The Pixar Movies to Date: From "Toy Story" to "Up"

No other studio working in movies today has the track record of Pixar Animation Studios. All of their movies have been both critically acclaimed and box office successes. You can only guess how jealous the other studios are in regards to how amazingly well they have done. But what is it that keeps Pixar on top of the animation world let alone the motion picture industry?

When they came into the mainstream, Pixar Films introduced a new kind of animation that almost completely obliterated all other kinds. But on top of the amazing visuals that they keep topping with each successive Pixar film, it is also the stories that make them so damn good. Whereas movies today put emphasis either on story or special effects but never both at the same time, the filmmakers at this studio have proven that you can put them both together in a movie with equal measure. This is not to mention that their detail to research in regards to the toys we grew up to how bugs co-exist in their tiny world, and to looking at how the world treats its senior citizens. Pixar's focus is always on the story, and everything else comes into place after that.

Moreover, how many other studios can reach just about every single demographic that can be reached in today's movie going audience? Pixar films to me today are what "The Muppet Show" and the Muppet movies were to me when I was growing up; they were forms of entertainment that adults and kids can enjoy together. You can't necessarily do the same thing with Barney the Dinosaur.

Now Associated Content had this assignment of listing the 10 best Pixar movies to date. However, they have actually only released 10 feature films to date, so that kind of makes it difficult. When all is said and done, all Pixar movies are worth watching, but let's take a look at all of them and see how they measure up to one another.

Toy Story (1995)

The first Pixar feature film came out almost 15 years ago (OMG), and animated movies would never look the same. Give me a kid who cannot relate with getting all these cool toys when he was a kid, and of how the new one would immediately take precedence over the old. That's what happens to good old Woody (Tom Hanks) when his owner Andy gets the new Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) doll. From there on out, it is a battle between the best of the best as jealousy gets the best of Woody, and he and Buzz have to band together before Andy and his family move away and lose them forever.

What struck me about "Toy Story" more than the animation was how well the writers captured all those toys we grew up with. The green army men were in everyone's possession at one point, and they are led by the voice of R. Lee Ermey of "Full Metal Jacket" fame. This is not to mention Mr. Potato Head and those springy toys that were basically slinkys connected to pieces of wood. How about those Speak 'n' Spell electronic games? That's what really got me hooked into "Toy Story" more than anything else.

When I first saw the trailer for this one, I thought it was going to be intrinsically lame. That was so not the case though. It was funny and knowing, and the filmmakers of "Toy Story" have certainly never lost their childlike wonder. "Toy Story" is funny, exciting, and very well written; it's nothing I would expect most animated movies to be.

**** out of ****

A Bug's Life (1998)

Of all the Pixar movies released so far, this one is probably my least favorite of the bunch. Still, Pixar's films are generally better than most others, so that should come across as faint criticism. This one has a more conventional storyline that is a cross between "Three Amigos" and "The Seven Samurai" as nerdy scientist Flik (Dave Foley) works to find a way to help his fellow bugs ward off the greedy grasshoppers led by Hopper (Kevin Spacey during his bad guy phase) who come to take all their food away. Flik ends up hiring a bunch of bug warriors to ward them off, but they are actually a traveling circus of actors who have yet to see what they have gotten themselves into.

Like I said, the story is conventional when compared to "Toy Story," but once you get past that, the movie is still a lot of fun and has its share of exciting moments. All the voice actors in "A Bug's Life" are perfectly cast, and the supporting players keep the lead actors on their toes (or should I say antlers) throughout. I especially liked David Hyde Pierce as Slim, a walking stick insect sick of being cast as a prop. John Ratzenberger became a Pixar regular with this film, having stolen a few scenes as Hamm the Piggy Bank in "Toy Story," and his P.T. Flea in this one is an inspired creation.

"A Bug's Life" doesn't stand out as much as the others, but it is much better than the other family movies Disney releases on a regular basis. Plus, this Pixar movie inspired one of the coolest 3-D shows at Disney's California Adventure!

*** out of ****

Toy Story 2 (1999)

Another to add to the ever growing list of sequels that are better than the original, and considering how brilliant the original was, that is saying quite a bit! With Woody getting kidnapped by a toy collector and the whole gang from the original going after them in a rescue mission, "Toy Story 2" looks at what is a better fate for a toy: to be loved as a collectible, or to be loved by a single human being. This sequel will also keep you from giving away all those toys you played with as a kid, and that's even if you haven't played with them in years. The montage set to Sarah McLachlan (man she has a beautiful voice!) singing "When She Loved Me" is a real heartbreaker.

