It’s certainly nothing new or insightful, but after seeing the winsome and utterly charming Up, it really does bear repeating: Pixar can do no wrong. The beginning of the film, where it traces the decades-long romance between Carl and Ellie, is disarmingly sweet and more than a little devastating. The fact that Up begins on that decidedly adult note elevates (no pun intended!) the film to one of Pixar’s very best, in my estimation. It will take at least another viewing to decide where Up ranks on my all-time favorite Pixar list, but I would say it definitely warrants consideration.
That got me thinking: What is my favorite Pixar feature? Picking just one is totally a Sophie’s Choice, only this time you have 10 children instead of two. They are all good! (Cars is easily my least favorite, though. It’s not bad per se, just bland.) While I would tend to think Toy Story 2, Ratatouille, and Wall-E are the company’s flat-out best — artistically and story-wise — the one I have watched the most is Monsters, Inc. That movie is totally comfort food, the cinematic equivalent of baked macaroni and cheese. It captures the spirit of being a child perfectly, and it’s just so darn warm, fuzzy, and cute. And I think the door sequence — where Mike and Sully chase after Boo and travel through locales like a backwoods trailer park and an apartment in old Paris — is one of the most inventive/ingenious scenes in a Pixar film, ever.
Your turn, PopWatchers: Monsters, Inc. is my favorite, what’s yours? Have you seen Up yet? How does it stack up in your mind? And who else can’t wait for Toy Story 3?
More Pixar from EW:
Pixar Hall of Fame photo gallery: All the classics
Comments (1-15) of 364 Add your comment
I think my favorite Pixar movie was Finding Nemo. I can watch that movie over and over and over again.
Honorable Mentions: WallE and Toy Story
I have not seen Ratatouille, but I agree that Cars, while still good, is my least favorite. Kinda questioning the fact that they’re planning on making a sequel.
I do need to go back and watch Monsters Inc though…
Finding Nemo is my favorite!! The ocean, and all the beautiful sceneries just make the movie so great!! It is also one of the funniest Pixar movies. I also love Cars!!
1.) Monsters Inc
2.) Finding Nemo
3.) Ratatouille
4.) The Incredibles
5.) Toy Story
6.) Cars
7.) Up
8.) Toy Story 2
9.) A Bug’s Life
10.) Wall E
It’s like choosing my favorite sexual position, there’s so much to like about all of them. But if pressed, I’d have to go with The Incredibles…..and doggie.
Finding Nemo & Toy Story 2, and it’s impossible to pick between the two. Maybe Nemo though.
My favorite Pixar movie is without question, A Bug’s Life. Slim getting stuck in the sticks and Francis looking for him…”I’m over here!” “Where?” “Here!…I’m the only stick with eyeballs!” Priceless! And Denis Leary as a Francis the ladybug going through a gender identity crisis…you can’t go wrong with that. Love it!
I actually bounced up and down in my seat and squealed at the Toy Story teaser.
I don’t know that I can choose a favourite, although like everyone else, Cars is my least favourite. Least favourite Pixar is still better than 90% of the other stuff out there, though.
Wall*E and Finding Nemo are probably a close call for the top two, but Toy Story 2 nearly killed me (that whole scene with the Sarah McLachlan song, I was sobbing into my popcorn), and the last scene of Monsters Inc is also a killer.
That said, I really loved Up and need to see it again. It might win out for favourite.
It’s so hard to pick! I think I like The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and Wall-E the best. If I had to choose a least favorite, it would probably be Ratatouille. It’s not bad, I just don’t understand the hype of that movie.
Couldn’t agree more that trying to pick a favourite Pixar movie is a total Sophie’s Choice…
I agree with your picks, although I think that I would switch in “A Bug’s Life” for Toy Story 2, if Monsters Inc. is in a category by itself. It’s a movie that I really don’t think gets its due… It often gets lost in the “Early Pixar” shuffle. I remember watching that movie and being in awe of how the blades of grass moved.
And if we can nominate shorts, I still crack up every time I watch “For the Birds”. cheep cheep cheep… honk!
I loved “A Bugs Life”. It also came with my favourite short film by them as well. The one with the old guy playing chess against himself. Great stuff!
http://tvdonewright.com/2009/05/29/law-order-svu-stars-close-to-a-deal/
Finding Nemo with The Incredibles a close second. I agree with Cars being the weakest.
This is like asking me which of my 3 kids is my favorite.
If you take away aesthetic appeal (Wall-E), pure ingenuity (Toy Story) and not having to also cater purely to children’s appeal (Cars?), my top 3 are Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and Ratatouille. Can’t wait to see Up and how that fits in. The fact that so many have been citing Monster’s Inc lately motivates me to see that again since it’s been awhile.
Top 3 favorite Pixar Movies are:
1)Wall-e
2)Toy Story
3)Ratatouille
P.S. The reason why Pixar is doing a sequel is that, while not the biggest grossing Pixar fil, neither the most critically acclaimed, the fact no other movie brought in more money in terms of overall sources. For instance, Cars far and away brought in more merchandising revenue than any other film, with reports saying close $500 million.
Up was amazing. Endearing, poignant, and hilarious. My wife and 3 kids loved it (ages 2.5, 5, and 6) as we do all Pixar films.
Alos,I echo what Harry says in his post.