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Pixar Features: Final Ranking

Way back in June 2019, I began my reviews and rankings of the Pixar feature films. Over a year later and I have managed to finish this task. It was just one of those things were I kept forgetting to complete it and before you know it, two more films had been released!

Pixar is one of the strongest animation studios in the world and it’s not hard to see why. The feature films have collectively won 16 Academy Awards with 10 of them for Best Animated Film. From the brilliantly developed characters, stunning animation and star-studded casts, Pixar has been churning out blockbusters since they brought out their debut feature Toy Story in 1995 which won the studio a Special Achievement Oscar as the Best Animated Feature category was introduced in 2002.

You can catch up with the reviews here:

Films 1-5

Films 6-10

Films 11-15

Films 16-22


Here is my ranking from bottom to top:

22) Cars 3 (2017)

21) Cars 2 (2011)

20) Cars (2006)19) The Good Dinosaur (2015)

18) Monsters University (2013)

17) Brave (2012)

16) Finding Dory (2016)

15) The Incredibles 2 (2018)

14) A Bug’s Life (1998)

13) Toy Story (1995)

12) Toy Story 4 (2019)

11) Onward (2020)

10) The Incredibles (2004)9) Finding Nemo (2003)

8) Monsters, Inc (2001)

7) Toy Story 3 (2010)

6) Rataouille (2007)

5) Inside Out (2015)

4) Coco (2017)

3) Toy Story 2 (1999)

2) WALL-E (2008)

1) Up (2009)So that’s that. The next Pixar film due to be released is Soul however I am not sure if it has been delayed and if so then for how long.

What did you think of my reviews and rankings? Let me know what you think in the comments!

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Pixar Features Ranking: Films 16-22

It’s about time I added the final installment for this series of posts and get myself up to date. Admittedly I did not do this in time for Toy Story 4 or even Onward like I wanted but better late than never I suppose. Much like Disney, we’re well into the era of sequels, prequels and remakes and Pixar isn’t exempt to this although the enormous success of Inside Out has opened Pixar’s eyes to dedicating itself more to creating original content. Only three of the six films in this post are original but the fact that Pixar have planned several originals for the future and less franchise releases shows a step in the right direction. Pixar thrives off its originality and it is the imagination of these films that make them stand out.

If you need to catch up with the series, here are the links to the previous posts below:

Films 1-5

Films 6-10

Films 11-15

As I have mentioned before, the films in this post do follow the trend for nostalgia and rebooting franchises by bring back loved films from the Finding Nemo and The Incredibles universe as well as the long-awaited sequel to Toy Story 3. I am glad that Pixar have originals planned for the future because the prequel/sequel trend has worn thin now and the films aren’t bad but they don’t hold their ground against the originals.

Here are the reviews for Pixar films 16-22:

16) The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Set in a world where dinosaurs didn’t go extinct, The Good Dinosaur chronicles the friendship between a shy Apatosaurus named Arlo and a young boy called Spot. Featuring a starry cast including Frances McDormand and Jeffrey Wright, this film sadly became Pixar’s first box office bomb despite it’s positive reviews. It’s a rare Pixar original during the flurry of franchises and coming after the brilliant Inside Out, it didn’t really stand a chance. I felt really underwhelmed by this film overall. I loved the background design and nature backdrops but the animation of the film’s characters clashed in a way that made for a confusing viewing experience. The film feels as if it doesn’t quite give the emotional punch that it could have done as it explores the deep confusion and complexity of losing a parent at an early age. It’s a film that means well but sadly doesn’t fill its potential.

17) Finding Dory (2016)

Finding Dory follows everyone’s favourite forgetful fish who finds herself swimming across the ocean to locate her parents who she lost when she was younger. Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) is just as lovable as ever and it’s great seeing her get her own film. She ventures to the Marine Life Institute in California where she is captured and quarantined leaving Marlin and Nemo in a position to rescue her. Dory is one of the best loved characters in the Pixar universe and the film’s critical and commercial success (which saw the film break $1 billion at the box office) proves this. The film suffers from feeling unoriginal as the situation is identical but on the other side of the world with the characters swapped around. I understand that the title makes that clear and the search for her parents makes it different but I felt underwhelmed by the film as a whole.

18) Cars 3 (2017)

I did not go into this film with high hopes. Anyone who has been following my Pixar rankings will know that the Cars franchise is simply not my cup of tea. What baffled me the most about this sequel is that it feels really forced and added on. Like Cars 2, it feels as though protsgonist Lightning McQueen hasn’t actually learned any lessons from the previous installment and must take yet another whole film to his humility and learn the importance of friends and family. It’s not clear what the intention of Cars 3 is as McQueen struggles with the realisation that his racing days may be coming to an end. The character arc from the previous two installments should present a McQueen who is eager to pass on the mantel and train the next generation but what we are presented with is the McQueen from the beginning of the first two films who is arrogant and refuses to accept anything other than a first place win.

