Pixar fans have a lot to be excited about, with Toy Story franchise has long been a fan favorite and has managed to turn Pixar into the gold standard that all animated films are compared against, and Buzz in full-on Space Ranger mode only increases this hype.
There are so many factors that make a Pixar movie special, including the characters, message, art style, soundtrack, and the ever-important ability to make the audience cry their eyes out. Thankfully, Ranker and its s have helped sort this out with a list of the best from the studio.
Toy Story 2 (1999)
Sequels are never an easy task to take on, but leave it to Pixar to bring Woody and Buzz back into action. After Woody gets accidentally sold at a garage sale, he finds himself the in clutches of an evil collector looking to sell the cherished cowboy to a museum in Japan.
Adding new characters into a movie can often take away from the original ones, but this is not the case with Toy Story 2. The introduction of new characters like Jessie and Bullseye was done masterfully and only added to the relationships of the original. The film also hits at the heartstrings and reminds the viewer that life and toys are never as simple as they seem.
Inside Out (2015)
Inside Out was primed for a hilarious look into the pre-pubescent mind, as emotions fight for control of the brain of a young girl struggling with moving across the country, dealing with losing her old life, and finding a place in her new one.
Having personified emotions at the helm of a computer board in the brain of a preteen served as comic gold in Inside Out, as these emotions came to life at the hands of some amazing voice talent. Everyone can relate to that fiery Lewis Black-type voice in their head pushing all other emotions aside during a crisis, and how joy and sadness are not necessarily that different.
Ratatouille (2007)
In Ratatouille, a rat from the French countryside with aspirations to become a world-class chef makes his way to Paris. Once there, he finds an inept teenage bus boy who he helps rightfully take over a gourmet restaurant. While this might have been one of the most off-the-wall plot concepts, Pixar did wonders with this one.
Food connects to the heart on a deep level in lots of movies, and Ratatouille dishes up plenty of soul with its unorthodox but touching plot. While Remy is at the helm as head chef, not only does the day-to-day of a restaurant chef come to life, but the entire culture of the Parisian food scene is served up in style.
Coco (2017)
One of the more recent films on Ranker's list, Coco found Pixar following a young boy with a ion for music on a quest into the underworld to discover his self-identity. Throw in a Dia de Los Muertos celebration, some world-class Latin-inspired music, and beautiful visuals, and Pixar definitely had itself a hit.
Coco hits so many different senses as it's watched that it becomes engrossing. Seeing the artwork of Dia de Los Muertos in its bright vibrant colors animating an afterlife is magic. Especially highlighting a world that is typically shown in dark tones, as the afterlife is turned into a celebration of what life is really about. The music also adds a whole other dimension, and the musical numbers truly stand out. This takes the traditional Disney music scene formula to new heights with some of the most creative music to be found in any Pixar film.
Wall-E (2008)
In Pixar's take on a futuristic sci-fi story, the hero of Wall-E is a robot tasked with cleaning up a trashed earth, while humans float around on a spacecraft orbiting the earth left behind. Equal parts dystopian nightmare and robot love story, Wall-E managed to bring humanity to the environmental crisis in ways that many other films cannot.
With a mostly dialogue-free beginning of the movie, Pixar managed to help filmgoers fall in love with a tiny animated robot in Wall-E the way they often fall for talking animals. At the same time, it managed to call humans out for disrespecting the Earth in a non-preachy way. To call this a miracle is an understatement, but the messaging is so deft that it works.
Toy Story (1995)
This was the film that started it all for Pixar and brought to life the fantasy of living toys for so many kids and grown-ups alike. Toy Story finally answered the age-old question of what toys were up to after they were put away.
Toy Story completely changed the landscape of animated films, showing that an animated G-rated film can appeal to both children and adults, and set the future for what the animated film would become in culture. It has led to numerous sequels, shorts, holiday specials, and of course, merchandized toys. With some of the greatest characters of all time that can be recognized across the planet, it's no wonder that Toy Story is considered a crowd favorite. Everyone can relate to losing their favorite toy, only making the cast of toys that much more lovable.
Up (2009)
Floating houses, exotic waterfalls, and talking dogs, Up is this and so much more. Carl Fredrickson finds the oomph for an adventure to Paradise Falls after his beloved wife es away, bringing his entire house and Wilderness Explorer, Russell, with him.
With the ability to have one crying within the first 15 minutes, it's hard not to be fully invested in Carl's adventure to the falls. Watching the relationship bloom between Carl and Russell is one of the most heart-warming parts of Up, as Carl finally lets his guard down. Then when he faces down his childhood hero, who he realizes is nothing more than a crook, he becomes the sort of untraditional hero that moviegoers didn't know they needed. Up is a celebration of life in its fullest and most unexpected ways, with quite possibly one of the best dog characters created in Dug.
The Incredibles (2004)
While there has been no shortage of superhero movies, Pixar has put its own spin on the genre. In The Incredibles, a superhero family is forced into hiding as the public has turned on them for their destructive tendencies.
Following the aesthetic of 1960's mod culture, The Incredibles has a distinct art style that works so well with the movie, feeling both classic and modern at the same. It reminds one of the old 1960's Batman TV show without all the campiness, finding that perfect amount of nostalgia. What really makes The Incredibles so special though is its ability to connect the heroes to the regular family, even if most don't actually have any superpowers.
Finding Nemo (2003)
An overprotective father loses his one and only son and goes on an ocean-wide adventure to rescue him. And all of this is from the main character, a clownfish. Not too many films have been able to bring the world of the ocean alive like Pixar was able to with Finding Nemo.
From sharks who don't eat fish to surfing sea turtles, the characters make Finding Nemo one of the most special movies in the Pixar catalog. As far as characters go, there is someone for everyone to relate to. This, coupled with one of the best-written plots in the Pixar universe, reminds one that people can get through any trouble with their friends, and it still has people worldwide calling boats "butts."
Monsters Inc. (2001)
Monster films are nothing new, but in the hands of Pixar, they become absolutely magical. In an alternate universe, monsters procure their energy from sneaking into children's bedrooms, scaring them, and then turning their screams into energy.
Monsters Inc. has a way of turning things upside down and building relationships between characters that few films can, with Sully and Mike becoming Pixar stalwarts. What stands out in Monsters Inc., though, is how the setting becomes a character itself. This is one of the big reasons why Monsters Inc. has viewers continuing to want to visit via Monsters University and the series, Monsters at Work.
