watching this movie period, but I will say that Incredibles 2 is a film I’d recommend for anyone who enjoys Pixar, especially if you’re a fan of the original. Part of what makes the Incredibles series good is its exploration of family relations, and that’s really where this movie shines. Now that the kids are older and the family is living in the aftermath of having been superheroes for a decent amount of time, their inter-familiar relationships have shifted a bit. That’s really the heart of the movie; the film drags in my opinion when the actual superhero plot gets going. The fight scenes themselves aren’t bad, my issue with this movie lies more in the fact that the villain is completely forgettable and lacks a realistic motive. It feels like this movie would’ve been better had they focused completely on the family and cut out fighting off evil villains and such. Incredibles 2, like other Pixar sequels not named Toy Story 2 or Toy Story 3, really has to fight to prove itself worthy of existing in the first place, and I would say that this movie earns its spot in the Pixar canon.
18. Monsters University (2013)
Monsters University is a movie that I have nothing but good memories of watching as a kid. I have pretty much nothing negative to say about this film except that it might hold the title of being the most unnecessary sequel Pixar has ever made. For starters, since it’s the story of how Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sully (John Goodman) met in college, it's technically a prequel. The main question is, why? I’m not the type to say “nobody asked,” but this was not exactly a story anyone was begging Pixar to tell. Luckily, then, Monsters University is completely saved, as far as I’m concerned, by the fact that it’s a pretty fun movie that serves its purpose well as an animated children’s film. The target audience has never been to college and probably won’t understand the jokes concerning college life and fraternities and the like, so while that provides something for older viewers to latch onto, Monsters University is probably one of the most kid-oriented films they’ve made. The stakes of this film feel low, since we already know that Mike and Sully will become successful “Scarers” and will both go on to have illustrious careers in the field, as shown in Monsters, Inc. But if you’re a kid, or a fan of this type of movie, you’ll enjoy it. It gets my stamp of approval.
17. Luca (2021)
This is one that I didn’t immediately realize existed. When it came out in the summer of 2021 without a true theatrical run, it flew under my radar at first. Eventually I became aware that a new Pixar film had been released, and I was inevitably intrigued. Luca was one of the last movies I watched to complete this list, and I gotta say, it wasn’t a bad one to cap it off with. In fact, I almost feel like I’m putting it a little too low on the list; I’d even go as far as to call it “really good.” It’s not my new favorite Pixar movie or anything, but I don’t think it’d be ridiculous to include this in the conversation of great films Pixar has produced over the years. Luca is reminiscent of several different Disney movies from the past, most notably The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, but never once feels like a rehash of anything we’ve seen before. As a Pixar film, it definitely stands out tone-wise, and while that kind of takes away from any of the potential “classic Pixar” feel that I love so much, it helps the film blossom and develop into something unique, and honestly, special. The story is about a young sea monster named Luca (Jacob Tremblay) living in the waters near Italy, who dreams about life above the surface, but is warned against going anywhere near humans by his parents. When Luca meets another sea monster named Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), the two become fast friends. Alberto lives by himself, free from any parental control, and shows Luca the wonders of the forbidden lifestyle of exploring life above the surface, where they transform into humans when not touching water. The two dream of living like humans in Italy, but when Luca befriends a human girl who wants him to attend school with her, he has to decide between that and the life he had planned with his friend Alberto. All the while, his parents are on the hunt to bring him back to the ocean. I think a big part of why I took such a liking to this movie is the whole coming-of-age element of it; Luca is a genuinely relatable character at times. His friendship with Alberto was something I also found interesting because of how much it spoke to my personal experience as someone who is also coming of age. I’ve definitely felt like Luca at times, being shown a different side of teenage life than what I’ve known by friends who seem generally more experienced and “cooler.” Those are honestly some of the most special friendships in my opinion, being able to genuinely learn from friends is something that is truly valuable and that Luca does a great job putting onto the screen. Anyone who has ever had the experience of being “introduced” to life with other kids outside parental control will probably connect with this film in some way or another. This film also perfectly shows how naive and reckless kids can be at times: Luca asks Alberto if his life of doing whatever he wants is dangerous, and Alberto’s reply is a cheerful “Yeah, it’s the best.” Luca is a well-animated and well-written film with some bona fide emotional moments to boot. The music is pretty good, too; Edoardo Bennatto’s “Il gatto e la volpe” is an awesome song. I have hardly any complaints about Luca, and the fact that it’s not higher up on this list only goes to show how high the quality of Pixar’s output has been over the years.
