Pixar Movies Ranked

Over the last twenty-five-plus years, Pixar has dominated animated film.  Since Toy Story back in 1995, Pixar has changed the animation game forever, garnering awards and pushing the limits of what animation can do.  Some of the movies may not be perfect, but none are terrible and there is always something enjoyable in each of them.  Here is my ranking of all the Pixar movies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

23 – CARS 2 (John Lasetter, Brad Lewis, 2011)

• Cars 2 was a rushed sequel that felt more like a product than an actual movie. Though occasionally fun and funny and probably a blast for little kids, the film ends up being uncreative, uninspired, and unnecessary and a low point on Pixar’s filmography.

 

22 – THE GOOD DINOSAUR (Peter Sohn, 2015)

• The Good Dinosaur is absolutely stunning to look at though, with some jaw-dropping scenery and whacky looking dinosaurs.  But the movie is arguably the most forgettable film in the Pixar cannon (I genuinely forgot about it when making this list) due to its bland story and because it came out just a few months after the far-superior Inside Out.

 

21 – BRAVE  (Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell, 2012)

• Pixar has always been known for making movies that were more complex and adult themed than most animated movies.  Brave is a very straightforward, simple movie that doesn’t have the complexity most Pixar movies have.  It is a visual knockout though, marking one of the studio’s finest visual efforts to date, and it features Pixar’s first female-led film, which is kind of depressing that it took seventeen years to happen.

 

20 – MONSTER’S UNIVERSITY (Dan Scanlon, 2013)

• I think Monster’s University didn’t get the love it deserved because Pixar was in a bit of a rut at the time of its release.  After Cars 2 and Brave underwhelmed critics and audiences, I think people dismissed Monster’s University without really giving it a fair chance.  The only prequel the studio has ever made, we see how Mike and Sully became friends while in college.  The story is familiar, but the film is funny, heartwarming, and relatable.

 

19 – CARS 3 (Brian Fee, 2017)

• I genuinely enjoyed Cars 3.  It features a great cast of old and new characters and a good story that could realistically end the Lightning McQueen run and focus in on a new Cruz Ramirez series.  But what I liked most was that this seemed like a redemption movie.  This was a movie that brought Pixar back to basics.  They made a character driven story with themes that resonated with kids and adults and completed a character trilogy.

 

18 – FINDING DORY (Andrew Stanton, Angus MacLane, 2016)

• You’ll see later in this list how much I love Finding Nemo (2003), so making a sequel to one of my most beloved films of all-time was tricky, especially with Pixar’s inconsistent sequel track record.  But Finding Dory is a gem.  An endearing, sweet, moving movie that highlights one of the studio’s best characters, Dory, voiced once again by the brilliant Ellen Degeneres.  The themes of acceptance and autism are some of the strongest the studio has ever had in a movie.  It may be ranked on the lower-end of the list, but Finding Dory is a very good movie.

 

17 – ONWARD (Dan Scanlon, 2020)

• Though Pixar has always made movies with fantastical elements (talking cars, cooking rats, talking fish, superheroes, etc.) Onward is the first film that really pits the film in fantasy. Onward is a magical journey about what it means to be raised in a family and the power of a single parent while also featuring other mythical creatures like unicorns and a manticore.  Released just before the COVID-19 outbreak, Onward is a Pixar film that got lost in a year that was all but lost but is a film that deserves recognition as another good entry in studio’s filmography.

 

17 – A BUG’S LIFE  (John Lasetter, Andrew Stanton, 1998)

• Following the monster success of Toy Story (1995), Pixar followed it up with a reimagining of the Akira Kurosawa classic Seven Samurai (1954).  Though the story is a familiar one and the characters lack some creativity, this is a lovely movie with some incredible detail and great humor.

 

15  – CARS  (John Lasetter, Joe Ranft, 2006)

• Cars is a blast to watch and features one of the best casts in any Pixar film.  The film came at a time when Pixar was at the top of their game, having just had success with Monster’s Inc., Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.  Though I feel it is an under-appreciated film, the story isn’t the most original and that’s what ultimately kept it from becoming a Pixar classic.

 

14 – UP (Pete Docter, Bob Peterson 2009)

• Up is the reason we go to the movies.  It’s a sprawling, magical adventure that is epic in scale and deep in story and character.  This is one of Pixar’s most adult film, dealing with friendship, marriage, lost loves, and following your dreams.  It also features a truly remarkable and heartbreaking sequence following the life of Ellie and Carl.  Up is as funny as it is heart-wrenching and a true triumph.

 

13 – SOUL (Peter Docter, Kemp Powers, 2020)

• What is your purpose in life? That is the broad, bold question that looms large in Pixar’s Soul. And though that might be a bold question that will make you think about every choice you’ve made in your, Pixar made sure to make the movie that teaches us to appreciate every aspect of life and inspire us rather than confuse us. The animation work is jaw-dropping, with the humans looking realer than ever and the trippy, unique look of The Great Before and The Great Beyond being something unlike anything Pixar has ever done. Soul is a Pixar film that has the potential to move up on the list after a few rewatches and further analysis.

 

12 – TOY STORY 4 (Josh Cooley, 2019)

• After the perfect ending of Toy Story 3 (more on that later), it seemed like the Toy Story franchise had completed its story.  Pixar had other ideas however, and though there was a lot of speculation around it, Toy Story 4 ended up being a great entry in the Toy Story franchise and the Pixar cannon.  Where Toy Story 3 was the final film of Woody and Andy, Toy Story 4 looks at the relationship between Woody and Buzz and makes the toys question what their place in the world is, thanks in large part to a bizarre new toy named Forky.  Toy Story 4 is just as funny, exciting, and emotional as the previous Toy Story films, but adds new depth to legendary franchise.

