It’s difficult to imagine a time when Pixar didn’t rule the animation world. The company that literally invented the first computer-animated feature film also created some of the most cherished movies. Every lucky kid has fond memories of watching movies with the rest of the family and being amazed by the smallest details and funniest scenes. Pixar produced some great classics, and they’ve done it with stories that resonate with audiences of all ages. They have a sense of adventure and wonder that will never go out of style.
What’s more, these films’ most significant strength is their timelessness. They’re as re-watchable today as they were when they were first released. From Toy Story to Finding Nemo and The Incredibles, there is no denying that Pixar has done an excellent job at creating franchises that both kids and adults absolutely love.
In honor of its latest film release, Turning Red, we thought it would be fun to rank all Pixar movies, taking fans’ favorites into account!
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#1 Wall-E
2008 | 1h 38m | Directed by Andrew Stanton
This story of a lonely silent robot on a post-apocalyptic Earth proves that animation can tell any kind of story and that the key to making us care about the characters is to focus on their feelings. Wall-E’s wide-eyed wonder at humanity makes you fall in love with him, and his super sweet crush on a robot named Eve (which plays out mainly through gestures and expressions) makes this movie even better.
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81points
#2 Up
2009 | 1h 36m | Directed by Pete Docter and Bob Peterson
Up is the heartwarming story of an old widower man who takes his house on a wild flight to South America after tying thousands of balloons to it to fulfill a promise he made to his late wife, Ellie. The opening sequence alone (where the studio retraces the entire life story of Carl and Ellie) will make you laugh and cry at the same time.
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79points
#3 Ratatouille
2007 | 1h 51m | Directed by Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava
Ratatouille is one of the few films to exemplify the fact that Pixar has an artistic license to do anything it wants. Some may think that the story of a rat who becomes a chef is too far-fetched, but Ratatouille is such a relatable animated movie. The film’s themes of pursuing your dreams and striving to be more than what others expect you to be are universal concepts that will resonate with children and adults alike.
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77points
#4 Monsters, Inc.
2001 | 1h 32m | Directed by Pete Docter, David Silverman, and Lee Unkrich
One of the first Pixar movies ever made and it’s still everything you want in a family film: hilarious, imaginative, heartwarming, and altogether dazzling in its animation. The world of Monstropolis is so well-conceived that you know how it all works before the characters have to explain it to you. And the relationship between Mike and Sulley is so genuine that it feels like an extension of the fondness we feel for our own best friends.
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76points
#5 The Incredibles
2004 | 1h 55m | Directed by Brad Bird
The Incredibles is the superhero family we all wanted to be part of. The movie is geared toward older children and adults, but the hero action will keep young kids riveted (and may even inspire them to do their homework so they can grow up to be superheroes themselves!). The Incredibles is one that the whole family can enjoy, especially if you’re a fan of heroes and appreciate the sense of family values so prominent in this film.
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73points
#6 Finding Nemo
2003 | 1h 40m | Directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
Probably one of the best kid movies ever made! Finding Nemo is a wonderful animated movie that follows a father clownfish, Marlin, and his son, Nemo. After Nemo is captured by scuba divers, Marlin and a forgetful blue tang fish named Dory set out to find him. Along the way, they meet some interesting characters and learn valuable lessons about friendship, family, determination, and finding courage along the way.
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72points
#7 Toy Story
1995 | 1h 21m | Directed by John Lasseter
The first feature-length computer-animated film and the first feature film produced by Pixar. We’re talking about Toy Story here! This movie has been a blockbuster hit since its release in 1995. It received widespread critical acclaim, earning three Academy Award nominations and winning a Special Achievement Academy Award for its visual effects. Toy Story is the hilarious and heartwarming tale of an old-fashioned cowboy doll named Woody and his rivalry with space ranger Buzz Lightyear for the affections of their young owner, Andy.
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71points
#8 Inside Out
2015 | 1h 35m | Directed by Pete Docter and Ronnie Del Carmen
Who would’ve thought the secret to our happiness lies in a bunch of tiny creatures living in the control room of our brain? Inside Out is one clever movie that explores that very theory and shows us how emotions can affect our lives and decisions: it’s easy to see why it’s considered one of the best Pixar movies! It also earned several awards, including a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film Of The Year.
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71points
#9 Coco
2017 | 1h 45m | Directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina
Miguel is a 12-year-old Mexican boy who dreams of becoming a musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. But Miguel’s family has banned music for generations. When Miguel finds himself transported to the Land of the Dead on Dia de Los Muertos, he embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind his family history. Coco’s heartfelt story is paired with gorgeous animation, making it one of the best animated movies of 2017.
