10. Luca (2021)
Luca feels like a movie that’s going to take a little more time than other Pixar films to get the credit it deserves. This is a perfect summer movie with stunning depictions of Italy and a touching coming-of-age story. Sadly, it was relegated to a Disney+ release instead of a full theatrical rollout.
This film also has one of the best friendships in Pixar’s history. They may not be Buzz and Woody or Mike and Sulley, but Luca and Alberto form the kind of duo that you want to spend as much time with as possible.
9. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Pete Docter, now overseeing all of Pixar, is without a doubt the studio’s finest director, and Monsters, Inc. gave movie fans their first taste of the magic he could create with a feature.
Monsters, Inc. is a movie that has always been fun on the surface, but its depth really grows with you over time. Thanks to the vocal talents of Billy Crystal and John Goodman, Mike and Sulley feel larger than life in every scene they scare — I mean share. Then you’ve got Steve Buscemi with a pitch-perfect performance as all-time great Pixar villain Randall Boggs.
At the end of the day, Monsters, Inc. is a found family story that we can all relate to in one way or another.
8. WALL-E (2008)
Andrew Stanton has been putting out wonderful work for years, but WALL-E is undoubtedly his masterpiece. It may seem strange to call something a “masterpiece” and still have seven films ranked about it, but everything from here on out is a genuine all-timer.
WALL-E is a couple of different stories in one, all of which are perfectly executed. It’s a love story between a robot who felt he was alone in the universe and a sleek new model that initially doesn’t pay him any mind. It’s an allegory for climate change and how capitalism is leading us to our demise. At the end of the day, it’s also just a great sci-fi adventure.
7. Inside Out (2015)
This isn’t the first Pete Docter movie to appear on this list, and it isn’t going to be the last. The man has literally spent decades crafting some of the greatest animated films ever made.
Inside Out features one of the highest concepts Pixar has explored, following the literal emotions that inhabit the mind of an 11-year-old girl. The film is such a brilliant exploration of the human condition and delivers a thoughtful lesson in why taking the bad with the good actually makes us better, more complete people.
It’s also got one of the saddest sequences in any Pixar movie to-date; though Bing-Bong can’t hold a candle to the story of Carl and Ellie…
6. Up (2009)
Docter’s second feature for Pixar is his best and most emotionally devastating work. The first 10 minutes of Up tell the story of a couple that meet as kids, fall in love, begin a life together, and fail to have the children they both desperately want. After they accept the cards they’ve been dealt and save up for an adventure together, Ellie gets sick and dies before they’re able to take it.
Even typing it out makes me want to cry. It’s such a beautiful love story, set to one of the most romantic film scores of all time (maybe Michael Giacchino’s best work), and it does more in 10 minutes than most films can do in 90 or more. The real beauty of Up, though, is that the rest of the film earns its heartbreaking intro. Carl’s adventure with Russell and Dug is absolutely epic, filled with thrills, laughs, and some stunning locations. Woven throughout that adventure are several moments for Carl to wrestle with his own grief, and breadcrumbs left by Ellie to remind him that live is always worth living.
It would be so easy for Up to cruise by on the strength of its opening scene, but the rest of the movie is every bit as good.
5. The Incredibles (2004)
Most Pixar filmmakers are longtime employees with the company, rising through the ranks over the course of several years before getting their shot at directing a feature.The biggest exception to that rule is Brad Bird, who went from one animated masterpiece to another over the course of seven years at the turn of the millennium.
After The Iron Giant, Bird teamed up with Pixar to make The Incredibles, a story about a family of superheroes trying desperately to lead “normal” lives. This arrived at the start of the real superhero movie boom, yet still remains one of the best explorations of superheroes the genre has to offer. It’s truly timeless.
Bird’s action is second-to-none. His set pieces are thoughtfully crafted and expertly choreographed. This group of characters he crafted for The Incredibles is the perfect blend of everything you could ever need in a superhero team-up. Not to mention the addition of iconic supporting characters in Frozone and Edna Mode, as well as a top-tier villain. The Incredibles has it all.
4. Coco (2017)
It took Pixar 22 years to deliver a feature musical and boy did the studio knock it out of the park when they finally did.
Coco is a special, special film. Its cultural roots run deep, bringing Latin America and Dia de Muertos to life in such rich and vibrant ways. The music is out of this world, especially the song at the core of the film: “Remember Me.” As Miguel dives further into the Land of the Dead and learns more about his own family’s history, the song itself evolves, taking on multiple different meanings throughout the film.
At the center of it all is a tale about multigenerational love and just how much we need the stories of our ancestors if we want to build something better in our future. “Remember Me” is a call from all of those who have come before us as they try to light our path ahead.
3. Toy Story (1995)
This is the movie that started it all. Pixar turned the animation industry on its head in 1995 with the release of Toy Story, the first feature-length film animated entirely through computers. If you look back through the history of animation, Toy Story sort of acts as the BCE/ACE of the medium. The arrival of Toy Story changed the way studios approached animation as a whole, and the late ’90s showed everyone trying to replicate what Pixar had been able to do. It took a while for anyone to even get close.
Cultural significance aside, Toy Story is still one of the best animated films of all time. Buzz and Woody were instantly iconic characters the moment the former crash-landed on Andy’s bed. The simple of idea of your toys being alive when you leave the room was explored so thoroughly and treated with such creative grace that John Lasseter and his team were able to craft a story that has resonated with multiple generations.
2. Toy Story 2 (1999)
For years I was ready to argue ’til I was blue in the face with those that tried to say Toy Story 2 was better than its predecessor. I just couldn’t abide it. But I now have a toddler at home who loves the Toy Story movies — especially the first two films in the series. Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are basically always on at my house and, after experiencing them on near repeat for months, I get what the sequel enthusiasts have been trying to say all these years.
Despite just how great Toy Story is, Toy Story 2 is better in just about every way. It’s funnier; it’s got bigger adventure; it’s more emotional. Jessie and Bullseye could not have been better additions to Andy’s toy collection and Stinky Pete is a perfect villain. Underneath it all is a wonderful explanation of why it’s important to cherish what you love while you still can; that time is fleeting and there’s nothing you can do about it but enjoy the ride while it lasts.
Toy Story 2 is one of the best sequels ever made and belongs in conversations alongside The Godfather Part II and Empire Strikes Back.
1. Ratatouille (2007)
There are a lot of family films that tell you to follow your dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem, because you can do anything you set your mind to. What makes Ratatouille different is that you actually believe it. Even as a grown adult who has seen this movie numerous times, the credits will roll on Ratatouille and I feel like there’s nothing I can’t accomplish.
“Anyone can cook” is the hypothesis of Brad Bird’s masterpiece and he proves it time and again throughout the film. Remy the rat becomes a chef and wins over the heart of the harshest food critic in the world, simply because he loves food so dearly. As outlandish as the premise sounds, Ratatouille feels completely grounded. The rat cooks amazing food and, not only do you buy the concept every time, you can’t help but want to take a bit of everything he prepares.
For all the big moments in films like Toy Story 2 or The Incredibles, it’s Ratatouille‘s simplicity that sets it apart. Bird finds beauty in the smallest and most overlooked places. Giacchino does the same with the film’s score, French-inspired sound that makes you want to laugh, cry, and hug your mother all at the same time.
