This weekend, Pixar Animation Studios will be releasing its 10th feature film, “Up.” For many, with the film having successfully opened this year’s Cannes International Film Festival, the occasion has marked another milestone in the studio’s continued maturation.
In my recent review of the film, I wrote, “Watching Pixar Animation grow and develop as a studio has become almost more fascinating than experiencing one of the company’s many creative films unfold on screen. Beginning with an industry leap in 1995’s ‘Toy Story’ and eventually moving into its daring own with 2008’s ‘WALL-E,’ the studio has, at the very least, shown a desire for creative progression.”
So it seemed as good a time as any to look back on the last 14 years of Pixar product and dedicate an installment of The Lists to the studio’s esteemed portfolio. Of course, unlike other editions of this feature, there are only 10 entries to fill the collective. But the order will be different for everyone.
“WALL-E,” for example, was a major high point for many last year. Not as much for me. “Monsters, Inc.,” on the other hand, isn’t considered top tier Pixar to some, but as you’ll note below, I beg to differ.
In addition to the features, I thought it might be fun to rattle off a ranked list of the 16 shorts the studio has produced, going all the way back to 1984’s “The Adventures of Andre and Wally B.” Some of them appeared in theaters alongside feature films, others might have popped up on home video as bonus features. You can see nearly all of them on the recently released “Pixar Short Films Collection: Volume 1” on DVD and Blu-ray. The most recent addition to this collective is “Partly Cloudy,” which plays along with “Up” in theaters.
On to the list. Be sure to give us yours in the comments section below.
10. “A Bug’s Life” (John Lasseter, 1998)
Pixar’s second feature film is probably the studio’s most disposable. Unlike the majority of the Pixar portfolio, “A Bug’s Life” wasn’t able to rise above the simplicity of another gimmick setting and actually mean something. It was, essentially, just an amplified telling of the old ant and the grasshopper fable. All of that said, the film showcases typically beautiful animation and sported one of the more creative ensembles of the films on this list. Plus, who doesn’t want to hear Denis Leary as a ladybug? But ultimately, the film may have collapsed around a rather forgetful voice performance from Dave Foley as the film’s lead.
9. “Cars” (John Lasseter, 2006)
The studio’s seventh endeavor was met with an uncharacteristically blasé critical reception in the summer of 2006. But even though “Cars,” Pixar honcho John Lassseter’s third directorial effort at Pixar, is fairly low on my list, I was nevertheless impressed by its dedication to a rather intriguing message. Perhaps the gloss on the film was too bright to allow it any breathing room, but the idea of reminding children (and perhaps many adults) of America’s fading industrial landscape could be the studio’s most relevant to date. And sue me, Larry the Cable Guy stuck the landing. Never thought I’d write those words.
8. “The Incredibles” (Brad Bird, 2004)
When I saw Brad Bird’s follow-up to “The Iron Giant” in the Fall of 2004, I must say I was a bit disappointed. Pixar’s sixth feature, “The Incredibles,” was so hellbent on being an action fun-fest that the thematic virtues couldn’t poke through to the surface. The result was a somewhat long-winded (the film clocks in at 115 minutes, short of “Cars” by 60 seconds) exercise in exploiting the senses. There’s nothing particularly wrong with that, of course, but typical of Bird, there is so much to work with from a pure story standpoint that some more dedication to the subtext would have been appreciated.
7. “WALL-E” (Andrew Stanton, 2008)
Anyone who frequented the site last year is well aware of my status as Satanic evil-doer for not flipping my lid for Pixar’s ninth effort. Of course, anyone who reads closely also knows that accusations of disavowal of the film were misplaced and merely the inevitable residue of a fan favorite sparking the awards season. In any case, “WALL-E” probably features Pixar’s most endearing protagonist and one of the more pertinent messages of the studio’s portfolio. While the narrative begins to unravel for this viewer somewhat in the film’s second half, it is regardless a joyful tale that showed Pixar has guts.