16. Coco (2017)
In middle school I took Latin as my foreign language class, which was one of the hardest and least rewarding courses I’ve ever taken. I’d be in Latin class every day completely struggling and I swear the Spanish class next door would always be blasting the movie Coco. The joke became that Latin class took tests every day, and Spanish class watched Coco every day. Because of this, I might have held some subtle resentment in my heart for this film for… years. I didn’t see Coco when it came out, and for a long time I associated it with annoying and frustrating memories. Eventually I saw it, and upon further recent evaluation, it’s actually kind of great. I wouldn’t call this top-tier Pixar, but it doesn’t disappoint. The story of the child wanting to become something forbidden by their family is something that has been done plenty of times before, even by Pixar, but there are more than enough twists and turns here to keep Coco fresh and original. The animation is also noticeably top-notch; the hazy, at-times almost dreamlike orange-purple color palette of Coco adds to the artistic flair of the film. Another thing this movie does well is use its Mexican setting and Day of the Dead aesthetic to help shape the story. This isn’t a movie I have a ton to say about, but I will say that for anyone who likes Pixar movies, this is one worth watching.
15. A Bug’s Life (1998)
I’m probably placing this film way higher up on the ranking than a lot of people would, but I can’t help but have strong nostalgic memories regarding this absolute classic! I remember watching this countless times on VHS at my grandparents’ house as a young kid, during a time when I was very much interested in all kinds of wildlife, including insects. A Bug’s Life never really stuck deep in the collective consciousness the way that other early Pixar films did, perhaps partially because people don’t like insects that much, and thus is easily the least-talked-about Pixar film from the pre-2010s era. The animation looks slightly dated in retrospect, but of course it does, and that’s part of the charm in my opinion. The story that’s being told here is relatively simple: it’s about ants who are taking power back from evil grasshoppers. But that’s fine; it’s served nicely and as is typical with early Pixar films, the vibe and atmosphere (prepare for me to use those words a lot from this point on probably) amplify what’s going on tremendously. There’s definitely a certain level of fun to be had while immersed in the world of A Bug’s Life and its cast of characters. While this isn’t the most memorable or impactful film the company has produced, it’s underrated and more than deserves its place among other classics from its time.
14. Finding Dory (2016)
I’ve already written a review for this one, but over time I think this has honestly become one of the most underrated films Pixar has produced. At the time it was a critical and commercial success, but in retrospect it seems to get forgotten among some of the other films that came before and after it, such as Inside Out and Coco, and is also seen as just another Pixar sequel by some. While Finding Dory is not necessarily the most standout movie the company has released, it holds its own and is a story that I’m glad got told. It’s a decently sentimental and action-packed film that is pleasing for fans of Finding Nemo. The comfortable and mellow tone of most of the movie makes for a pleasant viewing experience that does feel like that classic Pixar magic, even thirteen years after the original. In the grand scheme of things, Finding Dory is one of the breezier and less impactful Pixar films, but I can’t help but rank it high out of its sheer enjoyability. The cast of characters assembled here is a fun one that serves its purpose well. There’s hardly anything to say about Finding Dory that isn’t praising the lighthearted adventure and heartstrings-tugging exploration of the titular character.
13. Soul (2020)
Soul is a film that is just so incredibly strong on its own that it doesn’t even necessarily need to fit inside the Pixar canon. While some other Pixar movies have dealt with humans rather than purely fictional beings such as The Incredibles, Up, and Brave, out of their entire filmography it is this film that feels the most grounded in reality. The film centers around a mild-mannered music teacher and aspiring jazz artist named Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) who accidentally falls into a manhole that transports him to an afterlife-esque place named the Great Beyond, where he becomes the embodiment of his soul. His mission becomes returning back to him and his soul back to his physical body. Out of any post-pandemic Pixar film, Soul is probably the strongest example that the production company still has their magic touch. It’s a movie that firmly validates animation as a valuable art form – this is not a movie that could have been made in a live-action format. The Great Beyond set piece (is it still called that if it’s animated?) is truly impressive, and the film works very well at pulling the viewer into its immersive worlds. Soul has a lot of its name, and is a story I’m glad Pixar decided to tell.