19) Coco (2017)

By far the best film in this list and a true testament to Pixar’s love of incorporating different cultures into their films, Coco is a Mexican based tale set on Dios de las Muertos and follows aspiring musician Miguel who longs to sing despite his family’s strict ban on music. It’s a tale that explores the importance of family and identity and is guaranteed to have you in tears at the climatic scene with his Grandma Coco. It also portrays dementia in an accurate way that is educational for children and emotionally relatable for adults. Coco isn’t afraid to delve in darker topics such as death as the majority of the film takes place in the afterlife where Miguel encounters his dead relatives. The soundtrack, written by duo Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez is even better than Frozen in my opinion. I think the songs really capture the heritage and tone of the film perfectly with songs such as the Oscar-winning “Remember Me” and “Proud Corazon” bringing the film to life.

20) The Incredibles 2 (2018)

One of the Pixar films that I did not imagine would ever get a sequel, The Incredibles 2 follows directly on from the first. As expected, the dialogue was punchy, Mrs. Incredible (voiced by Holly Hunter) is feminist as always and the score is somehow even better than the first. My only problem with this film is that it is pretty much a carbon copy of the first film but the roles are reversed with Mrs. Incredible taking on the challenge and Mr. Incredible staying at home. I also had a bit of an issue with the animation itself. With it being a superhero movie, I expect it to be fast-paced with a lot of colours and flashing lights but there was one particular scene that had so much strobe lighting that it was hard to concentrate and was (literally) painful to watch and gave me a headache. It was an uneasy sequence to watch and ruined the film a bit for me, particularly because it didn’t need to be in there.

21) Toy Story 4 (2019)

I wrote a full review when I went to see this which you can read here so I won’t spend too much time repeating myself. Featuring the star-studded cast lead by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, the fourth installment follows the toys in the care of Bonnie, the lovable little girl who Andy gifts the gang to. Woody finds it hard to belong under Bonnie’s care and what follows is an adventure of identity and family. It’s wasn’t a necessary film but it definitely was worth the wait. Not to mention that Forky is one of the best characters to come from the Toy Story franchise.

22) Onward (2020)

The first of two original Pixar films initially planned to be released this year (I’m not too sure if the release of Soul has been delayed or not), Onward is set in a mythical alternative universe populated by trolls, goblins and pixies among other creatures. Following young elf teenager, Ian Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland) and his older brother Barley (Chris Pratt) as they navigate being seen as outcasts by their peers. When Ian turns 16, their mum Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) gives the boys a wizard staff that belonged to their father before his passed. Ian finds out he possesses some powers and managers to resurrect his father’s legs and the boys are against the clock as they have to figure out how to resurrect the rest of him within 24 hours. Of course, in true Pixar fashion, the film explores the brothers’ relationship and their relationship with their mother and others. Despite the film’s fantasy setting, I found its depiction of parental loss and its affect on the children to be among the most accurate put to the film. The desperation to see their father again and the pain the brothers go through organic and real as they constantly bicker and argue like siblings but would do anything for each other. I think the film is hugely underrated and feel that it is among the better films Pixar has released in recent years.

So with all of the reviews completed, I am now faced with the task of ranking them. It wasn’t as difficult as previous posts (mainly the second installment) but it’s interesting to see where the likes of Coco and Toy Story 4 rank up against the legendary films. I do think that Coco is the film of this bunch that is likely to become the best known one and with good reason.

Here is the up-to-date ranking:

1) Up (2009)

2) WALL-E (2008)

3) Toy Story 2 (1999)

4) Coco (2017)

5) Inside Out (2015)

6) Ratatouille (2007)

7) Toy Story 3 (2010)

8) Monsters, Inc. (2001)

9) Finding Nemo (2003)

10) The Incredibles (2004)

11) Onward (2020)

12) Toy Story 4 (2019)

13) Toy Story (1995)

14) A Bug’s Life (1998)

15) The Incredibles 2 (2018)

16) Finding Dory (2016)

17) Brave (2012)

18) Monsters University (2013)

19) The Good Dinosaur (2015)

20) Cars (2006)

21) Cars 2 (2011)

22) Cars 3 (2017)

Looking at the final ranking, it seems such a shame that the calibre for Pixar films reaches a slump. They had such a flourishing first decade and dominated cinema but then crippled by Disney’s desire for sequels and prequels. This evidently lowered Pixar’s standards but hopefully they will continue to make the original films that audiences really love.