6. “Up” (Pete Docter, 2009)
Pixar’s 10th feature finds a secure place near the mid-point of the list, which says a lot about the film. “Up” is as engaging as any other film here, perhaps funnier than the rest and a hell of a ride, but what keeps it from the top tier of the studio’s output is, similar to “The Incredibles,” a buried subtext that becomes suffocated by the admittedly rapturous goings-on of the plot. A somewhat questionable villain doesn’t help matters, but in many ways, “Up” is at least able to overcome these pitfalls with a wildly inventive yarn and a humorous cast of characters.
5. “Toy Story” (John Lasseter, 1995)
The film that announced Pixar’s arrival in the summer of 1995 is still one of the very best, most essential, creative and emotional gifts the studio has provided to date. “Toy Story” found its roots in the 1988 short “Tin Toy,” but it expanded greatly on that film’s ideas of a child’s relationship with toys and the innovative “what if” of a community of playthings. Spawning a sequel four years later (and a third installment still to come), the franchise is clearly a flagship and for obvious reasons. It packs one of the studio’s better ensemble casts and a valuable message that goes a long, long way.
4. “Monsters, Inc.” (Pete Docter, 2001)
When I sat down to re-watch Pixar’s films for this retrospective in recent weeks, it occurred to me that I had not given Pixar’s fourth effort a second look since release. I recall being somewhat underwhelmed when it hit theaters in the Fall of 2001, but another viewing seems to have hit me just right. On the surface, “Monsters, Inc.” is just another gimmick yarn about a community of “fill in the blank,” monsters this time, after the studio had great success with toys and bugs. But lingering between the lines are ideas as varied as the power of laughter and (quite pertinent) dependence on energy resources.
3. “Toy Story 2” (John Lasseter, 1999)
I sometimes go back and forth on whether Pixar’s third feature, “Toy Story 2,” is a better film than its predecessor. One can surely make compelling arguments either way, but I generally find myself siding with the sequel more often than not because it is a bit richer and it took the material in a unexpectedly creative new direction. The idea of toys being relegated to collector’s items is, in some ways, the obvious avenue, but what that idea had to say about notions of relationships developed in the 1995 original is what the Pixar crew tapped into beautifully — all under the guise of a rescue film, no less.
2. “Ratatouille” (Brad Bird, 2007)
For me, there are really only two films that stand head and shoulders above the rest of the Pixar output, showcases of thematic and storytelling power that transcend the perceived limitations of animation and make the case for their classifications as films first, animated films second. The first is the studio’s eighth feature, one that admittedly took me a couple of viewings to warm to. Via one hell of a captivating narrative that puts a tremendous amount of focus on character, Brad Bird’s spin on the “be yourself” meme took flight in the summer of 2007 as the most critically acclaimed film of the year.
1. “Finding Nemo” (Andrew Stanton, 2003)
Speaking of character, the one film from the Pixar stable that utilizes character to convey theme while featuring voice performances worthy of awards recognition is without a doubt the studio’s fifth effort, “Finding Nemo.” Along with “Ratatouille,” the film features the most beautiful animation of the lot, sports a compellingly dramatic score from Thomas Newman, situates its message in every nook and cranny of the piece and, quite frankly, should have landed a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Ellen DeGeneres, who along with Albert Brooks, took the viewer on an engaging ride from start to finish in this, Pixar’s greatest achievement to date.
And there we have it. Give us your preferred ranking in the comments section below. Oh, but before I leave you, the shorts:
1. “Lifted” (2006)
2. “One Man Band” (2005)
3. “Red’s Dream” (1987)
4. “For the Birds” (2000)
5. “Mater and the Ghost Light” (2006)
6. “Presto” (2008)
7. “Jack-Jack Attack” (2005)
8. “Geri’s Game” (1997)
9. “Tin Toy” (1988)
10. “BURN-E” (2008)
11. “Partly Cloudy” (2009)
12. “Mike’s New Car” (2002)
13. “Knick Knack” (1989)
14. “Boundin’” (2003)
15. “Luxo Jr.” (1986)
16. “The Adventures of Andre and Wally B.” (1984)
Comments
65 responses to “THE LISTS: Ranking 14 years of Pixar”
Actually I do believe that “Up” will come accompanied with an introductory short called “Partly Cloudy”.
Ah, it wasn’t on the press screening. Interesting.
do the AMPAS have any rules against best actor/supporting actor nominations for voice work?