12. Toy Story 4 (2019)
I don’t think I have ever been so against a movie release as I was for Toy Story 4. Anyone who knows my taste in film is aware of my undying love and respect for the original Toy Story trilogy; out of all movies, those films were probably the most definitive of my childhood. And so to hear that a new film was coming out felt too dangerous. To add a fourth entry to a well-completed trilogy of practically perfect movies nearly a decade after the last film? I just didn’t see why it needed to happen, and I definitely didn’t want a lackluster or underwhelming Toy Story film. Nevertheless, I saw the film in theaters when it came out, and thankfully I wasn’t disappointed at all. I’m so partial to the series that this movie might even be a little too high up on the list, but against at least most of the odds, Toy Story 4 proved itself to me and everyone else as a sequel that wasn’t completely pointless. While it does introduce more mythology to the Toy Story lore that might not have been necessary, introducing characters into an already wide cast of toys just for the one film, it doesn’t detract too much from the story itself. For me, it stands as one of the most emotion-stirring entries in Pixar’s filmography, and the fact that the movie hadn’t been simply good at best was enough to make me feel like it was a massive home run for Pixar. I think as time goes on, the first three films will mostly be the ones that are remembered the most fondly, and rightfully so, but this will always be a great movie as well.
11. The Incredibles (2004)
This is probably the most against-the-grain ranking placement of the whole list, and I’m sure if someone reading this holds The Incredibles as a seminal film of their childhood, they’ll firmly disagree with the fact that I didn’t put it higher. I know a lot of people would think of this as one of the absolute best Pixar films, maybe even the best depending on who you ask, but although I do have a certain love for this film, it’s never been one that’s blown me away. Maybe it’s because I didn’t grow up with it in the same way that I did with some of the other movies, but it’s just never been my top favorite. That being said, it is without a doubt a notably high-quality film, and an effective movie about the importance of family (a theme that I sometimes find overdone and oftentimes not quite inspiring enough on its own). The animation and coloring are both extremely well done, and the characters are pretty much all iconic in their own right. It’s sort of pointless to fault-find with this movie because what it sets out to do it does very well. It’s an easy-to-watch sort-of-parody of the superhero genre that was becoming a truly big deal at the time of its release, and even now it holds up as such.
10. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Out of Pixar’s entire filmography, Monsters, Inc. is maybe their most bizarro and creative concept-wise, and combining that with some of the funniest material they’ve come up with for any of their movies makes for a truly standout film. The sheer amount of imaginative power that must have gone into Monsters, Inc. is astoundingly apparent. It holds up as one of the best-casted Pixar movies and also happens to be one of their most comedically tight and consistently entertaining as well. Pixar movies, at their best, have always been at least somewhat funny, but this film along with a handful of others really makes sure to have plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. One could come up with a variety of different analyses of the film and what it’s genuinely trying to say when it comes to its “the scarer is the one who is truly scared” theme, but it’s also easy to simply enjoy the fast-paced story, memorable music, and colorful Y2K-era animation aesthetic. I do recall enjoying this film wholeheartedly as a child, and as a little kid I thought Mike Wazowski (“Mikabuski” as I referred to him) was the funniest thing ever. Imagine if this movie was made live-action; it would be something straight out of the imagination of someone like David Cronenberg, Terry Gilliam, or Guillermo Del Toro. Monsters, Inc. perhaps subtly introduced legions of young people across the world to slightly-surreal filmmaking that no other movie probably did, and for that alone it deserves to be ranked high on this list.