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63points
#10 Toy Story 3
2010 | 1h 43m | Directed by Lee Unkrich
Toy Story 3 follows the daily lives of our favorite living toys after their owner Andy leaves for college. The film explores what it means to grow older and how your relationships change when you start approaching adulthood. Toy Story 3 has joined a pretty elite club: it became the second Pixar film (after Up) and third animated film overall (after Beauty And The Beast and Up) to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
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62points
#11 Toy Story 2
1999 | 1h 32m | Directed by John Lasseter, Ash Brannon, and Lee Unkrich
Toy Story 2 is a happy and genuine surprise. A sequel that’s as good as its predecessor; some even defined it as the greatest sequel of all time. There are some slow moments, but the humor and emotional peaks more than compensate. The film manages to deepen the characters while still remaining accessible to children and non-animation fans, recreating the magic of the first film rather than repeating it. In other words, it’s precisely what a sequel should be!
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57points
#12 Turning Red
2022 | 1h 40m | Directed by Domee Shi
Pixar’s latest release features Mei Lee, a dorky and confident Chinese-Canadian girl torn between the chaos of adolescence and her parents’ expectations. Mei’s big secret? Whenever she gets too excited (which is basically always), she transforms into a giant red panda due to her ancestors’ connection with red pandas. It’s the first Pixar film solely directed by a woman and the second to feature an Asian lead character after Up.
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51points
#13 Incredibles 2
2018 | 1h 58m | Directed by Brad Bird
After so many years, The Incredibles fans finally got a sequel! The movie focuses on the Parr family as they try to balance their superhero identities and an everyday life with Bob as a stay-at-home dad and Helen as the breadwinner. They encounter a new nemesis who seeks to turn public opinion against superheroes. With one hour and fifty-eight minutes, this is the longest movie Pixar has produced and the longest computer-animated feature film ever to grace screens across the globe.
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51points
#14 A Bug's Life
1998 | 1h 35m | Directed by John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton
Pixar’s second feature film is about a colony of ants who live under constant threat from a nearby group of grasshoppers. Flik, a brave ant, comes up with the idea of hiring a group of “warrior bugs” to fight off the grasshoppers. Unfortunately, the bugs he recruits turn out to be circus performers rather than warriors. The teaser trailer for the film was made up of animation that didn’t actually appear in the final cut. This ended up becoming a Pixar trademark.
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51points
#15 Finding Dory
2016 | 1h 37m | Directed by Andrew Stanton and Angus McLane
Finding Dory is the highly anticipated sequel to the animated hit Finding Nemo. A few months after Nemo is found, Dory remembers that she has a family who may be looking for her. The trio goes off on a life-changing adventure across the ocean to the prestigious Marine Life Institute, a rehabilitation center and aquarium in California.
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49points
#16 Soul
2020 | 1h 40m | Directed by Pete Docter and Kemp Powers
Soul follows the story of a New York music teacher who just landed the gig of a lifetime as a jazz pianist. But a new journey begins when he finds himself trapped in a strange land between Earth and the afterlife. To make the music sequences more authentic, animators used recorded sessions with different jazz composers as references. By capturing MIDI data from the sessions, animators could retrace the exact key being played on the piano.
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49points
#17 Cars
Cars was the first Pixar movie released after Disney acquired the studio. Lightning McQueen, voiced by Owen Wilson, is a cocky race car who accidentally gets stranded in Radiator Springs, a forgotten town on Route 66. There, McQueen learns to be less of a jerk and more of a good sport. Plus, the animation on the cars themselves is simply incredible.
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49points
#18 Luca
2021 | 1h 35m | Directed by Enrico Casarosa
On the Italian Riviera, a timid sea monster named Luca dreams of exploring the nearby town. His parents, who fear that humans will hunt him for food, always forbid him from going near the surface. Set loose upon the world with his first taste of freedom, Luca experiences a life-changing summer adventure with his new best friend, Alberto. Director Enrico Casarosa grew up in Genoa, Italy, where Pixar artists were sent to research the Italian culture and environment for the movie.
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48points
#19 Toy Story 4
2019 | 1h 40m | Directed by Josh Cooley
Let’s be honest. Many of us never thought Toy Story 4 would happen. But it did, and the result is a worthy addition to the franchise that is as nostalgic as it is new. In this sequel, Woody tries to help the new toy Forky welcome himself into the family. The movie also introduces Keanu Reeves’ Duke Caboom and Ally Maki’s Giggle McDimples, both instantly iconic characters.
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46points
#20 Onward
2020 | 1h 42m | Directed by Dan Scanlon
Two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, go on a journey to discover if there’s still a little magic left out there to spend one last day with their father, who died when they were too young to remember him. Onward is an incredible movie, especially for anyone who loves the classic Pixar films and their characters. The last few years have been filled with serious and heartbreaking movies from the studio. While that’s not bad, it is refreshing to see such a fun and light-hearted family movie again.
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45points