I agree completely on the top 2. But sometimes I think I’m the only one that likes the first Toy Story better than no. 2 :-D But of course they’re both (really) great.
I would rate the Pixar films like this:
9- Cars
8- A Bug’s Life
7- The Incredibles
6- Monsters, Inc.
5- Wall-E
4- Toy Story 2
3- Toy Story
2- Ratatouille
1- Finding Nemo (this is the one that should have gotten a best picture nom)
1Ratatoille
2The Incredibles
3Monsters Inc
4Wall E
5 Toy Story
6Toy Story 2
7A Bugs Life
8Find Nemo
9Cars
UP? I really did love them all but Cars, Im hoping UP is great.
No interest in ever seeing Cars so-
BRILLIANT
1. Finding Nemo
2. Toy Story 2
3. Monsters, Inc.
GREAT
4. Toy Story
5. Ratatouille
GOOD
6. Wall-E
7. A Bug’s Life
MEH
8. The Incredibles
Chad: Why no interest? Typical snobbery because it involves racing automobiles, I assume?
Can’t wait to see UP. My rankings:
1. Finding Nemo
2. Wall-E
3. Toy Story
4. The Incredibles
5. Ratatouille
6. Toy Story 2
7. Monsters, Inc.
8. A Bug’s Life
9. Cars
I’m ashamed to say I haven’t seen all. But here they are ranked in order of critical acclaim.
1. Toy Story (This film actually makes many greatest films of all time lists)
2. Wall-E
3. Finding Nemo
4. Ratatouille
5. Toy Story 2
6. The Incredibles
7. A Bug’s Life
8. Monsters Inc
9. Cars
The top 5 movies have received absolute, utter , drunken orgasmic raves from critics, its almost absurd how acclaimed these 5 films are.
Incredibles also has great reviews but not the level of great reviews of the 5 films above.
A Bug’s Life has surprisingly good reviews, even better than Monsters Inc.
Cars is the only Pixar to get second-rate reviews, even many outright pans.
Up has also received only raves up till now, and would currently place just above Incredibles but many but critics are still to chime in.
The reason you listed A BUG’S LIFE as Pixar’s least effort is exactly the one I’d use to justify why it is their second best, after RATAOTUILLE.
Their films are so thematically pretentious.
While it’s true I have very little interest in the NASCAR scene, it wouldn’t detract me from seeing a movie set in that world automatically. I just never responded to the trailers and heard from multiple sources that it was a weaker effort.
I think it’s pretty amazing that a studio brand has consistently produced so many great movies. Sure, some of Pixar’s films are better than others, but all of them are well worth seeing, and for me, the majority constitute superior entertainment. My list (haven’t yet seen “Up”):
9. Cars. Beautiful animation, ordinary story.
8. A Bug’s Life. Underwhelmed me when I first saw it, but I’m looking forward to picking up the Blu-ray and giving it another shot.
7. Toy Story 2. A lot of fun, but my heart is with the original.
6. Monsters Inc. From a pure comedy standpoint, maybe the funniest of Pixar’s movies.
5. Ratatouille. One of the most purely enjoyable movies I’ve ever seen.
4. The Incredibles. Ibid.
3. Toy Story. I remember seeing this as a disgruntled 13-year-old not interest in a “kiddie movie”. Boy was I wrong. Pure delight.
2. Finding Nemo. An inimitable blend of humor and pathos, with seductive, vibrant animation.
1. Wall-E. The best film of 2008 and one of my all-time favorites.
1. The Incredibles
2. Wall-E
3. Toy Story 2
4. Finding Nemo
5. Toy Story
6. Ratatouille
7. Monsters Inc.
8. Cars
9. A Bugs Life
I think it would be:
1. Wall-E
2. Monster’s Inc.
3. Toy Story 2
4. Ratatouille
5. Toy Story
6. Finding Nemo
7. The Incredibles
8. A Bug’s Life
I haven’t seen Cars, and I’d be surprised if Up isn’t either my favorite or second favorite.