9. Inside Out (2015)
Inside Out is the film that truly proved Pixar could still come up with legitimately new and creative ideas past their 2000s golden age. This movie has pretty much everything you could possibly ask for from a Pixar offering: an interesting concept, fleshed-out characters, eye-catching imagery, effective humor, thought-provoking ideas, and a sense of wonder and fun. There is so much attention to detail in this movie; this really feels like a piece of art that the creators spent a lot of time and care on, and it definitely paid off. To me, Inside Out is somewhat easily the best “modern” Pixar film; it feels the most true to the original magic that made the first wave of the company’s films so unique. I think time will be kind to Inside Out, allowing it to become hailed as a bona fide classic in due time. Like Soul, this is a movie that was clearly supposed to be animated – what it does with the essentially unlimited possibilities that the medium allows is commendable. This is an interesting film from the standpoint of psychology as well, presenting various interesting ideas about what makes up the mind, development, and what we as humans find important. It taps into questions about what governs our actions – are we truly in control of ourselves, or are intangible forces at play? Are these forces found within or outside the realm of what we know to be factual?
8. Wall-E (2008)
Probably one of the most adorable films ever made, Wall-E pulls off about a hundred different things well at once. It’s a touching love story, a sharp commentary on the age of convenience, and a thought-provoking presentation of life beyond the stars that may one day become more of a reality than a hypothetical idea in a children’s science fiction film. Wall-E himself is an enjoyable protagonist, a very simple character that is just “human” enough to connect with as he tries for love and to do what he knows is best. Wall-E is a film that feels hard to criticize; I can hardly think of anything “wrong” with it, but on a somewhat recent rewatch it didn’t deeply resonate with me the way some of the movies higher on the list have done over the years. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a lot of love for this movie and I really appreciate its messages and its commendable animation and storytelling. Wall-E is slightly slower-paced than a lot of other Pixar films, especially towards its beginning, but once the action really gets going it’s decidedly entertaining (not to say that it isn’t entertaining through and through). The romance between Wall-E and Eva is honestly one for the ages; Wall-E is a nearly flawless exercise in the power of simplicity in storytelling, lovingly presenting the audience with a treasure trove of sweet moments and powerful imagery that gets its point across without being too excessive. This is a film that I’m glad got released; there is true value in the larger societal and environmental messages here that are served without a hint of pretentiousness. It’s hard not to enjoy such a charming story, no matter how you want to interpret it.
7. Cars (2006)
In the summer of 2022 I went on a trip with some friends to a mountain home for a weekend, and the home itself had little to offer in terms of contemporary entertainment services such as streaming options and the like. I was up late with one of my friends one night and, out of boredom, chose from the small pile of DVDs available for something to watch. We settled on Cars, and popped it into the now-primitive television set that was probably released about the same time as the film itself. We were about 30 minutes deep into the film when I just thought to myself, this is so good. Cars is somewhat of a divisive film when it comes to rankings of the Pixar films. Some see it as the first time Pixar truly lost a step, find Mater annoying, and think it’s just not an interesting enough story to have been told. Others, like myself, consider it a true Pixar classic, and one of the most iconic animated films of the twenty-first century. Cars is, in many ways, Pixar’s most nostalgic film. Its whole aesthetic is a rose-tinted look at an era in America that ended a long time ago; while it technically “takes place” in 2005, the undeveloped landscapes and mid-century imagery harken back to a much earlier period. Cars follows in the tradition of American cinema, seeing the protagonist explore new frontiers as a fish out of water. The story centers around a self-centered hotshot who thinks he has it all until his ego gets the best of him, and he is forced to learn a new way of living among the humble small-town community of Radiator Springs. The founding spirit of America is that of exploration and self-actualization, and over the course of the film, Lightning McQueen does just that. The world created in the movie is an intriguing one; that the filmmakers fleshed out an entire society of literal cars is impressive. Cars feels rock and roll. It is a fast-paced and high-octane exploration of the classism and neglect of underdeveloped communities that came along with the expansion of society in this country. It also happens to be filled with well-done jokes that boast nearly perfect comedic timing, as well as one of the most memorable soundtracks of any Pixar movie. The world-building scope and warm, rural soul of the film transcend anything you’re likely to see in most films period, much less children’s entertainment. I believe this is the most misunderstood film in the Pixar canon, its true value almost always lost among the catchy quotes and funny characters.
