Sometimes a common trope in movies can begin to feel stale, but Pixar's Lucaputs a fresh spin on a familiar type of ending. From Woody and Buzz's separation at the end of Toy Story 4 to Elsa's departure at the end of Frozen 2, many recent animated sequels have ended with the main characters going their own ways. Sometimes a Pixar or Disney movie establishes a duo with an unbreakable bond, and then eventually, a sequel comes out where they realize their paths are taking them in different directions. 85q26

Pixar's Inside Out 2 broke multiple records upon its theatrical release, and it's doing so again on Disney Plus, which is a massive win for the iconic company after the last four years. Since Toy Story hit theaters in 1995, Pixar has established itself as the gold standard for animation not only in quality of production, but in quality of narrative. Pixar's original movies are capable of inciting both laughter and tears, which is why they're successful. Inside Out 2 captured everything that made Pixar great, and in doing so restored the company to its throne atop the animation world.

Although Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken boasts a solid voice cast and visuals, it underperformed at the box office and effectively failed as the answer to Disney's massive 2021 hit, Luca. The coming-of-age fantasy action comedy, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, was supposed to be one of the biggest animated movies of 2023, and while there are several reasons why the movie failed at the box office, its lackluster performance doesn't bode well for DreamWorks' future movies in this vein. Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken's biggest competition, Luca, was both a critical and commercial success, which makes it worth considering why Ruby Gillman didn't perform.

The Pixar movie Lucais set in Portorosso, Italy, which is a fictional location, but it's based on real small towns in Italy. Director Enrico Casarosa’s Luca presents a simple coming-of-age tale on the sun-soaked Italian coast. Luca Paguro (Jacob Tremblay) and Alberto Scorfano (Jack Dylan Grazer), two young sea monsters, travel to Portorosso disguised as humans. The movie is filled with the typical humor, heart, and fun characters people expect, but more than any other Pixar movie, the setting adds to the magic of Luca.

Pixarfilms Soul, Luca, and Turning Red now have confirmed theatrical release dates for 2024. Soul, Luca, and Turning Red were released directly to Disney+ on December 25, 2020, June 18, 2021, and March 11, 2022, respectively. All three were relative critical successes, receiving Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature Film, with Soul winning the award.

The Luca cast helps to deliver yet another charming and winning movie from the filmmakers at Pixar. Luca's cast is led by Jacob Tremblay as the titular character: a sea monster who discovers he can transform into a human boy when he leaves the water. Alongside his new best friend Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), Luca explores the nearby Italian town of Portorosso and tries to keep his true nature hidden from the local humans. The Luca cast of characters includes a mix of established cast with younger talents stilli n the early stages of their career, playing a range of entertaining antagonists that make Luca one of the best Pixar movies of the last decade.

Pixar's Lucais set in a colorful seaside town in 20th century Italy, but the movie is an example of the many Studio Ghibli Pixar connections. Studio Ghibli is best known for the work of directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata on films like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Grave of the Fireflies. Luca uses Pixar's signature three-dimensional CGI animation instead of Ghibli's more traditional style and hand-drawn look, but Studio Ghibli clearly inspired Disney through Luca's setting, visuals, and treatment of female characters.

With Luca and Turning Red, Pixar appears to be shifting more of its focus to themes of inclusivity, breaking from its previous trends. While culture plays a major role for the characters in these movies, avoiding the detection of their fantastical abilities is Luca and Mei’s primary goal. Stories of special traits and talents are nothing new for Pixar, but the resolutions of these recent movies shift from the studio's normal way of doing things.

Netflix's new hit The Sea Beast is an animated action-adventure film that the whole family can enjoy. In the movie, a young girl named Maisie Brumble stows away on a famous sea hunting vessel carrying brave sailors who hunt down terrifying sea creatures. However Maisie, alongside sailor Jacob Holland, soon finds out that the beasts are not as terrifying as they thought.

Current summer hits like Thor: Love and Thunder and Top Gun: Maverick are not only finding financial success, but also intense fan adoration. When a film is beloved by a group of fans, it's not uncommon for the movie to be celebrated in the way of impressive cosplays, in-depth analysis, and themed parties.