1. Finding Nemo
2. Wall-E
3. Toy Story
4. Ratatouille
5. Monsters, Inc.
6. Toy Story 2
7. The Incredibles
8. A Bug’s life
9. Cars
1 – Ratatouille
2 – The Incredibles (probably my biggest cinematic nerdgasm so far, given the fact I was a child of comic books)
3 – Wall-E
4 – Toy Story 2
5 – Monsters. Inc
6 – Finding Nemo
7 – Toy Story
8 – A Bug’s Life
9 – Cars
wonder where Up will figure on that list… my expectations are pretty high, but alas, I must wait until September to see it.
Kris, thank you…. I too believe Finding Nemo is Pixar’s crowning achievement. I couldn’t understand why everyone was saying Wall-e was the best pixar movie – a classic in the making even – and no one seems to remember the masterpiece that is Finding Nemo…one of my favorite movies of all time!
I think Pixar is just so good each of their films is regarded as a masterpiece and best-ever by some people each year upon release. They’re just that good and everyone has their favorite.
Mine is The Incredibles, brilliant action, but also one of the best Superhero movies ever made. And I’ve heard that from a lot of folks that were huge comic fans. Hell I even had a lecture once from a guy that was actually getting his PhD in comic book research. And his favorite ever was The Incredibles too.
Of the shorts I think For the Birds is the best one. It’s simply so laughable and the sound of the big bird laughing is brilliant.
What I really admire about Pixar is how they manage to improve themselves so much every time in terms of visuals. What really makes me wonder though is how the hell all the other studios are being put to shame because they have not been able to ever produce something even remotely near Pixar’s quality (no, not even Shrek, which I think is fun but vastly overrated. It’s basic Dreamworks with it being mainly a parody instead of a standalone story).
I’m only really enthusiastic about three:
1. WALL-E
2. Ratatouille
3. Finding Nemo
The rest I can’t be bothered to rank, though some of them are very accomplished.
1. WALL-E
2. Ratatouille
3. The Incredibles
4. Finding Nemo
5. Toy Story 2
6. Toy Story
7. A Bug’s Life
8. Cars
9. Monsters, Inc.
1. Monsters Inc.
2. Ratatouille
3. Wall-E
4. Toy Story
5. The Incredibles
6. Finding Nemo
Haven’t seen ‘A Bug’s Life’, ‘Toy Story 2’ or ‘Cars’ recently enough to comment.
1. WALL-E
2. Ratatouille
3. Cars
4. Finding Nemo
5. Toy Story
6. The Incredibles
7. Monsters Inc.
8. Toy Story 2
I never saw A Bug’s Life, which I should get to. I also never understood the hate for Cars; it’s the type of film that I’d figure would transcend the concept of being kid-specific. Toy Story 2 was just… blegh.
Good list…
My favorites are
1. Incredibles
2. Monsters, Inc.
3. Toy Story 2
4. Bug’s Life
5. Toy Story
6. Wall-E
Not a fan of Ratatouille really, maybe it was when I watched it a few Christmas ago in the AM so I could have been tired, but I was a bit bored and I gave Cars a chance, it looked great, but I couldn’t get into it, felt it was WAY too long, but had a good message/concept (as they all do).
1. Finding Nemo
2. The Incredibles
3. Toy Story 2
4. Toy Story
(I absolutely loved each of the top 4)
———————————–
5. Monsters Inc.
6. A Bug’s Life
———————————–
7. Ratatouille (I liked it, but something was missing for me)
8. Wall-E (Visually stunning, but a bit heavy-handed for my taste)
————————————-
9. Cars (The only Pixar movie that I didn’t like)
Kris… Was the Toy Story 3 teaser trailer attached to UP!?
My rankings:
1) Ratatouille
2) Finding Nemo
3) The Incredibles
4) Wall-E
5) Toy Story 2
6) Toy Story
7) Monsters Inc.
8) Cars
9) A Bug’s Life
Rataouille actually stunned me. I expected it to be a good children’s movie, and it instead was a great film, period, even more mature, I thought, than Finding Nemo. And when i first saw Toy Story, I had to ask my mom if it was animated or real (I was only five). Innovation has become Pixar’s hallmark.
Great list, so as a Pixar nut I just have to make my own…
9) Cars- still a very good movie, but weak compared to the others
8) A Bug’s Life- same
7) The Incredibles- almost too fun, leading to what Kris said
6) Toy Story- breakthrough in movie history, but it was all too simple to be perfect.
