Best Pixar films, according to critics
Pixar Animation Studios
Best Pixar films, according to critics
In its comparatively short history, animation giant Pixar has churned out an astounding number of smash hits. In the process, it’s also changed the entire landscape of family entertainment by redefining the possibilities of computer animation and storytelling in general. To date, even the studio’s worst efforts achieve the kind of box office numbers and reviews that other films only dream of. Nevertheless, not all of Pixar’s movies are created equal.
It seems that for every “Toy Story” and “Finding Nemo,” there’s a movie like “The Good Dinosaur” or “Cars 2.” The 2022 release of “Lightyear,” Pixar’s latest, is also one of its lowest-rated films in the catalog in terms of critical reception.
Still, Pixar has had more wins than losses. The studio has released many truly iconic films that opened to universal acclaim and are now considered modern masterpieces by critics and audiences alike. The “Toy Story” franchise alone remains a master class in computer-animated filmmaking. And that’s just one of the studio’s many successful properties.
To celebrate the studio and its epoch-making oeuvre, Stacker ranked every Pixar film according to its critical reception as of October 2022, as represented by its Metascore. Ties were broken by IMDb user ratings. There’s a surprise or two in terms of rankings, and #1 isn’t necessarily what the average moviegoer might expect. From worst to first, here are the best Pixar films according to critics.
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Pixar Animation Studios
#26. Cars 2 (2011)
– Directors: John Lasseter, Bradford Lewis
– Metascore: 57
– Runtime: 106 minutes
Despite a devoted fan base, this spy-inspired sequel wasn’t Pixar’s finest hour. Lambasting the paper-thin premise, Slant critic Jaime N. Christley called the film “a crass and uncharacteristically threadbare cash-grab.” Wall Street Journal’s Joe Morgenstern was similarly harsh, citing “a lack of variety, originality, subtlety, clarity and plain old charm.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#25. Cars 3 (2017)
– Director: Brian Fee
– Metascore: 59
– Runtime: 102 minutes
Anthropomorphic race car Lightning McQueen returns for a third adventure in one of Pixar’s biggest underperformers. Critics were marginally kinder to this installment than they were to the one before it, though don’t take that to mean there weren’t plenty of harsh reviews. Writing for Movie Nation, Roger Moore called it the “dullest, dimmest Pixar movie ever.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#24. Lightyear (2022)
– Director: Angus MacLane
– Metascore: 60
– Runtime: 100 minutes
“Lightyear,” the origin story for “Toy Story” favorite Buzz Lightyear, purported to be an intergalactic adventure but fell flat for its surface-level humor, repetition, and lazy writing. Between the cheesy one-liners and character tropes of secondary characters, the film failed to land with viewers successfully.
Pixar Animation Studios
#23. Onward (2020)
– Director: Dan Scanlon
– Metascore: 61
– Runtime: 102 minutes
“Onward” finds a home in the bottom rung of the animation studio’s output. But it’s still Pixar, and even its lesser films offer entertaining stories with gleaming animation—this time featuring two elvish brothers discovering magic ability in a quest to bring their dead father back to life for a day. The A.V. Club’s A.A. Dowd noted that Pixar “made a movie about looking for misplaced magic in the modern world that, well, kind of misplaces the magic.” Still, the film sinks a landing worthy of the studio’s name, with Dowd writing that it “acquits itself quite nicely when it counts, with a finale that offers an unlikely, unintuitive vantage on the cathartic moment of truth.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#22. Monsters University (2013)
– Director: Dan Scanlon
– Metascore: 65
– Runtime: 104 minutes
This long-delayed prequel received a Metascore of 65, indicating “generally favorable” reviews. The studio itself had come a long way in the time between “Monsters University” and “Monsters, Inc.,” with a sharper computer animation style to show for it. Still, those advances weren’t enough to please everybody. “What hasn’t advanced is the plotting,” panned critic Bob Mondello in his review for NPR.
Pixar Animation Studios
#21. The Good Dinosaur (2015)
– Director: Peter Sohn
– Metascore: 66
– Runtime: 93 minutes
One of Pixar’s biggest flops at the box office was also something of a critical disappointment, at least when compared to the studio’s other creations. Imagining a world in which dinosaurs never went extinct, “The Good Dinosaur” pairs an overly familiar buddy premise with stunning set pieces. Taking note of the film’s fully realized backdrop, Empire’s Olly Richards wrote, “It’s a pity that the story happening in front of it is so familiar and safe.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#20. Brave (2012)
– Directors: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell
– Metascore: 69
– Runtime: 93 minutes
Chronicling the adventures of a headstrong princess and her well-meaning but traditional family, this Scottish-based fantasy remains something of a contested artifact. It was released on the heels of “Cars 2,” prompting critic Mike Scott to claim “the magic is back at Pixar.” Taking a far less favorable approach, Time Out’s Keith Uhlich called it “Pixar on preachy autopilot.” Despite mixed reviews, “Brave” remains favorable in the eyes of the powers that be at Disney. In 2018, the film’s heroine Princess Merida had a cameo in Disney Animation Studios’ “Ralph Breaks the Internet.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#19. Luca (2021)
– Director: Enrico Casarosa
– Metascore: 71
– Runtime: 95 minutes
This low-key coming-of-age story set in the Italian Riviera hit all the right notes between beautiful animation and valuable moral messaging about friendship and success. The film’s biggest criticism was that writers played it too safe, relying on what amounted to familiar tropes from “The Little Mermaid” and “Finding Nemo” as two sea creatures make their way on land as human boys.
