#8
Finding Nemo
Dir. Andrew Stanton
If you need a film with heart and strong character relationships and motivations, Finding Nemo has it in spades. Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo’s (Alexander Gould) father/son bond is powerful, and Marlin now has a true “big fish” tale to tell his son. What doesn’t work for me as much here is the comedy. Brooks, who has an amazing comedic talent, doesn’t get a lot to do in the comedy realm, and most of it is left to Ellen DeGeneres‘s Dory, who I find very irritating. The comic sidekick is a tricky thing to accomplish, and I think the filmmakers got a little too enamored with Degeneres in the recording studio, causing the film to derail at points. The emotional backbone of the film is there. I just wish more of the humor lands.
#7
Monsters, Inc.
Dir. Pete Docter
And if you want a Pixar film where the humor lands, Monsters, Inc. is the place to look. This buddy/workplace comedy nails just about every joke it sets out to make. Goodman and Crystal, who had the unique luxury of being able to record their voices at the same time, have a tremendous chemistry that the animation only enhances. Monsters, Inc. is also one of the few movies to accurately portray a very young child. Boo is not too precocious, too annoying, or too cute. They balance all of those things perfectly, making a character who normally would have no dimension feel completely real. Also, her and Sully’s bond is very moving. The final chase scene through the various closet doors is inventive and fun. Randall (Steve Buscemi) is not a great villain, but he works well enough. Though it features a new, creative world, the actual story mechanics are not terribly new, which is a bit of a ding, but this is a great movie in spite of that.
#6
Inside Out
Dir. Pete Docter
Obviously, this is very fresh, and I would prefer to get some distance and perspective on Inside Out before ranking it. But this list is happening now, and this is my immediate feeling on the matter. This one was very personal for me, being a person who moved cross-country when I was ten, and it capturing exactly how someone feels when put in that situation. A lot of the conversations between Riley’s emotions –Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear — felt like feelings ripped right out of me from that time. I do think Joy (Amy Poehler) and Sadness’s (Phyllis Smith) journey back to headquarters spins its wheels a little too much and gets a tad boring. However, everything else about Inside Out works and is a more than worthy addition to the Pixar canon.
#5
Ratatouille
Dir. Brad Bird
No one is more surprised with Ratatouille being this high than me. Watching it for this post was only the second time I had seen it, as the first time in the theater did not do much for me. However, this completely knocked me out (figuratively, of course). As opposed to my emotional attachment issues I had with Brad Bird’s The Incredibles, no such problems exist here. You desperately want Remy (Patton Oswalt) not only becomes a great chef but it properly recognized for it. You also want Linguini (Lou Romano) to grow a backbone. And like The Incredibles, Bird’s eye for moving a virtual camera is thrilling. Following Remy’s journey from one place to another and the creative ways he has to maneuver is consistently exciting. Now, that I actually have a correct opinion on this, Ratatouille will be one I go back to a lot.
