In honor of Pixar's 20th anniversary, I am going to talk about what I believe is the best Pixar film to the worst Pixar film. Please note that I haven't seen Inside Out yet, so that will not be present on this list. (I am planning on seeing it and reviewing it within the next few weeks).
So, lets go ahead and start!
The Bottom 4
It's really hard for me to rank all of Pixar's movies, because each of them at least carry a lot of good elements to go with it. But these four, ultimately, were not as enjoyable as the rest.
#14: Ratatouille
I know, I know, people actually really like this film. And Brad Bird is a good director. Unfortunately, Ratatouille didn't have as much stand-out moments as at least most of Pixar's other films. Plus, it carries some demeaning and even slightly creepy moments (for a G-rated film) that drag it down. The animation is colorful and Patton Oswalt's Remy is an interesting (if not very memorable) character. But, again, if there was a Pixar movie that I may not have liked on first viewing, it was this.
#13: A Bug's Life
The Pixar movie that is the least-memorable by pretty much everyone, A Bug's Life, like Ratatouille, lacks oomph. The characters are colorful, but fairly unmemorable (the caterpillar is the best of the bunch), and its almost a shame it had to compete against the inaugural DreamWorks Animation effort, Ant (which is actually not as good as this). Despite great for its time animation, this just doesn't carry the depth you would want from a Pixar flick.
#12: Cars
I enjoyed the first Cars. It was an interesting and fun film that has a couple of memorable lead characters and some impressive animation. But, it lacks some character development.. There is a twist ending, and the celebrity voice cast (led by Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy) all does great work. But there's also a surprising presence of adult wink-wink humor in this Pixar entry that makes the overall film feel less emotionally satisfying than Pixar's best films have.
#11: Cars 2
This is the one Pixar film fans didn't exactly clamor for. But, for what its worth, in a few interesting areas (humor and a sense of fun, for example), Cars 2 actually improves on its predecessor. Its exciting, its funny, it amps up the animation, and its overall, a really solid movie. However, it lacks the heart and emotional payoff that Pixar movies are usually heralded for.
The Middle of the Pack
#10: Toy Story 2
Out of all three Toy Story movies, the second one isn't quite as fun and memorable as the other two. I should mention that Toy Story 2 does have some great animation, some of the best characters introduced in a Pixar movie (Zurg, Wheezy, Jessie and Bullseye), and carries at least most of the wit and humor the first Toy Story carried. But like I said, its so difficult making this list....
#9: Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc. carries the same amount of wit and charm that the Toy Story movies carried. Plus Boo may just be one of their best characters. Despite some weird moments and juvenile potty humor, Monsters, Inc. is still one of Pixar's most creative and inventive films they've ever made (I love the idea of door portals to the human world, despite being scared when I was little...).
#8: Toy Story
People will probably disagree with me on this (a lot of people have this at least in their Top 3 Pixar movies). Toy Story is a great Pixar film, but its not a fantastic film. It does carry some great animation, a great voice cast, and a well-written story. But, in terms of the movie's (as well as its sequels) overall feel, it seems more of a "younger"-skewing film, rather than a movie that can appeal to every age group. The aliens are awesome though, and probably served as inspiration for some other yellow sidekicks that we know today. And, who doesn't love Randy Newman's "You Got a Friend in Me"?
#7: Toy Story 3
The best of the Toy Story movies thanks to the series' most emotionally-satisfying payoff (the ending made me almost cry). Toy Story 3 adds a lot of characters to the point of overdrive, but the animation and story are well-done. Plus, the moment when Buzz turns into Spanish mode is priceless. Its not their strongest effort, but its certainly one of their most interesting ones,
#6: Monsters University
Coming out on the weekend I graduated high school, Monsters University's timing was very, well, timely. And it turned out to be one of Pixar's funniest and most fun movies they've ever done. The creativity in the first Monsters Inc. was escalated here to eye-popping heights. It does lack the emotional oomph of the Pixar efforts that came before it (I'd probably blame it on Boo not being present, though she wasn't obviously born yet), but in almost every other department, Monsters University is better than Monsters Inc.
The Top 5
#5: Brave
A lot of people are going to disagree on this too. But what makes Brave one of the best Pixar films is not just the amazing animation, but its strong, timely, inspirational and relate-able family/communication message touched my heart, probably more than most of Pixar's previous efforts. But even so, the animation is among the most realistic I've ever seen, and there's a lot of solid humor (mixed in with a few bad jokes here and there and a few scary moments [thank goodness it wasn't rated G]). Pixar's attempt at entering Disney's field of fairy tales doesn't quite reach the heights of Frozen or Tangled, but its still an immensely entertaining one regardless.
#4: The Incredibles
One of the Pixar movies that never gets old. Brad Bird's best directorial effort, and better than just about any superhero movie cranked out (well, maybe Spider-Man 2 would tie it), The Incredibles is exciting, fun, and carries probably the best villain from a Pixar movie (Syndrome is tough to beat). The character interactions are memorable, and the animated superpowers and gadgetry are a blast to watch. Plus, it tackles an interesting issue (for its time) in how relevant superheroes were in society, and adds some solid family messages into it to boot.
#3: WALL-E
Hitting some of the same emotionally-breathtaking notes as E.T., WALL-E is one of Pixar's most ambitious ideas. It starts out as a silent film of sorts, and takes some nostalgia with some Hello, Dolly! peppered in for taste. One other interesting note is that WALL-E carries some interesting Christian undertones (read the film's Wikipedia page for more information). But, the overall film is just a huge joy with heart, soul and some amazingly cute characters.
#2: Finding Nemo
The first movie I ever saw in theaters. Finding Nemo is a classic. It carries a strong story, great and memorable characters (especially Ellen DeGeneres' lovable, unforgettable, and "forgetful" [lol] Dory), a hilarious and heartfelt script, and fantastic animation. Altogether, it carries perhaps even more charm, fun and laughs of many of Disney's animated library. And need I say, Andrew Stanton is one of Pixar's best directors, helming #3 and #2 on my list.
#1: Up
I saw this one twice in theaters. And for good reason. Because Up hits all the right notes for a Pixar movie. Its hilarious, its creative, its got memorable characters, it has more than satisfying emotional end and message (living life to the fullest, and that adventures sometimes don't have to be ambitious), and it has great animation. The gags with the dogs (and talking collars) and Kevin the "Snipe" are some of the best jokes out of the studio's playbook. On top of that, it embraces the "adventurous" spirit ("Adventure is out there!"). Up is Pixar's first Best Picture-nominated film, and rightly deserves to be.
Well, that's it. As for the future, I'm excited for Pixar's upcoming line-up. Inside Out is from Up director Pete Docter, and it has a lot going for it. In addition to that, The Good Dinosaur looks unique for Pixar, and sequels Finding Dory and Toy Story 4 are ones I'm very much looking forward to (preferably the former of the two). Plus, The Incredibles 2 is also coming soon.
So, Pixar continues to wow. Will they keep that streak up for another 20 years? We'll have to wait and see.