Pixar Animation Studios
#18. Cars (2006)
– Directors: John Lasseter, Joe Ranft
– Metascore: 73
– Runtime: 117 minutes
The “Cars” franchise got off to a promising start, even if this film doesn’t pack the same emotional wallop as other Pixar efforts. William Arnold of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer was head-over-heels, calling it a “knockout.” Other critics were likewise impressed, though most agreed that the film was a discernible notch below its predecessors.
Pixar Animation Studios
#17. Finding Dory (2016)
– Directors: Andrew Stanton, Angus MacLane
– Metascore: 77
– Runtime: 97 minutes
A forgetful fish named Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) takes center stage in this blockbuster sequel to 2003’s “Finding Nemo.” “Finding Dory” raked more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office. But while reviews were generally favorable, the film never quite lived up to the status of the original. “Finding Dory” boasted an impressive voice cast including Albert Brooks, Idris Elba, Ty Burrell, and many more. Critic Lou Lumenick was particularly wowed by DeGeneres’ voice performance, claiming that it “even surpasses Robin Williams in ‘Aladdin.'”
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Pixar Animation Studios
#16. A Bug’s Life (1998)
– Directors: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton
– Metascore: 77
– Runtime: 95 minutes
Pixar’s second outing wasn’t a total dud, but it didn’t reach nearly the same critical or commercial heights as “Toy Story.” It was released the same year as “Antz” from Dreamworks, meaning comparisons were inevitable. Drawing upon both films in his pun-laden review, Time’s Richard Corliss wrote that “Pixar’s dream works” and “when ‘A Bug’s Life’ hits its stride, it’s fantastic.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#15. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
– Directors: Pete Docter, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich
– Metascore: 79
– Runtime: 92 minutes
Anchored by its fully realized world and two lovable lead characters, this classic Pixar flick pulls back the curtain on the monster in the closet trope and brings the fun for adults and kids alike. While not a critical smash on the same level as “Toy Story,” it still managed to win over plenty of critics. That included David Ansen of Newsweek, who wrote it was “smart, inventive, and executed with state-of-the-art finesse.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#14. Incredibles 2 (2018)
– Director: Brad Bird
– Metascore: 80
– Runtime: 118 minutes
After 14 long years, America’s favorite family of superheroes finally returned to the big screen. Helmed by Brad Bird, this smash hit sequel delivers just enough adventure and heart to rise above the label of a rehash. Los Angeles Times critic Kenneth Turan agreed when he wrote: “It is as good as it can be without that shock of the new—delivering comedy, adventure and all too human moments with a generous hand.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#13. Coco (2017)
– Directors: Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina
– Metascore: 81
– Runtime: 105 minutes
A young boy’s journey into the land of the dead provides no shortage of eye-popping visuals, clever characters, and infectious music. Critic Helen O’Hara wrote for Empire that “Pixar has raised the animation bar again, with its most musical—and arguably most magical—film yet.” Offering a different take was New York Times critic A.O. Scott, who wrote that the film “doesn’t quite reach the highest level of Pixar masterpieces.” Ultimately, the film was a commercial and critical success, winning Best Animated Film at the 2017 Academy Awards.
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#12. Turning Red (2022)
– Director: Domee Shi
– Metascore: 83
– Runtime: 100 minutes
The coming-of-age “Turning Red” deals with themes around family relationships, puberty, and firsts. From all-star voice-overs to direction from Domee Shi, Pixar’s first solo female director, the studio’s first Asian-led film seemed destined for greatness. The movie follows 13-year-old Meilin Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang) as she moves into adolescence and all the intense feelings that come with it—feelings so strong they turn her body into a big red panda bear. Reviews were mostly positive, but some dismissed the film as “limiting in its scope,” while others found it “brilliant.”
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Pixar Animation Studios
#11. Soul (2020)
– Directors: Pete Docter, Kemp Powers
– Metascore: 83
– Runtime: 100 minutes
Pixar’s first Black hero was a long time in the making, with extra efforts by the creators Pete Docter and Mike Jones to authentically represent Black culture and individuality. Among this work was a 12-week consultancy with playwright and screenwriter (Kemp Powers) who was hired as Pixar’s first Black director; a team of consultants included Terri Lyne Carrington, Herbie Hancock, and Bradford Young; and a “Cultural Trust” of Black Pixar employees. The movie was a massive critical success, nabbing Golden Globes for Best Animated Feature Film and Original Score. Despite these efforts, several critics called the movie out for racial insensitivities; writer Namwali Serpell further drew a comparison between “Soul” and 1986’s troubled “Soul Man,” when a non-Black person dons blackface and ultimately receives an important life lesson.
