Friday, 26 July 2013
Film: The Disney/Pixar Films Ranked!
Last week I watched the latest offering from Pixar: Monsters University. Instead of just yammering on about it, I thought I would talk a little about all of them and rank them in order of how good I think they are, seeing as I've grown up with all these movies and I feel some are far better than others.
14. Cars 2
Many people considered this film to be a step back for Pixar and I agree, although you've got Michael Caine in it, it's by far the worse offering Pixar has given us.
13. Brave
After a series of critically acclaimed films, Pixar had a tough job topping that with an original story. The trailers suggested a "Hunger Games" style story with a ginger Scottish girl dominating over the boys, however it wasn't the case. It was a heart-felt story, but nothing we haven't seen before.
12. Cars
Of course this was better than the sequel, but this film didn't feel like there was a story behind it. The talking cars is of course a novelty, but it wares off when you realise it's a coming-of-age story with no real (forgive the pun) drive.
11. Ratatouille
A lot of people really love this film, but I never really got into it. Not as heart-felt as previous films and it didn't have as much backing as other Pixar films may have had.
10. A Bug's Life
A forgotten gem in the Pixar history. While I like this film with it's drama, emotion and laughs, it may have been released before its time. If they released the first 2 Toy Story films back to back and left Bug's Life a few years, it would've been a bigger classic than the film most of us forget.
9. Toy Story 2
A surprisingly low rank for the second in one of the best trilogies of all time, but when you compare with other Pixar offerings, this film doesn't match up. I love all the Toy Story films equally when put together, but this is competing with classics and there are better stories told in the world of Pixar.
8. Monsters Inc.
That's right, I think the sequel was better, only just though. Monsters Inc provides emotion, mainly from the Sulley/Boo relationship and Mike brings the laughs. While emotion was high, laughs weren't as high, which is why the sequel was better.
7. Monsters University
I told you the sequel was only just better. After the first film focused on Sulley and Mike was there as the funny guy, it was nice to flesh out Mike in this film, see his history and realise how much of a jock Sulley was at college. This film provided laughs a plenty and while emotion wasn't as high as Inc, the laughs were high enough to carry this film.
6. The Incredibles
The best of the mediocre Pixar films. It was the first to have main human characters, the drama was through the roof and it felt the most "real" out of all of the Pixar films. Granted the comedy was sparse in this film, but it was saved by Edna "E" Mode.
5. Toy Story
The film that started it all. Not only a technological triumph, but an all-round great family film. Great story, great voice acting and to this day, still watchable for all ages. When I'm older, I will make my kids watch this and they will love it (or I will force them to love it!)
4. Finding Nemo
I defy anyone not to cry or be on the edge of their seat during the opening scene of this film. Again, less on the laughs, more of the the emotion, but you really get a sense that the journey Marlin & Dory take is incredible and as a child, it's the first adventure film you will watch and be impressed with the journey these characters took.
3. Up
A life-long love story told in 10 minutes without a word being said and it will make you cry, the magic of Pixar. This film has everything, you've got the emotion, you have the drama and you have the laughs. You can watch this film again and again and never get tired of seeing this beautiful story.
2. Wall-E
The story of the world's most adorable robot. This film has very few words spoken, especially in the first half, but it doesn't defer from an beautiful story of robot love and an important message about global warming, it keeps everyone happy!
1. Toy Story 3
The timeless classic that proves not all sequels are bad. Regardless of whether you grew up with Woody and the gang or just meeting them for the first time, this film truly has it all, from Buzz's Spanish alter-ego to Andy's heart-wrenching goodbye, I'll admit I was even crying at the end of that, this film is perfect, not only the best Pixar film, but one of the greatest films of all time.
Do you agree with that ranking? Is Toy Story 3 the best Disney/Pixar film of all or is there there one better?
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Calling The Incredibles "The Best of the Mediocre" Pixar films is an atrocity. The humour has more bite, it packs in great emotion and it was great for the first human orientated Pixar movie as well. You can't look at the "Buddies Spiked" scene without having your heart in your mouth, neither the "No Capes" scene, arguably one of the funnier scenes in Pixar's history. Brad Bird, a member of the "earlier Simpsons" alumni does a great job of balancing a huge group of characters and giving each their own well-rounded development, as well as doubling as Edna Mole.
ReplyDeleteRatatouille also is another one I feel strikes a great note of ambition, but was one of the first Pixar movies not to have a severely amped up build (see: Brave, I still had no idea that movie was out until a few months ago) and again was the brainchild of Brad Bird and the first movie that was really "for everyone". Not to mention that in my opinion, Anton Ego is one of the greatest characters ever to grace Pixar's movies, and animation in general.
Then again, it's all opinion. I, for one, wouldn't rate Finding Nemo that highly. Great film? Yes. But like the Zelda games, you know the "bad ones", after that it's just a crapshoot of quality...
...that and I think Cars gets a worse rap than it deserves.