6. Up (2009)
The wordless first fifteen minute or so segment of Up (which is so iconic that it has its own Wikipedia page) is often referred to as some of the most effectively heartstring-tugging cinema in recent memory, and I would genuinely agree, but I think it’s also important to remember that the rest of the film doesn’t drop off from this point. Out of all the movies I’ve seen multiple times, I’ve probably seen Up more than all others besides a few, and it still holds up after however many rewatches as a legitimately heartfelt and stirring film. The idea of the cantankerous old man who, against his will, gets paired up with an enthusiastic young person who slowly but surely brings him out of his shell has never been done better than in this film. Up is an incredible adventure story with intriguing settings, a well-done villain, and exciting action sequences. And it accomplishes those things handily. But, I think needless to say, the true beauty of Up is its reflections on losing loved ones, drifting apart from people, the bittersweet realizations that great periods of time in our lives are over, and finding new meaning. This is probably Pixar’s most inspiring piece of work; at any age, one could surely find a way to root for the old man, Carl, trying to escape the world he finds little meaning in and re-discover a source of meaning in his life. A lot of the time I find grumpy old man characters hard to relate to, but it’s impossible not to feel for Carl seeing him do his best to latch onto the memories of his wife. Up has such a masterful handle on its dramatic and emotional aspects that it puts other Pixar films to shame. Nothing here feels forced or contrived. The visual and tonal feel of the second half of the movie where Carl comes face to face with his now-deranged childhood hero Charles Muntz is pretty much as good as anything Pixar has done aesthetically (I know “aesthetic” isn’t necessarily the most important thing to judge a film’s quality on, but for me a really well done aesthetic can be such a plus). Up is one of Pixar’s most satisfying stories and one that will stick with you well after seeing it.
5. Toy Story 2 (1999)
It was really hard to decide whether to give Toy Story 2 or Toy Story 3 the edge on this list but at the end of the day I think 3 is just closer to my heart. That being said, Toy Story 2 is an absolute masterpiece of a sequel, perhaps one of the greatest follow-ups to any movie ever. Not only does the film bring interesting new characters such as Jessie and Zurg into the fold, it expands on the mythology of the original and adds even more depth to the characters that had already been pretty well fleshed-out in the first installment. Toy Story 2 is Pixar’s most existential film, maybe even by a long shot, and one of their darkest as well. Heavy themes have never been implemented more skillfully into a children’s movie. There are so many standout scenes and moments; one of the most memorable of any Pixar film is when Buzz is in Al’s Toy Barn and sees countless copies of himself, all in their boxes, on the shelf. Buzz’s disillusionment with his own ego that started in the first film only grows deeper here; he comes face to face with another Buzz toy who still believes he is truly a powerful space ranger, and he sees in full effect how naive he once was. Woody, on the other hand, finds out he is a special toy who is part of a wild-west-themed collection called the Roundup Gang, which also includes his horse Bullseye, Jessie, and a prospector named Stinky Pete. While at first he is excited by the attention he receives from the big-time toy collectors, he soon realizes how heartbroken a separation from Andy would be. Jessie herself is completely disillusioned from the magic of connecting with a child after she was forgotten and abandoned by her previous owner with whom she once shared so many memories with. Buzz, Woody and Jessie’s character archs all pose different, meaningful questions about our meaning as humans, the strength and unraveling of connection with others, the truths about independence and uniqueness, and the relative unimportance of our lives in the grand scheme of the universe. Stinky Pete, who eventually becomes an antagonist of the film, is forever bitter that he was the least popular toy in the Roundup Gang – while we of course are rooting for Woody and Jessie, Stinky Pete brings up a good point about how it feels to be left behind, how it feels to never live up to what you truly want for yourself, and how this can turn a person cold. This is truly the Empire Strikes Back of the Toy Story series, with a literal “I am your father” scene recreation to boot. This is a movie that maintains a solid level of both suspense and anxiety throughout its short runtime, and, while effectively funny, focuses more on the deeper and darker sides of what it means to be a toy.