What I really loved about "Toy Story 2" was all the film references which were consistently hilarious, especially the ones regarding "The Empire Strikes Back." It was also great to see all these toy companies finally loosening up and allow their products to be used having been so stubborn with the first one. Barbie makes a long awaited appearance in this one, and we get some great new characters that are just as wonderfully memorable as Woody and Buzz. Among them is Jessie, Woody's cowboy partner voiced by the always delightful Joan Cusack. You also get one of Pixar's most adorable creations with the bashful and self-conscious horse Bullseye. This horse wins over your heart without saying a word, and that's just as well after suffering through all those "Mr. Ed" reruns.

**** out of ****

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Pixar continued to wow us with their leaps and bounds with computer animation, and they outdid themselves with the visuals with this one. Parents got all freaked about this one, thinking it would traumatize their kids. Give me a break! Monsters are more likely to get traumatized by this one than the kids will. Sully (John Goodman) and Mike (Billy Crystal) end up getting stuck with an irresistibly adorable 5-year old they nickname Boo. On their collective tails is the evil Randal (Steve Buscemi) who looks to revolutionize the monster's scare industry, but in the worst way possible of course.

John Goodman and Billy Crystal are a dynamic duo together, and they are endlessly hilarious in their attempts to save Monstropolis. The child named Boo is one of Pixar's most adorable characters (I can't say that enough) in any of their films, and she brings out the soft and vulnerable side in each of the monsters (not Randal though). The scene where the main characters travel through the storage area of doors is amazing; not to mention exciting and hilarious at the same time. This one really does choke you up, especially when Sully has to say goodbye to Boo.

"Monsters, Inc." also inspired one of the most side-splitting short features ever from Pixar, "Mike's New Car." It was included on the DVD release, and you will not be able to stop laughing for perhaps a whole millennium after watching it. And let us not forget the great Randy Newman who FINALLY got his Oscar for Best Original Song.

***½ out of ****

Finding Nemo (2003)

Having dealt with toys, bugs, and monsters, Pixar decided to head in a new direction with their next film by going underwater. The movie follows Marlon (Albert Brooks, perfectly cast), an overprotective parent of a clownfish who goes after his son Nemo when he gets kidnapped by divers. Along with him on his travels is Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a regal tang with short term memory problems. It's one of those movies where the journey is even better than when they reach their final destination.

The animators show the same attention to detail on fishes just as much as they did with bugs in "A Bug's Life." "Finding Nemo" also has a wealth of talent voicing the fishes, and even Willem Dafoe shows up here as something other than a bad guy. I also got a kick out of seeing Eric Bana among the voice actors here voicing the hammerhead shark Anchor, and this is especially so after seeing him be all radioactively morose in Ang Lee's "Hulk." But no mistake, the real scene stealer of "Finding Nemo" (and I'm sure you know this already) is Ellen DeGeneres, and I agree with everyone that she was robbed of an Oscar nomination for her work here. Throughout the movie, she manages to be hilarious and heartwarming at the same time to where she makes it look effortless.

**** out of ****

The Incredibles (2004)

The heads at Pixar Animation Studio took a big risk and stepped out of their safety zone with this film. They ended up hiring Brad Bird, best known for his film "The Iron Giant" and for his work on "The Simpsons," who had never worked with John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton before, and he created a most inspired take on the world of superheroes. Or more specifically, his film "The Incredibles" is about what happens to said superheroes when they are forced into retirement.

Instead of going with big names to do the voices in "The Incredibles," Brad went with Craig T. Nelson of "Coach" fame to portray the patriarch of his superhero family, Mr. Incredible. His wife, Elastigirl (Holly Hunter of all people) has settled into the role of housewife while raising their two kids Dash and Violet, both who have superpowers of their own. But no superhero can stay retired when danger raises its head, so you know who is coming to save the day.

I loved how the movie plays with the conventions of these characters by exploiting their weaknesses as well as their strengths. This is made all the more clear when Mr. Incredible visits Edna Mode who is a famous designer of super suits. Voiced by Brad Bird himself, the character is a brilliant comic creation and one you don't want to get started on regarding capes.

Seeing Pixar stepping out of their comfort zone showed us that they were not willing to rest on what worked best for them. It became clear at this point that they wanted to challenge themselves, and it was evident that the story was they key concern of each movie Pixar did. Everything else came right after it and simply added to what was already a strong foundation.

