Pixar has created some of the greatest animated films in history. Whether it’s Toy Story, WALL·E, or Finding Nemo, its canon is an embarrassment of cinematic riches – and these are the 15 best movies it has ever produced.
Close your eyes, and if you hear the word Pixar, what pops into your head? Maybe it’s Buzz Lightyear saying, “To infinity… and beyond!” Perhaps it’s Dory telling Marlin, “Just keep swimming.” It could also be the lamp bounce-bounce-bouncing on the logo’s giant I, before tilting its light towards you.
The point is, everyone could have a different answer. It is one of the most pop-culturally prolific studios of the past 30 years; its run of iconic films between 1995 and 2010 is still a staggering feat.
That’s not to say it’s incapable of failure (sorry, but Cars 2 is dreadful). But, they’re mostly good, if not great, if not incredible (… say that again), and these are the 15 best Pixar movies.
15. Elio
- Release date: June 20, 2025
- Director: Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi
- Cast: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett
What it’s about: A lonely boy is abducted by aliens, and finds a new friend on the other side of the galaxy.
Why we like it: Elio is perfect Pixar in that it’s a visual wonder, while the story will make you both laugh and cry, sometimes in the same scene. The title character is an adorable 11-year-old boy struggling to deal with the death of his parents, while star of the story is a ridiculously cute alien called Glordon, who provides Elio with friendship and laughs, and teaches him that there’s no place like home.
Words by Chris Tilly
14. Monsters, Inc
- Release date: November 2, 2001
- Director: Pete Docter
- Cast: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Mary Gibbs, Jennifer Tilly
What it’s about: In the city of Monstropolis, the employees – known as “scarers” at Monsters, Inc have one goal: terrifying children in the human world and harvesting the energy of their screams. However, when a little girl called Boo sneaks into the monsters’ world, it causes chaos – and Sulley has to find a way to get her home.
Why we like it: Above everything else – and that includes a great score by Randy Newman, its immersive world-building, two of Pixar’s most iconic actor-character match-ups, and a pitch-perfect, poignant ending – Monsters, Inc is hilarious. It may even be the funniest, wittiest Pixar movie, and that’s mainly thanks to one-eyed monster Mike Wazowski. It can feel a little forgotten in the studio’s larger canon, but after all this time, it’s still every bit as good.
Words by Cameron Frew
13. A Bug’s Life
- Release date: November 20, 1998
- Director: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton
- Cast: Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Phyllis Diller
What it’s about: Flik is a wannabe inventor in an ant colony ruled by fear. When he accidentally makes things worse with the local grasshopper mafia, he heads off to recruit some muscle – except he comes back with a circus troupe. Oops.
Why we like it: It’s the Pixar movie everyone forgets about, but that’s kind of why it’s great. A Bug’s Life is an underrated David vs Goliath story with bugs, bird attacks, and some surprisingly sharp social commentary. The circus acts bring the laughs but it’s Flik’s underdog spirit that gives it heart. Also, Heimlich is a star and we won’t hear otherwise.
Words by Daisy Phillipson
12. Soul
- Release date: December 25, 2020
- Director: Pete Docter
- Cast: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade
What it’s about: Joe Gardner teaches music in middle school, but he wants to be a professional jazz pianist. He’s offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity… and then he falls down a manhole, transporting him out of his body and into another realm, where he desperately tries to find his way back.
Why we like it: Soul has the hallmarks of a Pixar banger; gorgeous animation, a stellar cast, and a wonderful, Oscar-winning score (one of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ best). Ok, its message may not be as profound for kids, and it won’t connect with every adult.
But, ask yourself this: are you a chaser; someone who values their life not by life itself but by the all-too-meaningful goals you set for yourself every day? If so, Soul will devastate you – and it might just recalibrate your entire outlook on what actually matters. Remember, “live every minute of it.”
Words by Cameron Frew
11. Toy Story 3
- Release date: June 18, 2010
- Director: Lee Unkrich
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack
What it’s about: With Andy heading to college, Woody, Buzz, and the rest of his toy collection are accidentally donated to the Sunnyside Daycare Center, where all is not what it seems.
