For almost 100 years Disney has been making the world a more magical place, one cartoon at a time. Thanks to the help of Pixar Animation Studios, in the last 25 years Disney has released [arguably] some of their most magical movies yet. With the release of every new movie, Pixar never fails to capture their audiences attention with their incredible vision and ability to bring imagination to life. That being said, not every Pixar movie was created equal, and there is definitely a distinct order in which all 17 Pixar movies should be ranked.
17. Wall-E
You may hate me for the ranking of this film, but I've just never understood the appeal of Wall-E. Sure, he's cute in his own way, but even if this were a contest based strictly on cuteness, Wall-E wouldn't come close to the adorableness of characters like Nemo or Bullseye. Even with a precious title character, the dull setting and too-slow storyline left me with almost no desire to watch the movie. It's a shame too considering the director, Andrew Stanton, is responsible for some major Pixar hits like "Monster's Inc.", "Toy Story", and the newly released "Finding Dory".
16. Cars 2
"Cars" is one of my favorite Disney-Pixar movies of all time, so the disappointment I experienced while watching the sequel was almost heartbreaking. This film was missing too many of the original characters that warmed our hearts and made us remember the importance of relying on our friends and being humble. While most movie sequels are a continuation of the original, "Cars 2" seemed like something completely disconnected, and lacked the charm and genuine humor of its predecessor.
15. The Good Dinosaur
I won't lie, I could probably cry thinking about how cute Arlo the Dinosaur is. His big, hopeful eyes and thousand-watt smile are probably the only things that kept this movie from being farther down on the list. With a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 77%, "The Good Dinosaur" isn't the most poorly rated Pixar film, however it might be the least memorable of them all. The hype leading up to the release of this movie was nothing if not dull and any excitement that did exist seemed to be completely subdued once it finally hit theaters. The idea of an incredible bond between a boy and his dinosaur is a cute one, but Pixar still missed the mark.
14. Ratatouille
I've seen "Ratatouille" a total of three times in my life, and each time I see it I get a little more confused. I want so badly to love this movie because of the lessons about always following your dreams no matter what the circumstance... but couldn't they come up with any other animal? Rats do not belong in the kitchen. Not in real life and not in a Pixar movie. The very idea a rat could be not only touching, but also tasting my food grosses me out so badly I can't even appreciate the story line. Not to mention the supporting characters are annoying and altogether forgettable.
13. Up
The first five minutes of this movie created excitement, induced sadness, and taught a lesson in what it really means to love another person. The other 96 minutes failed in comparison. By no means do I think this movie was bad. In fact the scenery, artistry, and vibrant colors used throughout the film are some of the best I think Pixar has ever done, and that's why it earned the number 13 spot. However, something about the story line just seemed incoherent. I love the idea of an unlikely duo like Russell and Carl becoming friends and taking on the world; what deterred me from loving this movie were all the supporting characters. Sure, Doug and Kevin are cute, but they aren't necessary to the storyline and after a while they become tiring to keep track of. Not to mention Charles Muntz is probably the most despicable Pixar villain ever created.
12. A Bug's Life
Maybe it's four year old me talking here, but I think "A Bug's Life" is pretty dang good. Pixar takes the classic underdog story to a whole new level in this movie by introducing a bug named Flick who has to save his colony from an evil grasshopper. As an adult the whole bug thing freaks me out, but kids think bugs are cool, so making a whole movie about them is actually pretty clever. The reason this movie scored so low on the list is purely because of its lack of memorability. This just isn't a movie that comes to your head when you think of Pixar.
11. The Incredibles
Oh, "The Incredibles". I have to give Pixar props for it's ability to bring superheroes into the wonderful world of Disney, but I can't help but feel like there's an important magical element missing from this film. The storyline is heartfelt and action packed (two things usually difficult to combine) and the family camaraderie is sweet, but nothing about this movie screams magic. Don't get me wrong, there's definitely nothing average about a woman who can stretch her arms to incredible lengths, or a boy who can run at lightning speed, but I can find those things in any non-Disney superhero movie. Call me old fashioned, but I like my Disney movies full of talking animals and emotional inanimate objects.