**** out of ****

Cars (2006)

Another one of the weaker movies from the Pixar cannon, but it still has its inspired moments. This is one is a story of redemption a la "Doc Hollywood" where the main character is full of himself, but who later comes to see the importance of where you come from and who you need to be to find fulfillment in this world. With that in mind, you pretty much know the story structure and arc from that description. All the same, Pixar continued to give us incredible visuals that were far and beyond what they delivered to us before. I was lucky enough to catch it at the El Capitan which showed it in digital, and some shots were so breathtaking. It would have been better though if all those parents could have shut their kids up while the movie was showing.

"Cars" director John Lasseter assembled quite a cast which included the late George Carlin, Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin, and Larry The Cable Guy to name a few. Being a big fan of automobiles, Lasseter also cast Nascar legend Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and even Bob and Ray from the NPR show "Car Talk." But the best piece of casting was the late Paul Newman in what was his last movie role before he retired from show business. As Doc Hudson, he gave "Cars" its true heart and soul. It didn't hurt that Newman was a race car driver himself as well.

The ending of the movie, which I won't give away here, was a big surprise. Just when you thought you knew how the movie was going to end, it pulls the rug out from under you. "Cars" is not about the importance of winning, it's about the importance of respecting those who got you to where you are as well as the ones who came before you. There's no way you can make it to the top on your own.

I also loved John Ratzenberger's little spiel during the movie's ends credits. It is way too funny to spoil for you here.

*** out of ****

Ratatouille (2007)

"The Incredibles" director Brad Bird returned for this story of a rat named Remy who dreams of being a cook like his hero Auguste Gusteau, a top chef who said that anyone can cook. Upon escaping from a hiding place where he and his family are found out, Remy (voiced by comedian Patton Oswalt) gets separated and ends up in Paris where he teams up with the geekiest of characters, Alfredo Linguini (Lou Romano), to realize his dream of being a chef.

The voice performers are uniformly excellent as always, the story is more original than most other animated movies, and it is exciting in a way most cooking shows on television are not. But even more so, how the animators captured Paris in its glory is nothing short of amazing. At its heart, "Ratatouille" is a romantic film, and it shows through its love of Paris and with a stream colors that would make you think that Dario Argento made a movie for kids.

Peter O'Toole gives a very memorable performance here is Anton Ego, a critic who seems to critically ravage every restaurant in his path. It takes a real rat to finally say something nice about a cook.

An amazing movie in many ways, and this was one of the very best films of 2007, truly a great year for cinema.

**** out of ****

Click here to read a review of "Ratatouille"

WALL-E (2008)

"Finding Nemo" director Andrew Stanton came back to direct this one, and of all the Pixar movies released so far, this one is the best. In terms of story, visuals, character, and risk taking (there is no dialogue for the first half hour), this is still the one to beat. WALL-E is a robot designed to clean up Earth which has been laid waste by over consumption and pollution among other things. He then meets Eve, an advanced robot, who he falls in love with. Their adventure together takes them to outer space and what's left of the human race, which has since confined itself to a living of inactivity.

My mom upon watching this said that you could make a thesis out of this movie, and nothing could be truer. "WALL-E" is full of ideas and concepts to where watching this movie twice is not enough. The visuals are simply astonishing, and the characters are so likable without them having to speak to gain our sympathy.

This was a better movie than any other released in 2008, with the exception of "The Dark Knight."

**** out of ****

Click here to read a review of "WALL-E"

Up (2009)

This year's offering from Pixar comes from director Pete Docter who also made "Monsters, Inc." The movie follows grumpy senior citizen Carl Fredrickson as he flies his house over to South America to realize the dream of adventure he never fully got to share with his late wife, Ellie. Unfortunately, he picks a stowaway in Russell, a Wilderness Explorer looking to get his "helping the elderly" badge, the last one he needs to reach an advanced level. During their adventure, they come across a giant bird, Carl's childhood hero, and a bunch of talking dogs.

The opening 10 to 15 minutes of this movie remains some of the most powerful filmmaking I have seen in any movie this year, and the story and characters are put together with an overabundance of imagination. Also, that talking dog named Dug joins the ranks of Bullseye and Boo as one of the most adorable characters in a Pixar movie.

**** out of ****

Click here to read a review of "Up"

So, that's all the movies Pixar has released so far. We now have "Toy Story 3" to look forward to next summer, and hopefully this animation giant will continue its incredible track record of movies that are both critically acclaimed and box office hits. Maybe if other studios could make movies the way Pixar does, there wouldn't be so many bad movies let alone crappy as hell remakes.