REEL List: Top Pixar Films 2.0 Version
June 26th, 2008
A while back I posted my list of Top Pixar Films, but since posting it I came to realize I would need to slightly reorder my evaluation of certain films. So, in order to accommodate that, and in honor of WALL-E hitting theatres this Friday, I thought I would repost the list here again in a snazzy 2.0 version. For those of you who haven’t had the chance to read and comment on the list (with your own order, of course), please contribute your thoughts and own lists and also check out some of the orders provided by readers in the older post (linked above).
8. CARS
Something was just missing from this one. The story wasn’t very fresh or exciting, the characters (except for Mater) were just not quintessentially Pixar, and the film just seemed to be missing the big heart we’ve come to expect from Pixar. Personally, I think a big part of it was the fact that it’s hard to get much emotional expression of out of windshields functioning as eyes. The only thing I really adored about this film was this.
7. A BUG’S LIFE
I know this has always been an early favorite in Pixar’s canon, but it’s just never done much for me. Yes, it’s a great little underdog story, with a classic case of humorous mistaken identity (via the circus performers), but what was at stake just never seemed dramatic enough for me to become invested in the story and shed my indifference.
6. TOY STORY
TOY STORY finds itself a bit lower on my list largely because I find its sequel a vastly superior film. That and the fact that even though it’s still a fantastic film, there are times when elements of its storyline grate on my nerves a little, such as the sheer insanity of Sid, Buzz’s frustrating existential ignorance, and Woody’s immature jealousy hampering his inherent likeability.
5. RATATOUILLE
This one is still pretty fresh, so this poignant tale about grand ambitions coming to fruition in small packages, may – like an investment –appreciate further with time and multiple viewings. For now it earns a solid place in the middle of this list, because it’s better than those below, but in my mind still not quite better than the ones above on this list.
4. THE INCREDIBLES
The comic book nerd in me loves the Fantastic Four angle, and that this is a better superhero films than most of what is coming out these days. The film nerd in me loves the heavy references to Edith Head and Bond movies, and that it was written and directed by Brad Bird, a director I had been waiting to break out ever since THE IRON GIANT. The drama nerd in me appreciates that for the first half of this film is really about a middle-aged family man’s mid-life crisis, in which he is tempted by a younger lifestyle, and even – arguably – a younger woman, and almost forgets what matters most: family. At times this is really a “film,” not a movie, which is partly why I never quite got why it’s so popular with kids, beyond the action-packed second half of the film (which the action nerd in me, of course, loves).
3. TOY STORY 2
I adore this film and its grand scope and range. I think it may be one of the funniest entries in Pixar’s canon, and at times the most heart breaking this just emotionally demolishes me every time). The story is exciting (the various rescue operations) if not as in depth as the next three films on this list, which is why I just can’t place TOY STORY 2 higher – despite how much I love it.
2. MONSTERS INC.
There are many things that earn MONSTERS INC. its No. 2 spot. Aside from the upcoming WALL-E, Boo would be the most adorable creation of Pixar yet (anything she “says” makes me melt). There’s Billy Crystal’s performance as Mike Wazowski and his chemistry with John Goodman’s Sully. Yet like most Pixar films it does boil down to story, and though the MacGuffin of MONSTERS INC. isn’t necessarily Pixar’s best, the poignant relationship between Sully and Boo and its outwards effect on the world around them is a highlight in the company’ s repertoire, and why the film remains one of my favorites.
1. FINDING NEMO
A bit part of why FINDING NEMO is great is the voice casting, which is itself a crucial part of Pixar’s success, and FINDING NEMO has the best cast of them all. You have Willem Dafoe, Allison Janney, Geoffrey Rush, Elizabeth Perkins, Vicki Lewis, Brad Garrett, and Albert Brooks all putting in solid performances. Ellen DeGeneres is, of course, the best, and manages to elevate the film with through a performance that lovingly portrays scatter-brained Dory without ever showing any irony or mocking of her character. On top of that, I think this film is perfect. There’s not a single thing I can think of that is wrong with it, and that’s not hyperbole. Above all else it is one of the best layered and nuanced stories Pixar has produced yet, and is incredibly heart warming. I won’t lie. I choke up when Nemo and his Dad are reunited.
The Incredibles and Ratatouille are two of my favourite Pixar Films. They exists as entities onto themselves, semi-independent of the rest of the Pixar world. 
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Todd W in NC Says:
June 27th, 2008 at 3:52 am
Yay! You re-ordered Finding Nemo up to the to spot.
It’s my favorite too. I look forward to seeing Wall-E, and the previews make me wonder if it may steal that top spot.
I re-watched Cars recently, and I still think that it’s pretty good but just weird enough to earn it a place in the middle of the list. I probably need to watch some of the others again, especially A Bug’s Life to see if I still like it as much as remember liking it. I think the large ensemble cast of that one appeals to me the way the many characters of Finding Nemo do.
Ratatouille, however, will always be at the bottom for me, no question. It’s not bad (no Pixar film is bad), but to me, it’s the one with the most flaws, the weirdest story, and the least “Pixarish” feel. My guess is it’s the least kid-friendly Pixar film because of the thick accents and the adult subplot about the protagonist’s parentage. Ratatouille also lacked the bloopers and in-jokes in the closing credits that most Pixar movies have. Lastly, while I know it’s just a cartoon, a part of me still can’t get past the “ick factor” of *rats* cooking in a restaurant kitchen. That just ain’t right, even in cartoon world.