Greatest Pixar movies
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- DirectorBrad BirdStarsCraig T. NelsonSamuel L. JacksonHolly HunterWhile trying to lead a quiet suburban life, a family of undercover superheroes are forced into action to save the world.The top four on this list are interchangeable but to me The Incredibles is easily the greatest Pixar movie. It's the pinnacle of animation with truly stunning visuals. The action is superb, the story is very layered and is instantly relatable to all viewers; the dad is unfulfilled in his dead end job and is consequently having a mid life crisis, the wife feels insecure and inadequate to her husband, who goes off on 'business trips' that can't be corroborated by the actual company and the children struggle to find their places in the world, which is only accentuated by having superpowers. The daughter feels invisible and the son is held back from shining because to be anything more than everyone else would destroy the families anonymity. Even the villain is quite complex, being pushed to evildoing after being neglected by his idol when only trying to help. Syndrome demonstrates how kids can turn out without someone to guide and nurture them. The direction is excellent, the dialogue is very witty and intelligent, everything works. It even has Sam Jackson!
- DirectorLee UnkrichStarsTom HanksTim AllenJoan CusackThe toys are mistakenly delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic right before Andy leaves for college, and it's up to Woody to convince the other toys that they weren't abandoned and to return home.Toy Story 3 is that rare final film in a trilogy that surpasses the ones before it. The Toy Story trilogy tells the same story over and over; leaving the nest, but in a way that it never feels too repetitive. TS3 features exquisite animation, an intriguing plot, a lot of heart as ever and voice acting that once again delivers in spades. It is consistent throughout with some shocking moments and an unequivocally powerful ending.
- DirectorAndrew StantonLee UnkrichStarsAlbert BrooksEllen DeGeneresAlexander GouldAfter his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home.Character interactions are important in every film but during their Golden Era, Pixar were so adept at this that their competition paled in comparison. Here we have an overprotective father compensating for the loss of his wife and children by shielding his remaining son from the world. His son feels crushingly constrained, yearning to see the outside world beyond where his father allows him to go. Plus there's a forgetful friend that can often be infuriating as all friends can be, while also providing the support that we all need sometimes. Finding Nemo is a demonstration of how far a parent would go for their child and it really emphasises that family aspect of togetherness. Ellen DeGeneres is a stand out as Dory, whose positivity and humour save the film from the dour and whiny nature of Nemo's father Marlin. Set underwater, we have a plentiful look at the predatory nature of life as well as the beauty of the creatures dwelling beneath the depths of the oceans.
- DirectorBrad BirdJan PinkavaStarsBrad GarrettLou RomanoPatton OswaltA rat who can cook makes an unusual alliance with a young kitchen worker at a famous Paris restaurant.A very good film that doesn't quite reach the heights of the above efforts. A rat wanting to cook is a unique concept that made for an engaging expedition, offering a good look into the frenetic world of being a chef and the pressure they face. Admittedly I think the ending could've been a little better if Remy was made known to the world rather than simply cooking in secret again, albeit without hiding under a hat. But overall it shook things up as Pixar often do and is quite impressive.
- DirectorAndrew StantonStarsBen BurttElissa KnightJeff GarlinIn the distant future, a small waste-collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind.It says a lot that a film with no words for such a long time can be so captivating. Seeing WALL-E's daily routine and the sorry state of the planet has us glued to the screen in awe of the devastation, loneliness and will to continue with life no matter what, day in and day out. The visuals, especially in space, are absolutely spectacular as you would expect from a Pixar film and leave you wondering as to how Pixar always manage to wow us in this way. The story in the second half is very fun, amusing yet foreboding as we see how humans barely even move anymore with technology evolving to the point where we no longer even need to walk. The AI controlling the ship, which develops beyond the capacity to simply follow commands is a familiar one although is still entertaining when presented in such an unfamiliar scenario.
- DirectorPete DocterDavid SilvermanLee UnkrichStarsBilly CrystalJohn GoodmanMary GibbsIn order to power the city, monsters have to scare children so that they scream. However, the children are toxic to the monsters, and after a child gets through, two monsters realize things may not be what they think.Monsters Inc. provides an interesting new take on monsters, with them scaring kids to power their city with screams. Mike and Sully are fun characters but Boo gives this film the heart that it's so fondly remembered for. With the two monsters essentially having fatherhood forced upon them, we see how they handle the sudden responsibility and how their affection grows for the child over the course of the film, giving a real sense that you're on a journey with these characters.
