No animation outfit has made us laugh as loud and cry as hard as Disney’s Pixar.
From the best friendship of Woody and Buzz in “Toy Story” to tear-jerking moments in “Coco” and “Up” that turned us into weepy mush, Pixar has been entertaining kids of all ages for three decades with a slew of beloved movies and even some Oscar winners. “Inside Out” is one of those, taking home the Academy Award for best animated feature in 2016, and the crew of emotions is back in the new sequel “Inside Out 2” (in theaters now).
How does it compare to the rest of the Pixar canon? We ranked all 28 movies so far, from worst to best. (And if you need to catch up, the previous films are streaming on Disney+.)
28 ‘Cars 2’ (2011)
Oh, “Cars 2.” What to say about you? You were the movie that made us lose confidence in Pixar, ever so briefly. We get why you exist, we do, but we’d prefer to pretend otherwise.
27. ‘Cars 3’ (2017)
What the third installment in the “Cars” franchise has going for it mostly is that it’s not “Cars 2.” Despite adding a laundry list of talent (including Kerry Washington and Chris Cooper) to the voice cast, it’s mostly just a slightly less disappointing “Cars” film.
26. ‘Cars’ (2006)
Are we noticing a pattern here? The “Cars” sequels have unfortunately tarnished the memory of the original a little bit. We’re not mad at the first “KACHOW!”-fest, but Lightning McQueen and Co. just don’t bowl you over like many Pixar films do.
25. ‘The Good Dinosaur’ (2015)
“The Good Dinosaur” gets an unfortunate rap. It’s not top-tier Pixar by any stretch, but the tale of a dino and a Neanderthal boy has a big heart − and any movie with Sam Elliott as a T. rex can’t be all bad.
24. ‘Onward’ (2020)
We’ll forever refer to this as “the movie about the pants.” This offbeat fantasy road movie centers on two elf brothers (Chris Pratt and Tom Holland) traveling with their dead dad’s sentient legs – and learning to say goodbye to him in the process.
23. ‘Monsters University’ (2013)
“Monsters, Inc.” has one of the best Pixar endings, so it was best the studio didn’t make a sequel. The prequel they gave it instead is fun – think “Animal House” for kids – yet misses the sense of wonder and themes about childhood that made the original so great.
22. ‘Elemental’ (2023)
Like “Zootopia” but with more casual racism, the film overreaches trying to be both peppy rom-com and emotional immigrant story. We do adore hot-tempered Ember (Leah Lewis) and sensitive watery sort Wade (Mamoudou Athie) as a couple, though.
21. ‘Brave’ (2012)
“Brave” had so much potential and gave Pixar its first female protagonist, but it just couldn’t click. Maybe it was the structure of the story, subpar humor or failed attempts at feminism. The lesson here: Fairy tales are strictly old-school Disney’s game.
20. ‘Lightyear’ (2022)
Pixar’s meta version of “Star Wars,” the straightforward sci-fi “Toy Story” spinoff casts Chris Evans (aka Captain America) as a young Buzz Lightyear, who trains up a bunch of rookies to take on the evil Zurg, and actually pulls off a meaningful LGBTQ moment.
19. ‘Incredibles 2’ (2018)
The sequel arrived 14 years after the original blew audiences away in theaters. Superhero cinema has dominated since then, and Brad Bird’s visual style and humor feel less novel. Still, it’s an entertaining ride with many of the familial themes that made the first one great.
18. ‘A Bug’s Life’ (1998)
Not all Pixar projects have to be convoluted and emotionally manipulative. Sometimes, it’s fine for a kids’ movie just to be about little critters, and this underrated gem is refreshing in its simple premise, slapstick humor and endearing cast of tenacious ants and quirky bugs.
17. ‘Finding Dory’ (2016)
Another of Pixar’s sequels more than a decade after the original film, “Dory” mostly recaptures the themes of family and loneliness but more importantly puts the spotlight on Ellen DeGeneres’ forgetful title fish, giving depth and context to her disability.
16. ‘Toy Story 4’ (2019)
Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) returned for a “Toy Story” that’s more adventure-driven than others but still delivers a poignant sendoff to our favorite cowboy and space ranger. Plus, it gave us Forky, a spork with a death wish who’s pure chaos and totally charming.