4. Toy Story 3 (2010)
If Toy Story 2 was The Empire Strikes Back, then Toy Story 3 is Return of the Jedi. Even more expansive and large-scale than the last film, 3 lives up to its two incredible predecessors with even more questions about what it means to belong and what it means to exist at all. The idea of being “outgrown” that was present with Jessie’s character in 2 comes into the forefront in this film, seeing the entire crew of toys face the fact that Andy is simply too old for them anymore. While moving on is difficult, they try once again for belonging among a new, larger group – but in the end realize they are stronger together as a group than simply part of some heap of toys. Toy Story 3 also airs on the darker end of the spectrum of Pixar’s filmography; and in their series where sheer philosophy is the most present, it fits perfectly. The incinerator sequence at the end of the film is one of the most memorable scenes in any Pixar movie, and the new characters assembled here are worthwhile and interesting (Stretch the octopus is slept on, the story of Chuckles the clown is haunting, the idea of Big Baby is straight up genius, and the deranged cymbal-banging Monkey is honestly a legend). The entire story is fast-paced and entertaining from the beginning, and once the toys have to break out of the daycare, the levels of anxiety are raised to a new high. This film maintains the strong emotion of the first two films, perhaps even more so. I remember even when I was a young kid watching this in theaters (this also happened to be the first movie I ever saw twice in theaters) I felt moved by what I was seeing. This is a movie that gets you invested quickly, and by the finale, you’ll be on the edge of your seat.
3. Ratatouille (2007)
Viewing Ratatouille again now that I’m older allowed me to realize just how intricate and well-done virtually everything about this film is. Out of pretty much any Pixar film, this one feels the most artistically compelled. The direction is impeccable; the lighting, framing and cinematography all make themselves noticeable, in a good way. The slightly whimsical vibe of the wide, bright city of Paris is the perfect setting for this story that could be described the exact same way. This is a movie that feels nocturnal, as if once the sun goes down, anything could happen, within and outside of the restaurant. The journeys of both Remy the rat and nervous-wreck cook Alfredo Linguini are developed skillfully and with care, highlighting both points of relatability and frustration within their respective arches. It’s easy to tell that the filmmakers really cared about every element of this movie, from the expertly-paced story to the wonderful accompanying soundtrack. By the end, the film does seem to drag on slightly due to its multiple subtle climaxes, but this is also a film that has earned its runtime. This is the first movie I ever watched in theaters and for that it’ll always have a certain place in my heart. This film is among the group of Pixar movies I used to watch all the time on DVD as a kid, and I think those are pretty much the films that have ranked high up on this list. It’s also a really effective comedy film when it comes down to it; it doesn’t try too hard to be “funny” all the time, but it sneaks in plenty of genuine laugh out loud moments as well. I love the tiny ghost of Auguste Gusteau flying around to give Remy advice; it’s one of the soft, warm little details in Pixar films, especially those made in the mid-late 2000s, that, for me, amplify the entire mythology of the tone and aesthetic of the films. It’s sort of hard to describe exactly, but there’s something semi-spiritual about the aesthetics of, specifically, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo, Cars, and Ratatouille. Not to say the other classic Pixar films are lacking, because they’re not, but those five in particular have a certain sense of mystery to their worlds and the details within them that sets them apart, as far as I’m concerned. There’s an intangible and nearly indescribable vibe that I sense from these films and that’s honestly why I love the Pixar films so much.