- DirectorAndrew StantonAngus MacLaneStarsEllen DeGeneresAlbert BrooksEd O'NeillFriendly but forgetful blue tang Dory begins a search for her long-lost parents and everyone learns a few things about the real meaning of family along the way.Takes a little while to get going but once it hit its stride, it was very, very funny and quite different to what you'd expect. Many amusing additions to the cast as well.
- DirectorJohn LasseterStarsTom HanksTim AllenDon RicklesA cowboy doll is profoundly threatened and jealous when a new spaceman action figure supplants him as top toy in a boy's bedroom.The company's first foray into film, Toy Story started a revolution in animation. It captivated a generation of children and launched Pixar into the stratosphere. Buzz and Woody are easily the most known characters in any cartoon film and their antics create a delightfully chaotic adventure. Randy Newman's wonderful score perfectly compliments everything we see, the animation was groundbreaking at the time, the pacing and humour are surprisingly tight and witty respectively.
- DirectorJohn LasseterAsh BrannonLee UnkrichStarsTom HanksTim AllenJoan CusackWhen Woody is stolen by a toy collector, Buzz and his friends set out on a rescue mission to save Woody before he becomes a museum toy property with his roundup gang Jessie, Prospector, and Bullseye.Personally my least favourite of the trilogy as the story is basically the same as the first one and feels a little bit tired as a result yet TS2 still entertains. Kelsey Grammar is fantastic as the villain Stinky Pete, oozing the theatricality that he's famous for as Frasier Crane and Sideshow Bob. The secondary stories of Zurg and the second Buzz are clever and interwoven well.
- DirectorDan ScanlonStarsBilly CrystalJohn GoodmanSteve BuscemiA look at the relationship between Mike Wazowski and James P. "Sully" Sullivan during their days at Monsters University, when they weren't necessarily the best of friends.Decent for the first 2/3s, enjoyable but a bit too by the numbers, with a very impressive third act, subverting expectations more than once. Not as good as the original yet still a good film in its own right.
- DirectorMark AndrewsBrenda ChapmanSteve PurcellStarsKelly MacdonaldBilly ConnollyEmma ThompsonDetermined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.Here at number nine is where the quality dips, as we see that Pixar loses that consistency it was once renowned for. It directly correlates with how they're churning out kids films without that nod to the adults often found in their earlier work. Brave has an interesting premise to begin with, as a princess is being forced into a marriage when she truly wishes to be independent and free. But ultimately it turns out to be a film about a mother turned into a bear. Decent movie but disappointing considering what it could've been.
- DirectorPete DocterRonnie Del CarmenStarsAmy PoehlerBill HaderLewis BlackAfter young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions - Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness - conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school.Profound and mature yet heavy handed and silly.
- DirectorJohn LasseterJoe RanftStarsOwen WilsonBonnie HuntPaul NewmanOn the way to the biggest race of his life, a hotshot rookie race car gets stranded in a rundown town and learns that winning isn't everything in life.Not as bad as it's made out to be but surprisingly average for a Pixar film. It marked the beginning of Pixar's descent to standard kids fare instead of their previous formula of satisifying kids and adults alike. The visuals are as strong as ever but the plot unfortunately isn't as interesting as you'd like.
- DirectorPete DocterBob PetersonStarsEdward AsnerJordan NagaiJohn Ratzenberger78-year-old Carl Fredricksen travels to Paradise Falls in his house equipped with balloons, inadvertently taking a young stowaway.Call me crazy but Up wasn't that good in my opinion. If it were a short film like Paperman then it would've been amazing but as an hour and a half film, I found myself consistently bored. With the ultimate goal to move his house on top of a barren cliff, I didn't really care for Carl's journey. Up was also dumb but not in an endearing way; when the dogs flew biplanes and bit down on rubber bones which then fired machine guns, I knew at that point that I'd never want to see this film again. Highly overrated and frustratingly so, with the biggest fans only seeming to remember the first five or so minutes and conveniently forgetting the rest. Don't get me wrong, the first few minutes were very poignant but what came after wasn't nearly as good.
- DirectorJohn LasseterAndrew StantonStarsKevin SpaceyDave FoleyJulia Louis-DreyfusA misfit ant, looking for "warriors" to save his colony from greedy grasshoppers, recruits a group of bugs that turn out to be an inept circus troupe.An okay effort but compared to what Pixar did after, it pales in comparison. Besides I always found Antz to be a superior ants film.
- DirectorJohn LasseterBradford LewisStarsOwen WilsonLarry the Cable GuyMichael CaineStar race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.Painful. Generic, predictable, boring, I reached breaking point at barely halfway through and by the end I was slumped in my seat, losing the will to go on and hopeful that it would soon be over. Cars 2 was an ordeal.