Those are the only ones that are set in stone. The following are so good I often go back and change the order.
5) Monsters Inc.- their funniest yet
4) Ratatouille- a movie I had to grow to love, but now I do, I guess. great story with great characters.
3) WALL-E- most original plot, favorite Pixar character ever, good message, everything was just amazing
2) Finding Nemo- terrific character development and beautiful animation
1) Toy Story 2- so incredibly heartfelt it is almost always #1
I’m hoping Up will be in the better half, but still, Pixar has never made anything close to a bad movie.
Jesse: In a way, I’d be inclined to agree that Ratatouille could be perceived as more mature than “Nemo.” But the latter hits me so hard emotionally. Ellen’s monologue at the end, especially. The final act is just a roller coaster of feelings.
Kris, I expected my list to differ from yours (a liked Wall-E a lot more than you, and while I enjoyed Bolt you clearly felt something I missed). But I’m actually really surprised that our top 2 match. Finding Nemo is a safe bet for anyone’s #1 (the movie is consistently put on Top 100 lists), but it’s refreshing to see someone else enjoy Ratatouille as much as I did. Most people consider the movie par for Pixar’s course…to me, it’s one of the studio’s very best (and I still feel it deserved a BP nom).
FTR, my ranking (since everyone else is doing it!)
9) Cars
8) Bug’s Life
7) Monster’s Inc.
6) Toy Story
5) Toy Story 2
4) Wall-E
3) The Incredibles
2) Ratatouille
1) Finding Nemo (probably my fave animated movie of all-time)
Dude: If I had done the list a few weeks ago, before sitting down and systematically re-watching all of the Pixar films (in order of release), “Ratatouille” actually might have fallen in at #4 behind “Nemo” and the “Toy Story” films. But the script has jumped out more and more each time I’ve watched it and really stuck out as a no-brainer for the very top tier with Stanton’s film during this retrospective.
I actually encourage everyone to go back and re-watch this stuff. Sometimes, with animated films, we depend on our knee jerk reactions too much. A film like “Cars,” for instance, had more resonance for me now than it did in 2006. “Monsters, Inc.,” as mentioned, hit me just right eight years after seeing it the first time. There are many threads in Pixar films that deserve second, third, fourth looks.
And by the way, “Nemo” falls in right behind “The Lion King” as my second favorite animated film ever.
1. Finding Nemo
2. The Incredibles
3. Ratatouille
4. Toy Story 2
5. Monster’s Inc.
Nemo was the most visually stunning, most emotional, yet so conventional plot-wise. The rest were high minded wooha that flipped how I thought about the world.
Dertek1: the Academy rules state that the actor must physically appear on screen to be elible for one of the acting awards
And, in lieu of everyone else…
9. A Bug’s Life
8. Cars
7. Toy Story 2
6. Monster’s Inc.
5. The Incredibles
4. Ratatouille
3. Toy Story
2. Finding Nemo
1. WALL•E
1. Wall-E
2. Finding Nemo
3. A Bugs Life
4. Ratatouille
5. Monsters Inc.
6. Toy Story
7. Toy Story 2
8.The Incredibles
9. Cars
1. Finding Nemo
2. A Bugs Life
3. Wall-E
4. Ratatouille
5. Toy Story 2
6. Toy Story
7. Monsters Inc
8. Cars
9. The Incredibles
It is true that some Pixar movies are better than others and that some are not “up to par,” but it is also true that some of Pixar’s “disappointments” are still better than many of the live action films released that same year. Sometimes the worse Pixar films are better than the Oscar nominees for Best Picture. I am ecstatic for UP! I am going with a group of friends to watch it – same group that I went to see Ratatouille and Wall E with. Here is my list of my favorite Pixar films, even though they change everytime I re-watch one of them.