What do you think of my final ranking? Which Pixar film is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!

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Disney Animated Classics: Final Ranking

So after months of reviewing and ranking the Disney Animated Classic library, I have finally got my finished list. I thought it would be a bit easier than what it was and found my opinion and outlook changing on a fair few of the films.

If you haven’t read this series then here’s your chance!

Films 1-5

Films 6-10

Films 11-15

Films 16-20

Films 21-25

Films 26-30

Films 31-35

Films 36-40

Films 41-45

Films 46-50

Films 51-57

Here we go with the final ranking from bottom to top:

57) Winnie the Pooh (2011)

56) Chicken Little (2005)

55) Dinosaur (2000)

54) Home on the Range (2004)

53) Meet the Robinsons (2007)

52) Make Mine Music (1946)

51) The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

50) Fantasia 2000 (2000)

49) Melody Time (1948)

48) Saludos Amigos (1948)

47) The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

46) Fun and Fancy Free (1946)

45) The Fox and the Hound (1981)

44) Lady and the Tramp (1955)

43) Oliver & Company (1988)

42) Robin Hood (1973)

41) The Rescuers (1977)

40) Big Hero 6 (2014)

39) Bolt (2008)

38) Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

37) Cinderella (1950)

36) The Sword in the Stone (1963)

35) The Jungle Book (1967)

34) Brother Bear (2003)

33) Treasure Planet (2002)

32) Zootopia (2016)

31) Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

30) The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

29) Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

28) The Black Cauldron (1985)

27) Hercules (1997)

26) Dumbo (1941)

25) Frozen (2013)

24) Tarzan (1999)

23) Pocahontas (1995)

22) Pinocchio (1940)

21) The Three Caballeros (1945)

20) Peter Pan (1953)

19) Moana (2016)

18) The Princess and the Frog (2009)

17) Lilo & Stitch (2002)

16) The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

15) The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)

14) One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

13) The Aristocats (1971)

12) Aladdin (1992)

11) Alice in Wonderland (1951)

10) Tangled (2010)

9) The Little Mermaid (1989)

8) Mulan (1998)

7) The Lion King (1994)

6) The Many Adventures of Winnie of Pooh (1977)

5) Bambi (1942)

4) Sleeping Beauty (1959)

3) Beauty and the Beast (1991)

2) Fantasia (1940)

1) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

So that’s the full ranking! What do you think? Let me know what Disney films are your favourites in the comments below!

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Disney Animated Classics: Numbers 51-57 Ranking

We finally made it! After months of reviews and rankings, this is the final post before we are all up to date before Frozen II hits cinemas. This series of posts have taken us through not only the history of Disney but also a history of animation as we transition from hand-drawn to computer animation. Going from more traditional fairytale retellings to complex stories about identity and love, Disney continues to better itself as a studio although there is still a long way to go. Much like the animation studio in Burbank, it is held up by its traditions like the statues of the Dwarfs that hold up the building itself. This bunch of films sees Disney poke fun of its past in a bid to expose the mistakes that have been made in its portrayal of serious issues such as gender stereotypes and racism. In doing so, it tends to fall flat at times as the gestures don’t seem sincere and apologetic but it is made with good intentions.

We also see Disney’s most successful film as well as the first Best Animated Feature Oscar winners that aren’t Pixar. Disney seems to have found its footing in a landscape dominated by computer animation by using nostalgic elements such as Disney princesses but making them modern. With Disney being the most powerful studio in the world, they are able to recruit star-studded casts and the best crew such as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s stellar soundtrack for Moana and Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell as the two sisters in Frozen.

Just in case you need a refresher, here are the previous installments:

Films 1-5

Films 6-10

Films 11-15

Films 16-20

Films 21-25

Films 26-30

Films 31-35

Films 36-40

Films 41-45

Films 46-50

This list includes the last hand-drawn feature before Disney announced its dedication to computer animation and also includes some of the most progressive films in Disney’s catalogue. These films clearly have an aim to push strong female characters in them and although it isn’t perfect, it’s a step in that direction. There are areas as I have said previously where Disney need to step up such as including LGBT+ characters and a wider array of cultural backgrounds that don’t fall into stereotypical tropes. The films from Disney aren’t perfect but they are trying to right the wrongs of the past while also reflecting modern politics in a way where they please everyone. I don’t necessarily agree with their philosophy but they are a brand and revenue is one of the most important (if not THE most important) factor in the Disney process. Hopefully, they learned from the straight-to-DVD sequel, prequel fiasco of the early noughties and go back to creating films with heart where the audience is the primary focus rather than their pockets.

