Most Popular Pixar Movies

The latest installment in the Lightning McQueen saga, Cars 3, received early praise for not being Cars 2, the only Pixar film to receive a "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers found the film to be a welcome departure from its predecessor. However, it remains questionable whether the new film surpasses that low bar.

Lightning (Owen Wilson) engages in a rivalry with two new opponents: Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer), a sleek race car, and the realization that he is no longer the reigning champion of the track. Unlike Cars 2, which consciously pursued a different direction, Cars 3 feels like a safe placeholder, offering predictable race sequences and heartwarming messages reminiscent of the first film, albeit lacking the same level of inspiration.

Despite the best efforts of the cast, including Hammer, Kerry Washington, Nathan Fillion, and Chris Cooper as Lightning's irritable new trainer, there is a dearth of compelling new characters. From Randy Newman's formulaic score to Mater's worn-out one-liners, Cars 3 comes across as an uninspired attempt by a competing studio to imitate Pixar's enchantment. It is not outright terrible, but it leaves a deep sense of disappointment.

In the late 2000s, Pixar took steps to address its lack of female protagonists. However, the resulting film feels rushed and more like a knee-jerk response to criticism rather than a well-crafted Pixar adventure. It falls into the trap of an Idiot Plot, where the entire frustrating second half could have been avoided if Merida, who is highly regarded in the kingdom and has no reason to be doubted, simply explained, "Hey, my mom has been transformed into a bear, everyone calm down." In fact, her mom could have even used her claw to write her name on the ground as proof if anyone questioned it.

Additionally, Brave is the first Pixar movie with a comedic tone that feels completely off. It resorts to mindless slapstick reminiscent of mediocre early Dreamworks films.

It's surprising to see Pixar create irritating and unappealing child characters in this film, something we wouldn't have expected. While Pixar would eventually introduce a fantastic female lead three years later, Brave raises the question: Have they truly lost something along the way?

Did anyone really have an overwhelming desire to witness the origins of Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sulley's (John Goodman) friendship during their college days? Probably not.

Monsters University, as a prequel, suffers from the fact that its existence is somewhat unnecessary. It could have easily been a short film preceding one of Pixar's main features.

Despite this, the movie manages to salvage itself with a decent amount of heart and humor, making it a somewhat enjoyable cash-grab. However, Monsters University uncomfortably encapsulates Pixar's era following Toy Story 3. While it provides pleasant entertainment, it requires you to purposely forget the studio's once-inspired storytelling and boundless imagination that were once their trademarks.

The Good Dinosaur, Pixar's least successful film before the COVID era, faced numerous challenges during its production, including story issues, delays, and director replacements.

While it was not the first Pixar movie to encounter a difficult journey to completion (the fourth entry on this list remains the studio's most famous example of turning adversity into triumph), it is the film that struggled the most in the public's perception.

It never managed to shake off the negative buzz and lukewarm interest it received upon its release during Thanksgiving 2015.

Despite these setbacks, The Good Dinosaur presents a visually stunning depiction of an alternate Earth where dinosaurs survived the meteor that wiped them out. It portrays an untouched American Northwest where these mighty reptiles reign supreme.

From a narrative standpoint, The Good Dinosaur may appear oddly conventional for a Pixar film, as it follows the journey of a young apatosaurus (voiced by Raymond Ochoa) who becomes lost and must find his way back home.

However, as a reflective and introspective travelogue, it offers a thoughtful addition to Pixar's collection. In fact, this may be the one Pixar film that deserves a reevaluation and appreciation in the years to come.

While we may be among the few who preferred that year's Antz in the famous race between Dreamworks and Pixar to produce computer-animated insect films, A Bug's Life remains a charming and harmless tale.

It shares a similar plot with Antz but targets a younger audience. Over the years, Pixar has developed a remarkable ability to create movies that captivate both adults and children, but in this case, the balance leans more towards the younger viewers.

Unlike The Incredibles or Toy Story, A Bug's Life may not be a film that adults would eagerly rewatch. However, it does earn significant praise for casting Phyllis Diller as the voice of the ant colony's queen, which adds to its appeal.

Even after more than 25 years since its release, some of Randy Newman's songs in Toy Story can feel outdated, and the once groundbreaking animation may appear simplistic by today's standards. However, apart from these aspects, the best comedy of the 1990s remains flawless. Pixar's inaugural feature still serves as the blueprint for every remarkable movie the studio has produced since. It expertly combines genuine emotions, thrilling action sequences, astute observations about human nature, and an abundance of joyful, clever, and whimsical humor.

The brilliance of Toy Story lies in its ability to be incredibly funny while also carrying a profound sense of melancholy.

Woody and Buzz's struggle for Andy's affection resonates with our universal fear of being replaced and our shared understanding that the innocence of childhood is fleeting. The voice cast is impeccable, with Tim Allen delivering his finest performance, and even though Tom Hanks has received two Academy Awards, it is highly likely (and entirely fitting) that his portrayal of Woody will forever immortalize him.

After much deliberation, we ultimately chose this film as the top contender, considering it the most original and ambitious among all Pixar movies. Its opening half-hour captivates with a wordless narrative, vividly portraying the planet's destruction and humanity's decline.

The attention to detail and perspective showcased in this sequence rivals the work of Kubrick, yet it never loses its warmth or generosity.

As we become acquainted with WALL-E himself, we realize that he perceives humanity beyond its current state and envisions its potential for renewal. WALL-E is an unparalleled achievement, representing the absolute pinnacle of Pixar's capabilities. Notably, it also boasts Pixar's most extraordinary love story. The film showcases their brilliance, making it our top choice.

In hindsight, it was clear that director Brad Bird would transition to crafting live-action blockbusters. The Incredibles stands as an exhilarating and captivating action film, matching the excitement of any American animated feature we've seen.

If all blockbusters possessed this level of quality, a fifth Transformers movie would never receive objections.

The key to The Incredibles' triumph lies in its efficient approach to action. Within a span of under two hours, it introduces a whole new universe, acquaints us with a likable and tightly-knit family, reveals the quiet discontent of the parents with their current lives, and then unites everyone to overcome a malevolent force threatening the planet.

Remarkably, it achieves all of this without ever feeling rushed or cramming in unnecessary elements. Marvel, take note: It is possible to build a rich world, handle an extensive cast of characters, and astonish your audience without leaving them scrambling for additional information on Wikipedia afterwards.

Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios produced Elemental, a computer-animated romantic comedy-drama film released in 2023 through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Peter Sohn directed the film, with Denise Ream serving as the producer.

The screenplay was written by John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, Brenda Hsueh, and Peter Sohn, while Pete Docter took on the role of executive producer. As the studio's 27th feature film, Elemental boasts a talented voice cast, including Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O'Hara, Mason Wertheimer, Joe Pera, and Matt Yang King.

The film is set in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic elements of nature. The story revolves around Ember Lumen (voiced by Leah Lewis), a fire element, and Wade Ripple (voiced by Mamoudou Athie), a water element.

Their paths cross and love blossoms after Wade is called to a convenience store owned by Ember's intolerant father, Bernie (voiced by Ronnie del Carmen), due to a plumbing mishap. However, they face the challenge of not being able to touch each other and must protect their true identities from strong individuals and their own families.

Their journey involves navigating these obstacles as they strive to make their relationship work.