Infinity And Beyond: All 27 Pixar Movies Ranked

Over 25 years, Pixar Animation Studios has become one of the most powerful movie studios in history. Before 1995, the notion of a computer-animated feature seemed next to impossible. But then, "Toy Story," the shrewdly written, crisply animated story of toys that come to life when their owners leave the room, opened everyone's eyes to the possibilities of telling lively, action-filled stories in a new way.

But the past few years haven't been Pixar's best at the box office, thanks largely to fallout from Disney's COVID-19 release strategy. It's a time of flux for the studio, meaning there's no better time to rank all of Pixar's 27 features. Remember, these rankings are final and legally binding, so let's get to it.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

The concept of "Lightyear" felt logical from a mercenary marketing standpoint: what better way to expand the "Toy Story" franchise than by telling a story about "the real Buzz Lightyear," as Sheriff Woody once so mockingly dubbed the toy version with whom Andy Davis fell in love. An action-packed science-fiction adventure with a recognizable character, plus he would be voiced by Captain America himself, Chris Evans. What could go wrong?

Leaving aside the surprisingly anemic box office — "Lightyear" grossed $118 million domestically, which means that "The Good Dinosaur" somehow managed to outgross the film in a pre-pandemic period — the answer was that quite a lot could go wrong. "Lightyear" establishes itself before a single image has appeared on screen as Andy's "favorite movie," and the one that made him aware of Buzz as a character. But that on-screen credit only muddies the waters, because the ensuing film, where we learn that Buzz is a do-it-yourself kind of space ranger who gradually learns that he has to work as part of a team, doesn't feel like something most kids would gravitate towards. As is the case with every other Pixar film, "Lightyear" looks great, but the adventure depicted onscreen is hollow and empty. If nothing else, it serves as a reminder that even if the Buzz Lightyear we met in the "Toy Story" films isn't the real Buzz Lightyear, he's the one we know and love, and anyone else is just a poser.

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

Early in "Lightyear," Buzz tries to undo a mistake he made that stranded his whole team on an otherwise dangerous planet named T'Kani Prime. But to do that, he has to go on test flight runs; those tests take four minutes for him, but he's shocked to find that due to time dilation, four years have passed on the planet itself. He's unwilling to stop trying, leading to an effective montage in which Buzz barely ages at all but sees life pass before his eyes on the colony at T'Kani Prime. It's both a solid homage to Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" and an effective use of time in depicting Buzz's stubborn belief that he can do everything himself.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

The obvious answer would be Buzz Lightyear's signature phrase, which is fittingly the name for the section above this one. But more than a year after its release, the most memorable line regarding "Lightyear" is technically not from the film itself, but its most infamous piece of marketing via a tweet from Evans: "And just to be clear, this isn't Buzz Lightyear the toy. This is the origin story of the human Buzz Lightyear that the toy is based on." It doesn't get more meme-able than that.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

"Lightyear" looks great, because of course it does. What Pixar movie doesn't look great? The premise seemed like a winner, but just because a concept is compelling from a marketing standpoint doesn't mean the resulting film is going to work. In spite of all the effort and time put into "Lightyear," it just couldn't hope to compare to the toy we've known for decades.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

Though "Cars 2" made over $550 million worldwide, it was clear that a third film should focus more on Lightning McQueen. Thus, "Cars 3" backgrounds Mater, as Lightning becomes a mentor just like the late Doc Hudson. "Cars 3" is an overdue corrective for Pixar, since few of its characters are played by non-White actors. New character Cruz Ramirez, a Hispanic female car, is attempting to reclaim her chance to be treated as seriously as Lightning, in an arc that makes this a more successful film than its predecessor.

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

The role reversal for Lightning McQueen is fully crystallized in a climactic race where Cruz takes his place on the track. As Lightning embraces his role as trainer, "Cars 3" achieves a tricky goal: being a sequel that has a purpose aside from making money. Getting to see Lightning take a backseat to someone else is a satisfying payoff for a character who started out so self-involved.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

"The racing is the reward! Not the stuff!" This is a near battle-cry from Lightning that works because he's finally channeling Doc Hudson in reminding someone else that all of the sponsorships, gifts, and perks mean nothing if you're not on the racetrack.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

Even though "Cars 3" is a step forward from "Cars 2," the damage of the second film was done. The box office was surprisingly low; to date, it's Pixar's second-lowest-grossing film domestically. While this movie isn't the best in the series, it was more thoughtful than expected.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

The first "Cars" felt a little familiar, both in its setup of a slick go-getter learning to slow down and appreciate life's calmer moments (weirdly reminiscent of the '90s comedy "Doc Hollywood"), and in its depiction of old-fashioned life. But "Cars" did inspire sequels, spin-offs, and a themed land in Disneyland. But if you're not into NASCAR, Larry the Cable Guy and the like, Cars is an experiment without much payoff. 

