By ABBY GROFF
Staff Writer
Pixar Animation Studios, founded February 3, 1986, is one of the biggest names ever in the animation or entertainment industry. They’re known for creating some of the most heartwarming and emotional family films, and (usually) never fail to put out an amazing final product. Pixar has won eighteen Academy Awards, ten Golden Globes, and eleven Grammy Awards. Truly fascinating and groundbreaking numbers. They were also the very first to release a feature-length 3D animated movie, that iconic movie being Toy Story (1995). While Pixar is known for mostly putting out movies that only receive high praise, there have been a handful of letdowns…
#24: Cars 2 (2011)
Cars 2 takes the last spot on this list. There was no real charm to this movie, and many can’t even remember a single part of the plot line besides Mater being some sort of spy.
#23: Cars 3 (2017)
Right above Cars 2 would have to be its successor, Cars 3. This movie is only slightly better than the first sequel, but not so good it tops any other Pixar movie.
#22: A Bug’s Life (1998)
Because Pixar is such a great company, we’ve already left the “awful” section and moved on to the “these movies are alright” section. A Bug’s Life wasn’t too memorable and some of the characters aren’t very likeable, but the finale was exciting. This movie most likely didn’t do so well due to the Dreamworks movie, Antz (1998), releasing the same year.
#21: Onward (2020)
We didn’t really see anything new from Pixar in this movie. The ending could be predicted from a mile away, but it was still fun to watch at times and Pratt’s and Holland’s performances were great.
#20: The Good Dinosaur (2015)
Like Onward, this movie didn’t give us a very original plot. However, the concept for The Good Dinosaur was definitely more interesting. What would the world be like today had the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs never hit? I love it. I thought this movie was charming and it’s super underrated and/or over-hated.
#19: Finding Dory (2016)
#18: Brave (2012)
#17: Toy Story 4 (2019)
#16: Monsters University (2013)
#15: Incredibles 2 (2018)
#14: Cars (2006)
#13: Luca (2021)
#12: Soul (2020)
#11: Toy Story 2 (1999)
#10: The Incredibles (2004)
#9: Inside Out (2015)
#8: Finding Nemo (2003)
#7: Ratatouille (2007)
#6: Coco (2017)
#5: Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Coming in fifth place would be Monsters, Inc. I was obsessed with this movie as a kid. The colors, the characters, and especially the intro music had me in love. The ending pulls on the audience’s heartstrings just enough to sometimes leave a tear coming out of their eyes.
#4: Toy Story 3 (2010)
Toy Story 3, I’d say, has the best ending to any franchise ever (disregarding Toy Story 4, I’d like to pretend that movie never happened). Even as a six year-old the finale had devastated me. The new characters in the franchise were introduced smoothly and made for great merchandise. The fact that I vividly remember watching this at such a young age speaks volumes about how great this film is.
#3: Up (2009)
Another movie I have vivid memories of seeing in theaters is Up (and I was only five years old). Watching this movie years later really had me so emotional. The beginning is probably one of the most iconic introductions out of all of Pixar’s films. The story was so creative and I think it had some of the best dialogue compared to other animated movies.
#2: WALL-E (2008)
WALL-E is incredibly underrated. It is a masterpiece that pulled off entertaining both children and adults. Its message was strong, and I appreciate its encouragement to help take care of our planet. Again, Pixar easily made audiences teary-eyed during the ending. I can remember watching this at four years old and experiencing many emotions for the first time when viewing it.
#1: Toy Story (1995)
Toy Story is loved amongst almost everyone. I can’t name a single person that didn’t enjoy this movie. It’s one of the few I would even consider perfect. While it isn’t my personal favorite from Pixar, I know that it has a great plot, great characters, a great soundtrack, and great actors. Parents and children alike love this movie. When the name Pixar comes up, Toy Story usually immediately follows. Its impact in the entertainment industry has been huge.