With at least 66 movies under its belt, it's safe to say that Pixar knows how to pull at audiences' heartstrings. The animators have provided fans with some entertaining and emotional stories — which keep getting better as time goes on. However, if fans had to choose which film has impacted them the most, what would it be?
Every film Pixar has produced has impacted the viewer in some way. However, fans will agree that some moments have reduced them to tears more than others. Since it's hard to pinpoint the happiest moments (as the films are littered with them), here we take a look at some of Pixar's saddest, and some not so sad, moments...
No Big Deal: Boo Scared Of Sulley (Monsters, Inc.)
Everyone will agree that whoever wrote Monsters, Inc. knew what chords to pull to get an emotional reaction out of the audience. However, sometimes it takes a rewatch to understand what points they were trying to make. An example of this being the moment Sulley accidentally scares Boo.
At this point, Sulley realizes the trauma the business is creating when he catches how petrified Boo looks. It's heartbreaking to hear her cry for her mother as she tries to get away from him. However, the scene is usually overlooked because the viewers are then blindsided by the revelation that Waternoose is part of a corrupt scheme.
Tearjerker: Riley Reveals Her Struggles (Inside Out)
In an era where society is trying to get rid of the stigmas around mental health, Inside Out arrived at a pivotal time. In this film, the audience sees a young girl struggling to adjust to her family's new life. However, she refuses to disclose her struggles because her emotions are always fighting one another — literally.
At the end of the film, Joy and Sadness realize they are both essential to Riley's well-being and work together to unleash her suppressed emotions. Eventually, Riley breaks down and tells her parents how isolated she feels. It's a really emotional scene.
No Big Deal: Nemo's Mother Dies (Finding Nemo)
When Finding Nemo was first released in 2003, there were no dry eyes in the cinema — especially when Nemo's mother and his siblings are killed by a barracuda. However, recent studies into clownfish have sort of taken away the emotional impact of the opening.
Scientists found that once a female mate is killed, the male clownfish would change their sex. Since Marlin would have become female, the clownfish would have then mated with Nemo. So it kind of puts a damper on the film. Maybe they should have picked another type of fish?
Tearjerker: Mama Coco Re Her Father's Song (Coco)
Did anyone not cry when Mamá Coco ed her father's song? Released in 2017, Coco follows the story of a talented young musician, who finds himself on an extraordinary journey while in the Land of the Dead. Here, Miguel meets his ancestors, including Mamá Coco's father Héctor, who helps bring her memory back.
Since they believe Héctor had abandoned her, the family is shocked when Mamá Coco responds to Miguel's song. It's even more touching when she fondly recalls her father, which allows Héctor to get peace and reunite with the family after years of rejection.
No Big Deal: Lightning McQueen's Crash (Cars 3)
Of the entire Cars trilogy, fans will agree that Lightning's crash in the third film was the most shocking moment. As the audience knows, Cars 3 saw Lightning McQueen at his most vulnerable when he realized he's no longer the racer he once was. He's placed against the next generation of vehicles that utilized modern technology to help them win.
Since Lightning pushes himself to keep up, the race car ends up losing control and violently crashes. Still, his injuries aren't life-changing as he returns to the track four months later. His quick recovery made the crash less impactful.
Tearjerker: Andy's Goodbye (Toy Story 3)
The Toy Story franchise is another set of films that are full of emotion. However, none of them impacted the audience as much as the ending of Toy Story 3. What was believed to be an end of an era, fans (and the toys) were forced to say goodbye to Andy as he headed off to college.
Although he was planning on taking Woody with him, Andy's plan soon changed once he saw how attached Bonnie was to the sheriff. As a result, Andy lets Woody go. To top it off, the scene gets more emotional when Bonnie uses Woody's hand to wave him off...
No Big Deal: Bing Bong's Death (Inside Out)
While some people were upset with Bing Bong's death, it has to be said — the elephant's erasure isn't as emotional as some of Pixar's other films. As everyone knows, Inside Out drew attention to the importance of mental health and challenging the stigmas against it. Pixar ensured the audience left with a profound message.
If Riley had been three years old, Bing Bong would have been an important character as he provided vital . However, considering Riley had practically forgotten her imaginary best friend, Bing Bong's death was more about a child growing up.
Tearjerker: Boo's Goodbye
When it was time for Sulley and Mike to say goodbye to Boo, there was not a dry eye in the house. Throughout the film, the viewers had watched the bond between the three grow — especially Sulley and Boo, who were practically sewn at the hip. So when it was time for Sculley to say goodbye, fans had their tissues ready.
While Boo animatedly chatted about her toys, Sulley eventually tucked her into bed for the final time, where they shared an emotional farewell. However, the writers rubbed salt further into the wound when Boo hopped out of bed to try and scare Sulley, only to find the closet empty.
No Big Deal: Woody Says Goodbye To Buzz (Toy Story 4)
Maybe it's because it had to exceed the expectations of the third film, but Toy Story 4 didn't have the emotional pay-off of its predecessors. If anything, the ending was a bit anti-climatic as Woody decides to depart from the gang and stay with Bo Peep at the fairground.
It also felt like it took away from the Toy Story 3 ending, where Andy entrusted Bonnie to take care of Woody while he was away. Woody and Buzz's farewell wasn't all that touching since they hardly shared the screen in years. It was a little disappointing.