What makes "Cars" stand above its sequels is Paul Newman's performance as the grizzled Doc Hudson, who'd rather forget his own race-car past. Newman makes even the corniest line ring true, because ... well, he's Paul Newman. His presence is enough to make this first film a bit special even if all three "Cars" movies are at their most fascinating when you wonder how the hell this world exists.

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

When Lightning and Sally go on a drive near the otherwise-abandoned Radiator Springs, it's a showcase for Pixar's animators. The scene has little purpose outside of letting Lightning relax. But the animation, inspired by the real Route 66, is so incredible that the movie earns having its lead character drop its literal jaw at the natural beauty surrounding him.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

"Speed. I. Am. Speed." This line cuts to the heart of Lightning McQueen, who learns to stop and smell the roses by the end of "Cars." Rare is the film that boils its character down to four words, heard as soon as the story begins.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

You really have to like cars to like "Cars." If you see cars as a functional part of life, but not the kind of function that could turn into real, animate objects, this movie is a photorealistic curiosity.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

The most recent Pixar affair is both a decent and enjoyable film and one that has to live with the fact that it's following in the footsteps of a lot of other memorable animated films, from the Emeryville studio and elsewhere. Depending on your knowledge of Pixar and Disney as a whole, there are many titles that came before "Elemental" that serve as either intentional or inadvertent inspirations. A story about two mismatched characters who couldn't possibly be friends? ... Well, just about every Pixar film has that detail baked into its DNA. "Elemental" leans further into it, by not only making those mismatched characters a possible romantic coupling, but also implying that based on their backgrounds, they'd never mix. That's because the characters are all anthropomorphized elements: air, water, earth, and fire. Here, it's the fiery Ember (Leah Lewis) who connects with the watery Wade (Mamoudou Athie), the idea being that water and fire just can't mix. 

"Elemental," from Pixar longtimer Peter Sohn (who also directed "The Good Dinosaur"), ends up feeling like an echo of "Zootopia" (which also attempted to graft a commentary on race into its story, and also with mixed results), and of "Inside Out" in its distinctively colorful character design, and of Sohn's short "Partly Cloudy." The animation is striking and colorful, the pacing is crisp, and the key romance between Ember and Wade is sweet enough. But "Elemental" feels more formulaic than a Pixar film is supposed to be. It's good, but we expect so much more than good from Pixar.

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

The closest that "Elemental" comes to a signature moment within the Pixar canon is when Wade helps Ember see a fabled Vivisteria flower via a now-sunken old exhibit at the center of Element City. Because Ember is literally fire, and the flower is underwater, Wade has to protect her by creating an air bubble in which she can stand and explore the exhibit without being doused. The ensuing scene is largely dialogue-free and highlights the biggest strength of "Elemental" — its remarkable and colorful animation. Even in stories that feel a little over-familiar, Pixar's animation is without peer.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

"Why do they even have these?" That quote is perhaps not the funniest line of "Elemental" but it shines a light on how the new film occupies a similar universe to "Cars" — you can't think too much about the details of these very strange worlds or else you'll get a headache. When Wade asks that question of Ember as they walk through a chain-link fence, it's equivalent to the filmmakers telling us to not think too hard about the film. You have to go with it, or else you'll be stuck at the start.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

"Elemental" is a good film with solid lead voice performances and striking visuals. If there's anything wrong with that, it's a self-inflicted issue — Pixar movies, at their best, are so far beyond good that anything new has an even higher bar to clear. "Elemental" showcases some of the studio's best recent animation, but the story is less cutting-edge.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

Brad Bird always stuck by his guns when people asked if he would make a sequel to "The Incredibles." He was open to it ... if he thought of the right idea. Nearly 15 years later, after Bird's foray into live-action filmmaking, he returned to write and direct "Incredibles 2," which picks up soon after the original, but shows signs of aging throughout.

"Incredibles 2" shifts focus so Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) is the stay-at-home character while his wife, Elastigirl/Helen (Holly Hunter), shows off her superheroics as part of an extended PR campaign to convince civilians that superheroes have value once more. Yet some of the story feels lacking compared with its predecessor, specifically in the villain Screenslaver (since the film has a distinct 50s-era vibe, but everyone's obsessed with screens).

