Pixar in Order

In case anyone missed it, I was discussing the creative genius of Pixar yesterday over at the Inkwell. Two things happened after I finished the post. First, my creative partner Dave said the artist in him would have liked to have seen some concrete examples of the things I was talking about. This got me all hungry to write a follow-up. Also at the end of the post, I suggested that I might, at some point in the future, attempt to rank the Pixar filmography from ten to one with my favorite at the top.

What better time is there to do a top ten than right after the release of the tenth film? It was suggested by both Kool Aid and Tara that I would only open myself up to a beating as everyone’s personal list was bound to be different, and I would only invite the anger of all by not choosing to place their particular favorite up at the top.

While I do agree somewhat, I also believe we as humans love lists, if for no other reason than to pick them apart and tell the author why they’re wrong. It’s in our nature. In the last year I’ve written scant few, especially around these parts. Yes, this list would probably have been different if I wrote it a week ago, and it will probably alter by the next time I lend it a thought, but for now – here are my favorite Pixar films ordered from ten to one, one being my favorite.

10) Cars. I’ve seen all ten Pixar flicks in the theater, and this is the one I enjoyed least while hugging my tub of corn. It’s also the one that has endeared itself to me most after its migration to my living room. My son has also seen all the Pixar movies, but this one is his favorite, just as it is the favorite of every boy under five I have ever met. Pixar obviously knows something I do not. Cars speaks to them in a way that none of the other films do (at least not yet). Cars is a vision with vibrant scenery and fleshed out characters, flashing by the screen with a simple message delivered well. I do love that my boy loves it and it does make me love it a little more, but if I’m being honest, there is something about Cars that just doesn’t quite click for me the way the other Pixar films do. I’ve no hesitation in placing it at 10.

9) A Bugs Life. I actually feel bad placing this one at #9 as I don’t think it gets nearly the love it deserves. I think A Bug’s Life is an amazing film and it is a true testimony to the 8 films below that such a phenomenal flick would be #9 on any top ten list. A Bug’s Life is a loose remake of the Magnificent Seven (which itself was a remake of Kirosawa’s 7 Samarai) by way of the Aesop’s fable, The Ant and the Grasshopper. At the time of it’s theatrical release, A Bug’s Life fell unfortunately under the shadow of DreamWorks Animation’s “me too” movie, Antz. Kevin Spacey is pretty much the most awesome villain ever as Hopper, the evil ringleader grasshopper, and Dennis Leary plays the best ladybug in cinematic history. Having recently watched Antz, it’s remarkable how poorly it has ripened compared to A Bug’s Life one dozen years later.

8) UP. This ranking might change a second after I give the DVD its first spin. Since I know the UK readers haven’t yet seen it, I don’t want to discuss the one issue I had with this film, especially since I’m sure my objection will get rinsed from my critique as soon as I see it a second time. I also don’t want to say specifically what my favorite thing about the film is, but I will say this: If the subsequent 75 minutes of UP were as good as the first 15 minutes, I would eagerly consider UP among the top ten films of all time. Yes, the first act is that good.

7) Ratatouille. I was foaming at the mouth to see this one when it came out. Not only because my children were both finally old enough to sit through a feature film for the first time since my daughter was a zygote, but because I needed something to prove to me that Cars was the black sheep of the Pixar family and that they were perfectly capable of bringing their A game. This movie WOWED me. Not only is it jaw droppingly gorgeous, but the score is absolute magic. The message of the film, “Anyone can cook” is elegantly simple. I believe it to my core and would also add that most any verb would work (anyone can write, for example). There is a two minute segment toward the end with a voice over given by the critic “Anton Ego” that reduces me to tears every time. Ratatouille is delicious.

6) Monsters Inc. I have a rather embarrassing confession to make. In a year that gave us both Monsters Inc. and Shrek, I actually preferred Shrek. I know, I know, what in Monstropolis was I thinking. Totally ridiculous. One is filled with cheap pop culture references while the other is rich in subtext, slipped subtly into Pixar’s candy colored shell. Monsters Inc. might be the best example of Pixar’s perfect blend of childhood heart and adult intelligence. Who else could deliver a movie about an energy crisis, rolling blackouts and industrial espionage set inside an electric world inhabited by the monsters who live in our closet? Oh, and that scene at the end with the million moving doors. I wish you could hear me whistle (actually, I’d be happy if I could actually whistle).

5) Toy Story. I know, I know, the one that started it all is midway down the list. We’re talking Pixar here though, so really we’re talking subtle degrees of absolute perfection. And while there may be more significant historical value in placing Toy Story higher on the list, I’m only accounting for the enjoyment I feel while watching these films. For me, Toy Story drags for a few minutes up in Sid’s room. Having said that, let’s bust out with a brief history lesson. When Walt Disney first unveiled Snow White back in 1937, he proved that animation could tell a feature length story with real emotion and human characters. Animation rolled along the same paradigm until Pixar came along in ’95 to redefine the art form. Fifteen years later, it still holds every pixel of its magic.

4) WALL-E. I think what I love most about Wall-E is the many risks it turns to reward. Not only does the first third of the movie start out as a nearly silent pantomime between two non English speaking robots, but the film itself is (though child friendly) the sort of straight up science fiction that rarely makes it to the theater. I can’t imagine any other studio being able to pull this film off. Not only does WALL-E have a telltale message hinting at a bleak possibility for our collective future, it also has an emotional purity that is all to rare in commercial art today.

3) Finding Nemo. Imagine if Finding Nemo didn’t star talking fish, but humans instead. That would be one heck of an intense thriller. This film plays right to the heart of every parent – what mom or dad hasn’t harbored the fear that their child will suddenly disappear. Finding Nemo is equally a cautionary tale for children. I cannot count the number of times Cindy or I have said something like, “Do you remember when Nemo didn’t listen?” Instant metaphor – picture drawn. Pixar packed Finding Nemo with action, adventure, and gorgeous underwater set pieces that were slightly better than the rest of that summer put together.

2) The Incredibles. Pixar’s first PG movie is (for my money) the best super hero movie ever made. It has shades of the Watchmen, but with hope instead of anger. Nothing in this movie is a pixel less than perfect. I am dying to see a sequel. I’m sure it’s on the drawing board, but it cannot come one second too soon. The Dark Knight was an unbelievable experience, but the freedom afforded by animation made the Incredibles untouchable. This film was everything the Fantastic Four movie should have been, though that particular product didn’t even deserve to orbit the same star. Not only is The Incredibles the best super hero movie I’ve ever seen, it also has a message about staying true to yourself and embracing your potential that I just absolutely love. My favorite line? “If everyone is special, then that means that no one is.”

1) Toy Story 2. Sequels are rarely better than the original. The Dark Knight, The Godfather II, Terminator 2; The Empire Strikes Back, Aliens, um… I’m sure I could be enlightened to a few more, but Toy Story was a game changer and Toy Story 2 came along and did it all again but better. Toy Story 2 takes the same characters and gives them an equally engaging adventure while amping up the funny, introducing new faces, and moving the entire film along at a speedier clip. This film is as good as it gets. As much as we are collectively justified in loathing the third entry in a franchise, I’ve little doubt Toy Story 3 will be the best threequel ever made.

Someday soon I’ll write about all the Pixar projects I’m looking forward to.

Writer Dad

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