1) Finding Nemo
2) Ratatouille
3) Wall E
4) Toy Story 2
5) Monster’s Inc
6) Toy Story
7) A Bug’s Life
8) The Incredibles
9) Cars
1. WALL-E (****)
2. Finding Nemo (****)
3. The Incredibles (****)
4. Toy Story (****)
5. Toy Story 2 (****)
6. Ratatouille (****)
7. Monsters, Inc. (****)
8. Cars (***1/2)
9. A Bug’s Life (***1/2)
1. Ratatouille
2. Finding Nemo
3. Toy Story 2
4. Monsters Inc.
5. The Incredibles
6. Toy Story
7. Wall-E
8. A Bug’s Life
9. Cars
Somebody does a new one of these lists every year, but I think this might be the one I’ve agreed the most with so far. My list would look like:
1) Finding Nemo
2) Ratatouille
3) Toy Story 2
4) Wall-E
5) The Incredibles
6) Toy Story
7) Monsters, Inc.
8) A Bug’s Life
9) Cars
1. Ratatouille
2. WALL-E
3. Toy Story 2
4. The Incredibles
5. Monster’s Inc.
6. Toy Story
7. Finding Nemo
8. A Bug’s Life
9. Cars
I love them all though.
No surprise with your #1 choice. I couldn’t argue with that if I wanted to.
1)Finding Nemo
2)WALL-E
3)Toy Story
4)Ratatouille
5)The Incredibles
6)Monsters Inc.
7)Toy Story 2
8)A Bug’s Life
9)Cars
#1 and #9 are not up for debate.
1. Toy Story
2. Monsters Inc.
3. Ratatouille
4. Toy Story 2
5. Finding Nemo
6. The Incredibles
7. A Bug’s Life
8. Wall-E
9. Cars
1. Wall-E
2. Ratatouille
3. Finding Nemo
4. The Incredibles
5. Toy Story 1 & 2
6. Monster’s Inc.
7. A Bug’s Life
8. Cars
Thanks Cameron.
1. Ratatouille
2. Wall-E
3. Finding Nemo
4. Toy Story 2
5. Monster’s Inc.
6. Toy Story
7. The Incredibles
8. A Bug’s Life
9. Cars
I go:
1. Monsters Inc
2. The Incredibles
3. Toy Story
4. Finding Nemo
5. Wall E
6. Toy Story 2
7. Ratatouille
8. Cars
9. A Bug’s Life (So they remade Seven Samurai… with insects… with nothing new to say… ya…)
I’m a huge fan of Pixar, actually. It’s that kind of studio that makes movies that you never expect to go horribly wrong because they at least end up entertaining (“Cars”).
1. WALL-E
2. Finding Nemo
3. Toy Story 2
4. Ratatouille
5. The Incredibles
6. Monsters, Inc.
7. Toy Story
8. Cars
9. A Bug’s Life
Can’t believe that Red Wine and I are the only people to have the original Toy Story ranked at #1. When I think Pixar, that’s the movie I think of. When I think Pixar’s best characters, I think of Woody and Buzz. Not Nemo. When I think of classic Pixar images, the one that comes to mind is of Woody and Buzz riding the rocket. The sequel is very good but it’s not the original. It’s just more of the same stuff we liked, but more doesn’t mean better. The first Toy Story is a CLASSIC. How could you have a list of ALL-TIME GREAT MOVIES and include Toy Story over Toy Story 2. That just doesn’t make any sense. I don’t care how much more $ Nemo made, there’s no way that’s a better movie than Toy Story. Maybe the ANIMATION is better but c’mon… I love movies because I love stories. And Toy Story has the word IN ITS TITLE. It is the most satisfying Pixar story, featuring the most appealing characters. I’ll take a Lightyear doll over a Nemo plushie any day. Damn, it’s hard ranking Pixar movies because besides Cars, they’re all 3-star movies or better in my book (out of 4, not 5 ,DL ,who knows who he is). I still feel Nemo is overrated. I definitely prefer Monsters Inc., which is much funnier, and The Rat, who was more charming. Nemo was kinda serious, I remember, especially for little kids. Either way, it ain’t no Lion King, that’s for sure.
I too love “Monsters Inc.” — lovely Chaplin homage at the end when the big monster (Sully) opens the door to Boo’s room and smiles — reminds me of Chaplin in “City Lights” — a wonderful film, one of their very best.
Finding Nemo is my No1. I am almost shocked that it’s no5 on Metacritic among Pixar’s films.
01. WALL•E
02. Toy Story
03. Finding Nemo
04. Ratatouille
05. The Incredibles
06. Toy Story 2
07. Monsters, Inc.
08. A Bug’s Life
09. Cars