 

11 – RATATOUILLE (Brad Bird, 2007)

• Ratatouille is a movie I was not initially a big fan of.  Not that I didn’t like the movie, I just never thought it to be top-tier Pixar.  However, after a few rewatches and diving more into the career of director Brad Bird, Ratatouille really grew for me.  Besides being absolutely gorgeous and enjoyable, Ratatouille is also a look at a sheltered genius unable to shine the way he wants, much like Bird in his early career. Though not elite Pixar, Ratatouille is a beautiful, delectable film.

 

10 – COCO (Lee Unkrich & Adrian Molina, 2017)

• Coco is one of Pixar’s prettiest movies.  They really take the Dia de los Muertos and let it shine with eye-popping colors and lights.  They once again pull at the heartstrings in this one, telling a story of family, life after death, memory, and legacy, with a finale that will make your heart soar and your eyes water. This is the first film that Pixar made that was music focused and they killed it. The songs are wonderful and are the best aspect of the film.  Coco is lovely in every aspect.

 

9 – INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter, Ronnie Del Carmen, 2015)

• Inside Out is the movie that put Pixar back on the map.  Giving us an insight into the the mind of young girl, this is a movie that deals with all emotions that she feels, including happiness, sadness, and fear.  This is one of the more mature films in the Pixar arsenal, as it teaches kids that it is okay to be sad and to flesh out your emotions.  It also features one of the saddest and best quotes ever in a Pixar movie from the scene-stealing Bing-Bong when he says, “Take her to the moon for me”(*tear*).  This is classic Pixar at its finest.

 

8 – TOY STORY 2 (John Lasetter, Ash Brannon, Lee Unkrich, 1999)

• Originally planned to be released direct to video, Toy Story 2 captures the spirit of the first film perfectly and then some.  It also features one of the most heart-wrenching scenes in cinematic history, when we learn about Jesse’s backstory.  If you don’t tear up watching it, you don’t have a soul.  Toy Story 2 is one of the finest sequels ever made and one of Pixar’s more impressive feats.

 

7 – MONSTERS INC. (Pete Docter, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich, 2001)

• Up until this point, Pixar released two Toy Story movies, both masterpieces, and the solid A Bug’s Life.  The studio had something to prove and they did it with their next film.  Monster’s Inc. began a turning point for the studio.  This is one of the most creative films Pixar has come out with, giving us some of the studio’s most colorful character’s as well as giving us a relatable, human story for all ages.  Monster’s Inc. deserves its place as one of the most important Pixar films ever.

 

6 – INCREDIBLES 2 (Brad Bird, 2018)

• We waited fourteen years for another Incredibles movie and the wait was worth it.  After such a long break, writer/director Brad Bird had a lot on his mind and he puts it all on the screen, tackling themes such as gender roles, parenting, our obsession with looking at our T.V.’s, phones, and tablets, and the superhero genre, bringing up the ultimate question of, “do we need superheroes?”  Couple that with thrilling action sequences, stunning animation, and smart humor and Incredibles 2 is a worthy predecessor to the original and one of Pixar’s best sequels.

 

5 – WALL-E (Andrew Stanton, 2008)

• With no dialog in the first half hour, post-apocalyptic themes, and a main character who barely says anything, Wall-E is the riskiest animated film of all-time.  This is a beautiful film, with one of the great cinematic love stories ever between EVA and Wall-E.  Wall-E is a bold, impeccable, awe-inspiring film.

 

4 – TOY STORY (John Lasseter, 1995)

• The film that started it all is a timeless classic.  Toy Story changed not only animation forever, but cinema.  This film brought us into a world we had never been before and blew our minds.  It made us laugh, pulled our heart strings, and had us in awe the entire time. There isn’t much more than can be said about Toy Story.  It is the reason we have all of these brilliant movies.

 

3 – TOY STORY 3 (Lee Unkrich, 2010)

• The fact that Toy Story 2 was so good was an amazing feat for both Pixar and sequels in general.  But when the best movie in the entire franchise is the third film, that is legendary.  Toy Story 3 is a film the really hit me personally and one of the more emotional film-going experiences I have ever had. The themes of growing up and letting go are insightful for children and heart-shattering for adults.  It is a heart racing adventure with a pitch-perfect ending.  It’s the finale to Woody and Andy’s storyline we deserve and one that melts my heart every time I watch it.

 

2 – THE INCREDIBLES (Brad Bird, 2004)

• The Incredibles is not only one of the best Pixar films ever, this is one of the best superhero movies of all-time, too.  What animated film do you know deals with midlife crises, high school drama, and marriage?  This is the one. The action sequences are perfectly done and this showed Brad Bird was a master of action and animation.  Featuring great voice work from the entire cast, The Incredibles is as exciting as movies get.

 

1 – FINDING NEMO (Andrew Stanton, 2003)

• Finding Nemo elevated the studio to new heights they have still yet to top.  This is one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had going to the movies.  It’s an exhilarating adventure that’s funny, suspenseful, heartwarming, and moving.  The beauty and technical mastery of the animation is the studio’s best.  And Ellen DeGeneres gives one of the greatest voice acting performances of all-time.  Finding Nemo is a true cinematic masterpiece.  This is Pixar’s best film and one of the greatest animated movies ever made.

 

 

 

 

 

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