2. Finding Nemo (2003)
Speaking of vibes, this is the movie with the most profound and mind-blowing vibes of any Pixar production. Pixar’s take on the deep, ever-stretching ocean perfectly captures the otherworldly mystery that exists within the deep sea. The vibrant coral reefs, the dark and dangerous trenches inhabited by monsters, and most hauntingly, the long, long periods of empty blue water that erode any sense of direction or awareness of time and place. I’ve always been equal parts fascinated with and afraid of the wide oceans; to me, I sense a great amount of something utterly intangible, something beyond human comprehension from the vast sea, and I think by the end of my life I want to somehow be closer to understanding it. I’ve thought before that it might be nice to have the last thing I see before I die be the ocean horizon, but who knows, maybe I’ll change my mind in the decades to come. Finding Nemo comes closer to capturing this specific feeling than any other piece of art I’ve ever witnessed. This film is a tour through a world that exists right here on earth with us, but we know relatively little about. Seeing the film from the perspective of the fish amplifies the beauty and danger of everything that is encountered, from the grim, gray underwater mines to the easy-riding spirit of the sea turtles, a tribe of creatures who’ve found meaning in a vast nothingness. The story itself is a heartfelt and captivating one, and the anxiety and desperation of Marlin looking for Nemo is palpable. Finding Nemo is a genuinely magical film that is hard to find any sort of fault with. Robbie Williams’ cover of “Beyond the Sea'' is a perfect choice for this movie; just as the song sees a contemporary singer singing a throwback to the 1950s, the film also has that strangely nostalgic element to it that makes it feel like it is taking place in some beautiful, otherworldly universe.
1. Toy Story (1995)
God, what to even say. This is almost definitely in my top ten favorite films of all time; it will always be of great significance to me for being so personally impactful when I was younger. I absolutely loved Toy Story when I was a little kid, and my appreciation for it has only grown over time. It’s practically the perfect movie; I can’t think of a single thing I’d change about it. Superb voice acting, a memorable score and soundtrack (whoever had the idea to tap Randy Newman of all people deserves formal recognition), and masterful lighting are just a few of this movie’s admirable qualities. For the first-ever entirely computer-animated film in history, the animation still holds up to today’s standards. Being that this is literally one of the most influential films in the history of the medium, it’s especially impressive that the digital animation era started with a film that not only pulled off something that had never been done before in any range of quality, but did it extremely well, adding so much depth and detail to the animation and movement of the characters. I’m not sure if the filmmakers went into this project with the intention of creating one of the greatest movies of all time, but that’s what they did. Over the course of the film, both Buzz and Woody slowly but surely come to terms with the fact that they aren’t special, or at least not in the way that they had thought. Buzz realizes he is simply a toy and not a real space ranger, and Woody realizes he isn’t as irreplaceable of a sidekick to Andy as he had once assumed. But after tackling their own issues, both toys come together to fulfill a greater purpose. This is truly a movie about finding oneself, and in doing so, finding one’s place among others without feeling boxed in. At the end of the day, I think what makes Toy Story so special to me is how much it reminds me of my own life. Not in the sense that I necessarily relate to the idea of being a toy, but in the small details of settings and characters. For starters, I had a lot of the toys from this movie as my own toys as a kid; I had Woody, Buzz, Rex, Slinky Dog, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, and the barrel of monkeys, so in viewing Toy Story I am instantly reminded of my childhood, by the movie itself and by the toys in it as well. The world that Toy Story takes place in is a large part of what makes the film so magical to me. The suburbs-in-the-evening backdrop of a large portion of the movie deeply evokes the subtle everyday wonders of being a kid. When looking back on my childhood of the late 2000s and early 2010s, I can remember the suburban streets, the local restaurants, the gas stations of where I grew up. These are all present in Toy Story as the toys have their adventure. Toy Story mirrors my early years in a way that perhaps no other movie does. I feel like kids like Sid don’t really exist anymore, at least not in the way that they used to – there are still mean older kids who love to wreak havoc among younger kids, but Sid as a character feels distinctly pre-social media era, a time when bullies were the weird kids down the street, and not people who use the platforms on their phones to humiliate others. Toy Story came at an interesting turning point for the culture of the world, a time when the internet was just becoming a huge phenomenon, and the film perfectly captures this space and time between eras in lifestyles of active members of contemporary society by showing a time pre-internet through the medium of digitally created art. Toy Story is a glimpse into what lies just beneath what we can recognize. The way that humans can’t see the existence of the true nature of the suburban-grown toys reflects the special little details of everyday life that go unnoticed among the drama and chaos of the ever-changing world. If one of the humans got lucky, they might discover something extraordinary and different about what they had previously accepted as boring fact, and if we too get lucky enough to transcend our own views of the world around us, we just might stumble upon genuine magic.