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

Where "Incredibles 2" succeeds is in its slam-bang action sequences. A scene in which Elastigirl has to stop an out-of-control elevated train feels like an expanded version of an early rescue in the first "Incredibles," but is handled with such panache that the familiarity doesn't matter.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

"Hey, I had a mohawk, there's a lot about me you don't know." There is indeed a lot about Elastigirl we don't know, and this hint suggests her story is maybe more interesting than anything about her life post-marriage.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

"Incredibles 2" doesn't have the same depth of complexity as its predecessor, but where it counts — in staging superheroic action — Brad Bird takes flight.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

"A Bug's Life" has, over time, been relegated to a bit of a mental scrap heap for a lot of people. But it's a consistently charming, entertaining adventure. Though it's arguably slighter than Pixar's other originals, it boasts a brighter, more colorful and detailed palette than "Toy Story," and has plenty of likable characters.

The story of a group of ants who eventually fight back against the bullying and ruthless grasshoppers who steal their food every year, "A Bug's Life" was inspired by both Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" — in which a group of outsiders are hired to ward off bullies — and its comic counterpart "Three Amigos." That similarity is perhaps what makes "A Bug's Life" just entertaining, as opposed to truly special. But the animation design — presented in CinemaScope-style widescreen — and the rapid-fire pacing help it hold up.

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

The high point of "A Bug's Life" comes early, when we meet the circus bugs who the inventor ant Flik believes are warriors. As members of P.T. Flea's circus, the bugs are anything but, as they fail to put on a comic show in this brilliantly farcical scene.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

"I'm the only stick with eyeballs!" Sometimes, dialogue is funnier with the right performer. Such is the case here, as a stickbug voiced by David Hyde Pierce of "Frasier" shouts frustratedly, with pitch-perfect timing, at his fellow bugs while being stuck amid tree branches.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

"A Bug's Life" is one of the more underrated Pixar films, while also not being incredible. It's fun, light, and one of the more straightforward films in the company's filmography.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

One of many pandemic-era titles to be forced to skip theaters was the highly anticipated "Soul," the most recent original film from director Pete Docter. Docter, like the studio itself, had established a hell of a track record: his previous films were "Monsters, Inc.," "Up," and "Inside Out". "Soul" followed creatively in the footsteps of "Inside Out" particularly, with a premise in which a music teacher/hopeful jazz musician (Jamie Foxx) gets into a freak accident and winds up in a coma in the real world; his soul, however, finds itself in the afterlife and he has to go on a journey to bring his soul and body back into the same piece. The lead, Joe, is partnered with a disaffected soul without a body known as 22 (Tina Fey). Joe and 22 end up as — you guessed it — mismatched buddies in the quest to get Joe back on Earth in his regular body. But there are complications, as 22 ends up in Joe's body, and Joe ends up in the body of a hospital's therapy cat.

"Soul" served as a major and wildly overdue milestone, as the first Pixar film with a Black lead (even though due to the aforementioned complications, when we see Joe in most of the second half of the film, we're hearing the voice of the very white Tina Fey). And the animation felt even more daring than the concept of the human mind and its emotions in "Inside Out." But the exploration of the power of what it means to be human — as Joe ends up educating 22 on the value of leaving the Great Beyond and the Great Before — is limited somewhat by the bumpy relationship between Joe and 22, as well as the lack of a true antagonist aside from Joe's own desires. "Soul" also suffered from something entirely out of its control, as this movie clearly would have looked amazing on the big screen, but only was so remarkable on TV screens via Disney+. 

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

Pixar's style of computer animation is many things, but it's rarely risky for a lengthy period of a film. In "Inside Out," one of the visual high points comes when Joy and Sadness walk through the Train of Abstract Thought and they quickly devolve from three-dimensional emotions to two-dimensional and then one-dimensional representations. In "Soul," we get a deliberately black-and-white version that recalls something similar, as Joe falls from the manhole on Earth down to the afterlife. But the journey is visually represented by abstract shapes and Joe's blobby soul being split into multiple pieces. It's only about a minute long, but this fall from Earth shows that when Pixar wants to get daring, it still can.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

"It's my reason for living." Joe says this about his desire to play live jazz music with the iconic Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett), but of course, the wry intelligence of a Pixar film is that something so clearly and cleanly stated can be upended. Just as 22 learns about the value of living through Joe, he re-learns the true reasons to be alive especially after he achieves his perceived goal and finds it wanting.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

It makes some kind of sense that "Soul" is one of the more cerebral Pixar films in their nearly 30 years of making features. Just as a movie attempting to answer the question of the purpose of being alive is cerebral, so too is the result. But it also means that compared to Pete Docter's other films, this one feels a bit more lodged in the head instead of the heart.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

The latter years of Pixar's output feel extratextual. Take the beautifully rendered adventure "Coco," about a boy who goes on a journey into the Land of the Dead after taking a guitar from his dead musical idol. That boy, Miguel, eventually learns that his hero is a villain, having stolen the music from and all but murdered the boy's great-great-grandfather (Gael Garcia Bernal). Learning that your hero, who inspired you from birth to the present moment, is a stone-cold killer is basically the inverse of "Ratatouille."