Why we like it: Toy Story 3 is the perfect end to the perfect trilogy. As with its predecessors, the film effortlessly combines action and adventure with comedy and drama. While strawberry-scented teddy Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear adds a horror element to proceedings that seriously ups the stakes. And while it was the third Toy Story movie about leaving childhood behind, Pixar found the perfect way to end that particular story, via a scene that rivals the opening of Up in terms of making us cry.
Words by Chris Tilly
10. Cars
- Release date: June 9, 2006
- Director: John Lasseter
- Cast: Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy
What it’s about: Lightning McQueen, a brilliant, cocky rookie, speeds off to the most important race of his life – but he crashes into Radiator Springs, a quiet town on Route 66, where he learns the value of friendship and what it truly means to ‘win’ in life.
Why we like it: If you forget everything about Cars that doesn’t make sense (are there humans, how many machines are anthropomorphic, why do they have tongues?), it’s one of the easiest Pixar movies to love. The voice work is phenomenal (seriously, Paul Newman), the animation is slick and beautifully rendered, Rascal Flatts’ ‘Life is a Highway’ is an all-time Disney song, and it has one of the studio’s most quietly moving scenes: the montage of days-gone Radiator Springs scored to James Taylor’s ‘Our Town.’ Or, in short, ka-chow.
Words by Cameron Frew
9. Toy Story 2
- Release date: November 24, 1999
- Director: John Lasseter
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer
What it’s about: Woody gets stolen by a creepy toy collector, triggering a rescue mission led by Buzz and the gang. But while Woody wrestles with existentialism, the others have to dodge traffic, elevators, and Barbie aisle chaos to get him back.
Why we like it: Sequels often fall flat, but this one flies (not just because of Buzz’s wings). Toy Story 2 deepened the emotional stakes (if Jessie’s ‘When She Loved Me’ backstory scene doesn’t make you cry, you have no soul), while also sharpening up the humor and expanding the world beyond Andy’s neighborhood. It’s a rare follow-up that doesn’t just live up to the original – it reaches for the stars.
Words by Daisy Phillipson
8. Up
- Release date: May 29, 2009
- Director: Pete Docter
- Cast: Ed Asner, Jordan Nagai, Christopher Plummer
What it’s about: 10-year-old Russell befriends elderly curmudgeon Carl, and the pair take to the sky via thousands of balloons, and embark on a dangerous adventure in the jungles of South America.
Why we like it: Up is a beautiful movie that’s filled with stunning visuals, and fueled by a touching friendship at the film’s heart. But the film is most celebrated for its opening 10 minutes, which might be the greatest sequence Pixar has ever produced. Focussing on the ups and downs of Carl’s marriage to Ellie – while telling the story of a life from childhood to old age – it’s a mini-movie about love and regret that perfectly sets the scene for what’s to come. It’s also an emotional rollercoaster that always makes us cry.
Words by Chris Tilly
7. Coco
- Release date: November 22, 2017
- Director: Lee Unkrich
- Cast: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renée Victor
What it’s about: Miguel dreams of being a musician, even though his family has a ban on music. When he accidentally crosses over into the Land of the Dead, he finds out the truth of his family history.
Why we like it: Even if you don’t like the more recent Pixar movies, you can’t deny that Coco is an absolute banger. Music is the driving force here, making for one of the strongest soundtracks in the studio’s history. The story is underpinned by some exquisite family bonding, and it’s Día de los Muertos, people – you know the visuals are going to be bringing the kind of vibrancy that’ll make your jaws drop.
Words by Jasmine Valentine
6. Ratatouille
- Release date: June 29, 2007
- Director: Brad Bird
- Cast: Patton Oswalt, Lou Romano, Peter Sohn, Ian Holm
What it’s about: Remy’s a rat. A rat who cooks. In Paris, he teams up with a hapless human to sneak his way into a gourmet kitchen, proving to the snobs of the culinary world that great talent can come from unexpected places – even the sewers.
Why we like it: Ratatouille is pure comfort food in screen form. Much like its namesake, it’s rich and layered, not to mention surprisingly tender for a movie about rodents. Remy isn’t just a cute protagonist, he’s a dreamer fighting against society (and a whole lot of hygiene codes). Watching Anton Ego’s icy facade melt with one bite? That’s cinema, baby.