10. Brave
There is no arguing that Merida is potentially the fiercest Disney princess of all time, and that earns this movie the number 10 spot. I'm a sucker for an independent heroine determined to live life in her own way, and Merida does just that. She embodies the ideals I believe all young kids should have the opportunity to learn, but she also isn't perfect. With every challenge that she meets, Merida rises to the occasion and figures out a way around them. What a boss.
9. Finding Dory
First of all let's just take a minute to appreciate how insanely cute baby Dory is. Done? OK, great. I waited 13 years for this movie to be released and I am so happy to say I was far from disappointed when it finally came out. The way Pixar kept most of our favorite characters from the first movie, and recreated the emotions we felt when watching "Finding Nemo", made it seem like "Finding Dory" was an extension of the beloved original film rather than a sequel. I was impressed by how much it didn't feel like I was watching some dumpy attempt to recreate a past hit. "Finding Dory" was clever, cute, and all around a really great movie. If it weren't for a missing cameo from Bruce the Shark, "Finding Dory" could've been number 8.
8. Monster's Inc.
No other Pixar movie messes with my emotions as much as "Monster's Inc." It's witty humor and heartbreaking story line always leave me laugh-crying from start to finish. As a kid this movie made me less afraid of the monsters in my closet and made me hope someday I could have a friendship as great as Mike and Sully's.
7. Toy Story 3
If you didn't cry when you watched this movie, you're lying. The third installation of Pixar's most flawless movie series was everything I hoped it would be. It brought along the same feeling of friendship and adventure that the first two did while wrapping up the toys' time with Andy in a simultaneously heartwarming and gut wrenching way. Getting to watch these characters go from being Andy's favorite toys to a little girl's new gift was the perfect way to bookend the series.
6. Inside Out
Number six isn't too shabby, but I really wish I could rank this movie higher. Pixar did an incredible job of capturing exactly what it feels like to be a 12 year old girl with changing emotions and no clue of what is going on in the world around you. While the colors were vibrant and the character were whimsical, the storyline seemed too heavy for a child to understand. This really wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the fact that Pixar's key demographic is generally younger kids. It was a smart movie with an incredible cast of voices, but I felt like the heavy themes could have been a little more child friendly.
5. Monster's University
This is one of the only times in my life I will ever admit to the sequel of a movie being better than the original. As someone who has loved Mike and Sully from a young age, it was so fun to get to see how they became the best friends they are today. The storyline and plot twists made for an undeniably enjoyable viewing experience and the Monster's University campus made me wish I could crawl inside my TV and go to school with Mike and Sully.
4. Cars
This is where ranking movies started to get really hard for me. "Cars" has always been one of my favorite Pixar movies of all time, and rightfully so. Not only are all of the characters extremely unique, but the storyline teaches the lesson of what it means to be humble, and the importance of leaning on others no matter how amazing you think you are. This movie is so deeply loved it even inspired its own Cars Land inside the California Adventures park in Anaheim. If that doesn't say "Top 4 Material" I don't know what does.
3. Finding Nemo
This movie taught audiences everywhere how important it is to "just keep swimming" no matter how difficult life seems. With every flap of a tail fin comes new adventure that's as intriguing as it is comforting. The success of "Finding Nemo" still lingering even thirteen years after its release is what locks this movie in at number three on my list.
2. Toy Story 2
If I'm being honest, I went back and forth between second and first place for a long time before I settled on this order. The second movie in the "Toy Story" series is almost as good as the first and proved [most of the time] the people at Pixar really know what their doing when it comes to sequels. Keeping the original "Toy Story" characters as well as the introduction of beloved new ones, like Jessie and Bullseye, made this movie special. Not to mention the scene where Woody gets cleaned up by the doll polisher is one of the most oddly soothing things I've ever seen.
1. Toy Story
They say there's nothing better than the original, so what better movie for the number one spot than Pixar's very first Disney movie. This movie introduced us to the dynamic duo of Buzz and Woody and taught us what it really looks like to put your friends first.
Pixar deserves praise for every one of the movies on this list as they have brought so much joy to our hearts and continue to do so every day. These cartoons teach us the importance of chasing our dreams, following our hearts, and always going infinity and beyond.