Even without that aspect, "Coco" is a generally entertaining film, steeped in Mexican culture and representing a true first for Pixar. The film's treatment of Mexican traditions feels genuine, and the striking colors and cultural bits of heritage give the animators a big chance to expand their horizons. The result is one of Pixar's most consistently enjoyable films.

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

Once Miguel enters the Land of the Dead, he's shocked to see a phantasmagorical mirror version of society, starting with the administrative building where he tries to get back home only to be forced to renounce music by his great-great-grandmother. This initial scene, which revels in the humor of seeing how the dead would go through basic paperwork, is hilariously old-school Pixar.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

"The music, it's not just in me. It is me!" This comes from the dashing but villainous Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). His evil aside, the basic principle of this line feels like Miguel's internal philosophy.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

Though it's not quite the tops of the studio's storytelling, its buoyant score, exquisitely detailed design, and careful treatment of Mexican culture makes "Coco" a charmer.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

After a few years' worth of summertime releases from Pixar that were all sequels — from 2016 to 2019, it was one sequel after another in the month of June for the studio — it was a breath of fresh air to get something much more low-key, tender, and warm in the form of "Luca." This fantastical coming-of-age story focuses on the eponymous boy (Jacob Tremblay), a sea monster living off the coast of Portorosso, an Italian town whose denizens are terrified of the supposedly scary monsters living under the depth of the ocean. But those sea monsters are much like Luca — kind and timid, but also curious. Luca soon makes a friend of a fellow sea monster, Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), who convinces him to head to the surface, where they essentially shed their skin and look human enough to blend in. Luca and Alberto soon find much to enjoy about the world of humans, such as their new friend Giulia as well as the prospect of exploring more of Italy via Vespa. 

"Luca" is an intentionally low-stakes film — the third act centers around a local triathlon whose grand prize is a scooter — and that ends up being one of its core strengths. Director Enrico Casarosa brings the same core energy he brought to the Pixar short "La Luna," depicting multiple generations of a family in a whimsical setting that recalls both Italian directors like Federico Fellini as well as the iconic Hayao Miyazaki. (That the town is named Portorosso, awfully close to the film "Porco Rosso," is no accident.) The core friendship between Luca and Alberto is so well drawn and well performed (and with an undercurrent of romance to boot), making this film special and arguably a bit underrated, due to being kicked straight to Disney+ instead of going to theaters.

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

The signature moment of "Luca" comes at its conclusion. As much as Luca enjoys Alberto's friendship, he longs to learn more of the world above the surface of the water and wants to go to school with Giulia. But that would mean leaving his home and Portorosso behind, a sacrifice that Alberto helps enable by buying his friend a train ticket to Genoa. So as much as Luca is sad to say goodbye to his parents, the real emotional gut-punch comes when he has to say ciao to his friend, leading to a heartbreaking and emotionally satisfying departure that serves as the final scene. Pixar movies often go for the tears in the end, but this one really earns that tear-jerking finale.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

"We underdogs have to look out for each other, right?" It's kind of funny to imagine that a Pixar film could effectively sell the concept of underdog characters anymore — Pixar is such a standard-bearer of animation that they feel like the dominant predator instead. But this line from Giulia speaks to how quickly she and Luca become friends, and how much Alberto ends up getting a little jealous, thinking that he's even more of an underdog than our eponymous hero.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

"Luca" deserved to be seen on the big screen, and even though streaming allows greater access, its splash felt a lot smaller because of skipping theaters. It's a sneakily effective story of budding friendship and one of Pixar's best recent efforts.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

The fact that a dystopian sci-fi romance about two robots who cannot speak English works as well as it does is genuinely remarkable. The first 35 or so minutes of "WALL-E" takes place on Earth, circa 2800, when it's become an abandoned trash heap. Its only denizen is the eponymous hero, a trash-compacting robot that's become quirky over centuries.

The common consensus is that "WALL-E" takes a qualitative step down once WALL-E and his sleek paramour Eve travel to the Axiom, a massive space cruise liner that houses the (outrageously obese) human race. While there's little doubt that the first section is the best, what transpires afterwards is entertaining, slickly paced, and uncommonly thoughtful. It's the studio's most ambitious film to date.