Words by Daisy Phillipson
5. Inside Out
- Release date: June 19, 2015
- Director: Pete Docter
- Cast: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling
What it’s about: When Riley is forced to move from the Midwest to San Francisco with her family, her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness, all of whom live inside her head – struggle with the transition, and they need to figure out how to navigate a new city, house, school, and most importantly, each other’s role in Riley’s life.
Why we like it: Inside Out is one of Pixar’s great masterpieces, a dazzling, imaginative, genuinely novel movie that pushed (and continues to push) the emotional envelope for kids and adults alike; if you didn’t sob yourself into a puddle at Bing Bong’s, “Take her to the moon for me,” what’s wrong with you? It’s not always a joy: it’s sad, sometimes cringeworthy, scary, and frustrating. It’s almost like that’s the point.
Words by Cameron Frew
4. WALL·E
- Release date: June 27, 2008
- Director: Andrew Stanton
- Cast: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, John Ratzenberger
What it’s about: WALL·E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class) is the last robot left on Earth. Left to tidy up the planet, he becomes smitten with the more modern EVE, following her across the galaxy.
Why we like it: Next to no dialogue, but all the emotions. Even though he’s seen better days in his 700-year life, WALL·E has Stitch levels of cuteness and appeal when it comes to a non-human lead. Up to this point, we’d seen pretty traditional formulas for Pixar success, but WALL·E proved they could think outside of the box and still deliver timeless and meaningful animation. Who knew there could be so much romantic chemistry between two robots?
Words by Jasmine Valentine
3. The Incredibles
- Release date: November 5, 2004
- Director: Brad Bird
- Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Lee
What it’s about: Bob Parr used to be Mr. Incredible, but now he’s stuck in a cubicle pretending not to have super strength. But when he gets lured into a mysterious mission, the entire Parr family ends up suiting up to stop a villain with a serious grudge and an even more serious tech budget.
Why we like it: This isn’t just a superhero story – it’s a full-blown midlife crisis in spandex. The Incredibles works because it isn’t afraid to make its heroes messy, awkward, and painfully human (even the stretchy one). There’s no denying the thrill of watching a family dinner turn into a superpowered showdown, and Edna Mode alone is worth the runtime. Capes or no capes, this one’s a knockout.
Words by Daisy Phillipson
2. Finding Nemo
- Release date: May 30, 2003
- Director: Andrew Stanton
- Cast: Albert Brooks, Ellen Degeneres, Willem Dafoe, Alexander Gould
What it’s about: In short, Nemo touched the butt. Overprotective dad Marlin has to set off across the ocean to find his son, a short-finned clownfish taken by divers. Meeting an array of creatures on his travels, he’s joined by Dory, who has memory loss.
Why we like it: It might have the bleakest opening of any animated movie ever created (yes, even more than Grave of the Fireflies), but Finding Nemo possibly has the best moral message of any Pixar movie in this list. Marlin’s devotion to being a good dad never shied away from loss being an inevitable part of life, but courage, family, and friendship prevailing for good will absolutely bring a tear to your eye. If you grew up in the 2000s and didn’t want a talking turtle, wish an eagle ray was a school bus, or jump out of your skin at Bruce’s gnashers, did you even live?
Words by Jasmine Valentine
1. Toy Story
- Release date: November 22, 1995
- Director: John Lasseter
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, John Ratzenberger
What it’s about: In a world where toys are sentient and come to life when their owner is absent or asleep, a boy called Andy loses interest in his favorite cowboy Woody when he’s given a Buzz Lightyear spaceman for his birthday.
Why we like it: Pixar started life with a perfect movie, about childhood, loyalty, and above all, friendship. As voiced by Tom Hanks, Woody is a wonderfully flawed hero, full of ego and bluster, but with a heart of gold. While Buzz – voiced by Tim Allen – makes a fine foil, thanks to both his bravery, and his delusion. They end up being a dynamic duo who embark on an adventure that’s dramatic, exciting, funny, and sad, and the groundbreaking computer animation that brought them to life made Toy Story a wonderful marriage of technology and art.
Words by Chris Tilly
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