#12
Monsters University
Dir. Dan Scanlon
It is not top tier Pixar, but Monsters University is one I don’t think got enough recognition. Yes, they made a standard college comedy, but the movie is very funny, which in a light comedy like this is the most important thing. The dynamic between Sully and Mike introduced in the first film is still ever present here, and Billy Crystal and John Goodman are in top form. The character arcs are not overly dynamic or new, but the jokes make up for it quite a bit. This is one people need another go around with, as I think it got caught up in an anti-Pixar time period unfairly.
#11
The Incredibles
Dir. Brad Bird
I am sure The Incredibles just missing out on the top ten will upset many readers, but this one never grabbed me in the way it seems it did everyone else. Yes, some of the set pieces are dazzling (particularly the first action scene where the whole fmaily works together) and it features a knockout vocal performances from Craig T. Nelson as Mr. Incredible, but the movie just never fully got me emotionally, which is Pixar’s hallmark. Director Brad Bird got that right before with The Iron Giant and after with another movie (more on that later), but this felt like very standard action movie stuff with some winking to the camera. I am not saying this is a bad film. It’s far from that. The technicality of the execution is just far more exciting to me than the actual substance, and it should be reversed.
#10
Toy Story 2
Dir. John Lasseter
Every time I watch Toy Story 2 my opinion wildly fluctuates. On this most recent rewatch for this post, a lot of it is great but there are certainly some thorns in my side. In particular, the big, happy ending with everyone singing “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”. That song is best left to the non-diegetic voice of Randy Newman for it to be effective. When a character actually has a big production number with it, it feels much more like a mediocre Madagascar movie than a Pixar film. That being said, I still cry at Jessie’s origin story, and Wayne Knight as Al delivers plenty of funny stuff. It’s a very good movie. I just don’t know if it’s a great one.
#9
A Bug’s Life
Dir. John Lasseter
A Bug’s Life being this high might surprise quite a few people. It is an unfairly maligned movie perceived as Pixar’s sophomore slump. No, it’s not Toy Story, but that doesn’t make it a bad film. It’s far from it. Every character here is interesting, funny, and clearly defined. Hopper (Kevin Spacey) is probably Pixar’s best villain, who is properly ruthless and scary. I mean, the scene where he kills one of his men with a giant pile of grain is really intense. Yes, Pixar cribs a lot from Seven Samurai with this, and Flick (Dave Foley) has a very traditional character arc. It just all works though and is one my opinion rises on each time I watch it.