Pixar Animation Studios
#10. Toy Story 4 (2019)
– Director: Josh Cooley
– Metascore: 84
– Runtime: 100 minutes
A beloved franchise lost a little momentum with its fourth outing, which nevertheless became the highest-grossing of the series. The talented cast was there and so too were the heartfelt themes and stunning visuals, though some viewers wondered if there was still an original story left to tell. Critic Matt Zoller Seitz definitely thought there was, citing the franchise’s “impressive ability to beat the odds and reinvent itself” with each new installment.
Pixar Animation Studios
#9. Toy Story 2 (1999)
– Directors: John Lasseter, Ash Brannon, Lee Unkrich
– Metascore: 88
– Runtime: 92 minutes
Praise was swift and nearly universal for this 1999 sequel, with more than a few critics preferring it to the original. Playing the proverbial contrarian was critic Marc Savlov of The Austin Chronicle, who warned potential viewers not to “expect any big surprises.” For the most part, those same viewers were pleasantly surprised anyway.
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Pixar Animation Studios
#8. Up (2009)
– Directors: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
– Metascore: 88
– Runtime: 96 minutes
Anyone who’s seen this iconic adventure drama will gush (and gush) about its opening sequence, but what about the remaining 86 minutes? Critics and audiences agreed that the entire film was one of Pixar’s finest efforts and “arguably the funniest,” according to Michael Rechtshaffen of The Hollywood Reporter. Salon’s Stephanie Zacharek felt otherwise, claiming that the movie “left [her] cold.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#7. The Incredibles (2004)
– Director: Brad Bird
– Metascore: 90
– Runtime: 115 minutes
Culling inspiration from various sources, this instant classic marked a relative departure from the standard Pixar fare. Wall Street Journal critic Joe Morgenstern dubbed it “a work of huge, if unobtrusive, ambition.” The A.V. Club’s Scott Tobias homed in on the film’s “funniest and most affecting moments,” which “exploit the tension between a special family and a world that insists on dulling them down.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#6. Finding Nemo (2003)
– Directors: Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
– Metascore: 90
– Runtime: 100 minutes
This underwater adventure came to life by way of its expert voice casting and timeless themes, which isn’t to mention the vivid computer animation. “Summer hasn’t even started, but you won’t likely find a better catch this season,” argued critic Lou Lumenick. He wasn’t wrong.
Pixar Animation Studios
#5. Toy Story 3 (2010)
– Director: Lee Unkrich
– Metascore: 92
– Runtime: 103 minutes
Pulling off a near-impossible feat, the third “Toy Story” film improved upon its predecessor from a critical perspective. Computer animated, perhaps, but that didn’t stop A.O. Scott from declaring it “as humane a movie as you are likely to see this summer.” Variety’s Peter Debruge was slightly less engaged, claiming it “delivers welcome yet nonessential fun.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#4. Inside Out (2015)
– Directors: Pete Docter, Ronnie Del Carmen
– Metascore: 94
– Runtime: 95 minutes
Like several viewers, critic Moira Macdonald was left “changed, entertained, nostalgic, dazzled” by this inventive adventure comedy. Doubting the power of Pixar, Salon writer Andrew O’Hehir wondered if the film was too “low-impact to thrive amid a summer of grotesquely over-engineered sequels.” Spoiler alert: it thrived.
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Pixar Animation Studios
#3. Toy Story (1995)
– Director: John Lasseter
– Metascore: 95
– Runtime: 81 minutes
The movie that started it all was an instant smash from the gate amongst critics and audiences. Setting an early template, Woody and the gang struck a humane and frequently hilarious chord amid their various adventures. Famous critic Gene Siskel put it succinctly when he dubbed the film “a complete joy.”
Pixar Animation Studios
#2. WALL·E (2008)
– Director: Andrew Stanton
– Metascore: 95
– Runtime: 98 minutes
Drawing upon a host of prescient themes, this futuristic Pixar flick depicts a planet in ruin and a human race too idle even to care. Critics were particularly floored by the movie’s first half-hour, during which almost no dialogue is spoken. Salon critic Stephanie Zacharek felt that the film went downhill from there, writing that it “starts out as poetry and ends as a product.” Audiences disagreed, and the film remains one of Pixar’s all-time best.
Pixar Animation Studios
#1. Ratatouille (2007)
– Directors: Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava
– Metascore: 96
– Runtime: 111 minutes
Even Pixar’s biggest fans might be surprised to discover that this culinary comedy earned the highest Metascore. Audiences were slightly less enthusiastic than critics, which is why the film has a lower IMDb user rating and lower user Metascore than some other Pixar efforts. Perceiving the film as a metaphor for the artistic process, critic A.O. Scott wrote that it “provides the kind of deep, transporting pleasure, at once simple and sophisticated, that movies at their best have always promised.”