15. ‘Luca’ (2021)
Young sea creature Luca explores the world outside the ocean with Alberto, a slightly older half-human, half-fish. The queer allegory is undeniable, as Luca grapples with identity, prejudice and acceptance, plus learns the meaning of chosen family one memorable Italian summer.
14. ‘Soul’ (2020)
This jazzy riff on humanity and the hereafter brings a cartoon New York City to vibrant, diverse life with Pixar’s first Black lead character, a band teacher (played by Jamie Foxx) who meets a jaded soul (Tina Fey), and asks big questions about the meaning of life.
13. ‘Toy Story 3’ (2010)
Perhaps the most millennial movie that Pixar has ever made, it finds Andy getting ready for college in a tale about life transition and the inevitability of death – heady stuff for a kids’ movie but it miraculously works. It’s also the rare kids’ movie depicting daycare as a deranged prison state.
12. ‘Up’ (2009)
Fun fact: There’s more to this movie than its opening salvo of complete emotional devastation. Imagine pitching this story: Who wants to see a movie about an old man, an outcast kid, a talking dog and another old man who’s a villain? “Up” shouldn’t be this powerful but it is.
11. ‘Toy Story 2’ (1999)
All of the “Toy Story” films are about growing up and growing apart, but none so mournfully as the second installment, which introduces Jessie (Joan Cusack), a toy whose owner has grown up and moved on. It kept the essential franchise theme while also cleverly expanding the universe.
10. ‘Turning Red’ (2022)
Like “Inside Out,” “Turning Red” depicts a young girl learning to harness her emotions. Here it’s a brainy, boy-crazy Chinese-Canadian teen in the throes of puberty who learns you don’t have to hide the messier parts of yourself in a combo of coming-of-age movie and kaiju flick.
9. ‘Ratatouille’ (2007)
“Ratatouille” is one of Pixar’s most earnest films, turning a rat into an absolutely adorable hero. Pair that with one of the studio’s best side characters, food critic Anton Ego (Peter O’Toole), and this effort manages to feel as intimate as a Parisian dinner.
8. ‘Inside Out 2’ (2024)
The sequel introduces Anxiety (voiced by Maya Hawke) into the emotional mix, and chaos ensues inside and out of now-teenage Riley. It’s a clever and ambitious exploration of puberty, and many kids (as well as adults) will feel seen in its honest depiction of mental-health struggles.
7. ‘Finding Nemo’ (2003)
The sea tale of an overprotective father (voiced by the inimitable Albert Brooks) searching for his lost son is one of Pixar’s most overt stories meant for both parents and kids, but it never lets the sentiment overpower the comedy.
6. ‘Toy Story’ (1995)
The revolutionary film pioneered computer animation and featured all the ingredients that have become Pixar staples: emotional storytelling, action sequences, insights on the human condition, an all-star voice cast and protagonists you never would have thought of yourself.
5. ‘WALL-E’ (2008)
With a story this harsh on humanity, it helps to have a protagonist as innocent and (literally) wide-eyed as the title trash-compacting robot left all alone on a destroyed planet Earth. A searing critique of consumerism that’s still a very enjoyable movie for children (and plenty of adults).
4. ‘Inside Out’ (2015)
The first “Inside Out” exquisitely brought a child’s mind alive in the most imaginative ways. It’s a madcap adventure where cheery Joy (Amy Poehler) and mopey Sadness (Phyllis Smith) have to find common ground but also a heartbreaking tale reminding parents that time is fleeting and kids grow up quickly.
3. ‘Coco’ (2017)
Musical, magical and visually splendid, Pixar’s adventure in the Land of the Dead found a new way for the studio to examine loss and grief. We dare you not to weep through the last 10 minutes when the stirringly beautiful (and Oscar-winning) “Remember Me” comes on.
2. ‘Monsters, Inc.’ (2001)
It’s easy to forget that the John Goodman-Billy Crystal buddy comedy is essentially about two guys who work at a power plant. The fact that it also tackles childhood, loss of innocence, what we’re truly afraid of and the nature of good and evil is what makes it one of Pixar’s most imaginative outings.
1. ‘The Incredibles’ (2004)
Sorry, Marvel, this remains the best Fantastic Four movie ever. A family of superheroes with secret identities stars in an entertaining masterpiece about identity, with a middle-aged couple finding each other again and kids figuring out their place in the world.
Contributing: Kelly Lawler and Patrick Ryan
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pixar movies, ranked: Full list of films from best to worst
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