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

The opening 5 minutes might be the true standout. As we gradually realize what's going on — that Earth is empty except for trash, a cockroach or two, and WALL-E — there's a sense of ominous portent matched by Thomas Newman's brilliant score. The film is mostly joyous, but director Andrew Stanton never shies away from emphasizing the terror of Earth as a junk heap.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

There's deliberately not much dialogue here, but "Define dancing" hits the spot. Spoken by the human captain of the Axiom, this demand of the ship's computer (voiced by Sigourney Weaver, in a brilliant reference to "Alien") is goofy and earnest.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

"WALL-E" is as bold as Pixar's storytelling gets, and though it's not entirely perfect, it's a textbook example of how brilliant the studio can be.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

For "The Incredibles," Pixar aimed high: they told a story entirely about humans for the first time. The film, still one of Pixar's longest, is more intelligent than most superhero films, depicting the midlife crisis of ex-super Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and his wife Helen Parr/Elastigirl (Holly Hunter). In letting the parents and their superpowered kids don super-suits and battle against evil, it's also one of the most exciting superhero films ever made.

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

Violet and Dash, Bob and Helen's kids, gradually accept their own superpowers throughout the film. Dash's moment of realization comes when he's beset upon by a group of faceless baddies, and he just...runs. The resulting chase is tense and giddy, as Dash laughs at the sight of himself speeding past the bad guys.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

The nefarious Syndrome, voiced by Jason Lee, reveals his plans to Mr. Incredible during a tense moment; when Mr. Incredible tries to get out of his clutches, the younger bad guy realizes what's up: "You got me monologuing!" It's hilariously meta and menacing.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

"The Incredibles" is a thrilling piece of evidence for the argument that animation does action better than live-action films do.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

It's another impossible concept from Pixar, about a grumpy old widower who grieves in the natural way...by lifting his house up via thousands of balloons and guiding it to a fabled place called Paradise Falls that he and his late wife always wanted to visit. "Up" has the same guiding principle as the Charles Lindbergh-esque hero who a young Carl Fredricksen idolizes — "Adventure is out there!"The quixotic adventure takes inspiration from Werner Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo" in the design of the terrifying but alluring South American locale. And, as with the rest of Pixar's output, it's very funny in juxtaposing the elderly Carl (Edward Asner) with the upbeat Russell, an accidental stowaway. Once they land near Paradise Falls, Carl and Russell encounter more unbelievable sights, while achieving an incredible emotional conclusion.

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

A deft touch is the characterization of Russell, who initially seems like a too-chatty faux-Boy Scout. But as Carl learns in a nighttime fireside chat near Paradise Falls, Russell is incredibly lonely, with a mother and stepfather who are apparently unable to deal with him. Russell, who's also one of the first non-White characters in a Pixar film, is a surprisingly complex character, even if he's just trying to put on a brave face, in this scene and elsewhere.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

"SQUIRREL!" Pixar's filmmakers always figure out a brilliant way to verbalize ideas about the mundane that feel unique. This repeated word, shouted as various dogs seem to see something that distracts their attention, is a distillation of what a dog's mind must be like all the time.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

Through its unexpected tonal shifts, "Up" remains one of the most thrilling and emotional films Pixar has ever made.

Ride Like the Wind: Overview

Though its premise could have inspired revulsion, "Ratatouille" is instead one of the finest, most intelligent, most complex animated films in decades. Featuring comedian Patton Oswalt as the thorny, passionate wannabe chef/rat Remy, "Ratatouille" is a coming-of-age story in which the young rat realizes the benefits of working with others while also realizing his distinctive talents. That he does so while hiding inside a chef's toque and manipulating a gawky human like a marionette simply feels right in such a wild story.

To Infinity and Beyond: Signature Moment

Perhaps the most unexpected moment in "Ratatouille" comes courtesy of icy food critic Anton Ego. For a while, he seems like the true antagonist of the picture — if Ego doesn't like our hero's food, he's finished. Yet he gets to define the intrigue and purpose of criticism in championing Remy as "the finest chef in France." Peter O'Toole rips into this mature monologue with brio.

You Got Me Monologuing: Standout Quote

"Well, yeah, anyone can. That doesn't mean that anyone should." Remy's idol always said anyone can cook, but when we hear Remy say this to a ghostly version, it feels like it's coming straight from the mouth of writer/director Brad Bird.

Just Keep Swimming: Conclusion

Just as "Ratatouille" is the story of an artist from a most unexpected place, the film is an example of great art from an unlikely source. It's one of the studio's most rousing, intelligent efforts.