Which Is The Greatest Pixar Movie Of All Time?

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Let me emphasize that, besides the bottom two, there is no such thing as a bad Pixar movie. There are only movies that are slightly more fantastic than the one under it. Just a note, technically Planes isn’t a Pixar movie. It’s a spin-off of Cars, but was actually made by DisneyToon Studios or it would definitely hold the bottom spot.

14. Cars 2

Year Released: 2011
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFTfAdauCOo&w=584&h=390]Of all the exceptional Pixar movies, Cars is the last one I would expect to get a sequel. I know when I saw the first one I kept thinking, “Wow, I sure do wish there was more Larry the Cable Guy.” Dreams do come true! This is an unfortunate blemish on an otherwise stellar track record.

13. Cars

Year Released: 2006
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGByijP0Leo&w=584&h=390]Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful movie with dazzling design, but the story is miles away from the other projects Pixar has produced. If it were any other company it would be a success, but when you put it up against the competition, it’s not even in the same league. Also, isn’t it shockingly similar to Doc Hollywood?

12. Monsters University

Year Released: 2013
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBzPioph8CI&w=584&h=390]It’s a cute movie and while there’s nothing necessarily wrong with it, there’s really no point for it to exist. I know that sounds harsh, but the original is just so good, a prequel isn’t necessary. Again, it’s still enjoyable, but in the end it’s just a parody of Monsters Inc.

11. Toy Story 2

Year Released: 1999
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu0sotERXhI&w=584&h=390]Toy Story 2 has the unfortunate position of being wedged between two of Pixar’s finest movies. It’s not quite as good as the first or third installment, which leaves it in a peculiar spot. Let me just stress the point that it’s a wonderful movie and outweighs the majority of animated films, but the company sets an unbelievably high standard.

10. Ratatouille

Year Released: 2007
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3sBBRxDAqk&w=584&h=390]The story is fantastic, the animation is beautiful, and the jokes are funny no matter how old you are. It’s a shame that it’s probably the most underrated Pixar film. This is one of two scripts that Brad Bird wrote for the company so far, and he’s hit a homerun both times.

9. A Bug’s Life

Year Released: 1998
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhGlMv3UCXA&w=584&h=390]Is there a more spectacular cast from top to bottom than A Bug’s Life? Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Phyllis Diller, and Dave Foley are just delightful and the animation is better than most films coming out in the theater today. I think we can all agree that A Bug’s Life > Ants.

8. Brave

Year Released: 2012
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEHWDA_6e3M&w=584&h=390]The first female led Pixar film is a splendid one. The only issue is that Merida is such an amazing character, she almost feels too great for the movie’s plot. It’s far from a classic, but, once again, the animation is just so incredible. I know I keep bragging on the animation of all these films, but no other animation studio constantly operates at the level of excellence that Pixar does.

7. Wall-E

Year Released: 2008
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alIq_wG9FNk&w=584&h=390]I don’t know if any other animated film is as heartwarming as Wall-E. It’s amazing what kinds of emotions are evoked watching a cartoon robot that doesn’t speak. Unfortunately the ending isn’t quite as strong so it keeps the film from reaching the pinnacle of Pixar. Nonetheless, it’s a work of art.

6. Finding Nemo

Year Released: 2003
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXoZdTe9YFs&w=584&h=390]If you haven’t ever heard the story, in 1994, a group of four of Pixar’s creative team had a lunch meeting that changed Hollywood forever. During the meeting the group dreamed up A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc., Wall-E, and finally, Finding Nemo. No other Pixar movie combines such a flawless script with the most perfect cast of voice actors. Let’s hope the upcoming sequel can match the greatness of the original.

5. Monsters Inc.

Year Released: 2001
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvOQeozL4S0&w=584&h=390]Isn’t it incredible how Pixar can capture so much human emotion without using a single human? Monsters Inc. is about so much more than what’s on the surface. Also, now I can’t hear Billy Crystal’s voice without thinking of Mike Wazowski.

4. Up

Year Released: 2009
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkqzFUhGPJg&w=584&h=390]There is more story, heart, and emotion in the first ten minutes of Up than most movies can accomplish in two hours. It’s a masterful combination of just enough humor with the right amount of heart.

3. Toy Story

Year Released: 1995
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KPTXpQehio&w=584&h=390]Toy Story changed the way you looked at all of the inanimate objects sitting around your room. It changed the way animated films were made and written, while becoming the face of both Disney and Pixar. Woody and Buzz have become the new Mickey Mouse.

2. The Incredibles

Year Released: 2004
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZbzbC9285I&w=584&h=390]Brad Bird’s second Pixar film feels more like a Marvel movie than an animated feature. The action rivals most big budget summer films, yet it still finds a way to be child friendly and lighthearted. It doesn’t feel like any other Pixar film, but, shockingly enough, that’s not a bad thing here.

1. Toy Story 3

Year Released: 2010
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNMpa5yBf5o&w=584&h=390]I know it’s odd for a sequel to surpass the original, but Toy Story 3 is absolutely perfect. This is one of the rare occasions where the third film gives such a perfect and definitive ending, that it feels like one, big movie instead of three separate entities. The ending is one of the most satisfying of any trilogy in recent memory.