Without further ado, here are the reviews for films 51-57:

51) Winnie the Pooh (2011)

Marking Disney’s last hand-drawn feature, Winnie the Pooh seems to mark the end of an era as Disney begins to embark on computer-animated films only. I am really sad to say that this film falls flat for me. I just didn’t find it enjoyable in the slightest. The animation is off, the plot is boring and the characters aren’t as lovable. I mean, this is Winnie the Pooh we’re talking about. The characters are loved all around the world but this adaptation mauls the text and tarnishes the franchise. Luckily, we still have The Many Adventures of WInnie the Pooh to enjoy and we can forget about this mess of a film. The animation of the animals isn’t too bad but the design of Christopher Robin and the background looks out of place.

WINNIE-jumbo.jpg

52) Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Showing that Disney is still capable of producing original material, Wreck-It Ralph follows the titular character (voiced by John C. Reilly) who is the villain of an arcade game wanting to be the good guy for once like “Fix-It Felix”, the insufferable character who defeats Ralph numerous times a day. Ralph is despised by the fellow tenants of the apartment block that he tries to destroy. Sick of the same routine, Ralph escapes to Sugar Rush, another game where players race through lands of candy. There he encounters the tiny Vanellope von Schweet (voiced by Sarah Silverman), a funny and sassy aspiring racer who is also an outcast due to her glitch. Together, they try to become heroes when the arcade’s future is thrown into uncertainty. It’s a film full of nostalgia with its inclusion of iconic game characters such as Pacman and Sonic the Hedgehog but it isn’t held down by this or overwhelmed.

53) Frozen (2013)

The first non-Pixar Disney film to take home the Best Animated Feature Oscar is also the most successful Disney film of all time. Frozen takes its inspiration from “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Anderson and follows Princess Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) who embarks on a quest to find her sister Queen Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel) when the latter runs away and covers the entire Kingdom of Arendelle in an eternal winter. The film itself is a huge feat for Disney as it features one of the most iconic songs to come out of the Disney catalogue (Oscar winning song, “Let It Go”) as well as some of the most memorable characters in recent years, notably Olaf the sun-loving snowman (voiced by Josh Gad). Frozen is instantly recognisable around the globe and has become a phenomenon and a brand in itself which is hugely impressive for an animated film. Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez’s songwriting feels like the modern equivalent of the iconic songs from Alan Menken and Howard Ashman as they capture the essence of the film from the opening song. It’s not everyday that an animated feature passes the $1 billion mark at the box office but Frozen did it and with two female protagonists at the helm to boot. Who said women don’t make revenue at the box office?

54) Big Hero 6 (2014)

This is the one Disney film that I hadn’t seen before completing this ranking. I have been meaning to watch it but eventually I forgot and never got around to it. Following teenage Hero, a ridiculously intelligent robot enthusiast who has graduate high school early and doesn’t know what to do with his time, we see his budding friendship with Baymax, a robot made by his late brother. Big Hero 6 isn’t a bad film by any means but just as I had suspected, it just isn’t my cup of tea. I completely appreciate the height though as the animation is among Disney’s best in the modern age. Based on a Marvel comic that is based in a fictional city that combines San Francisco and Tokyo, the film appears to take aspects of Japanese culture such as using the language on shop signs and using Japanese characters names in an English-speaking white American setting. I think it is more of a tribute to Japanese anime than maliciously appropriating but it feels as though Big Hero 6 is more of a “trendy” film due the popularity of anime than a sincere offering. The animation style takes inspiration from anime but the style is more Disney’s version of anime. As I say, I don’t think the film is bad but I feel like it could have been more.

Big-Hero-6-to-size-3.jpg

55) Zootopia (2016)

I have marked this down as Zootopia on the ranking as that was the original title although in the UK, this was released as Zootropolis. Set in a universe populated by animals where predators rule the roost and prey are subject to less dangerous careers such as farming. The film follows Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin), a rabbit who succeeds in becoming a police officer but is subject to parking duty because she is a rabbit. After numerous predators go missing, Judy eagerly volunteers to find them to prove herself and teams up with con-artist Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman), a fox who Judy blackmails into assisting her. The film is a clever depiction of racism in American as well as an accurate portrayal of gender politicals and the corruption of authority. Despite the obscure metaphor, the message of equality is easy enough for children to grasp and this is what makes the film more than simple entertainment.

56) Moana (2016)

The latest inclusion of a Disney princess sees us travel to the Polynesian island of Motunui where Moana is destined to become the Chief of her village but she longs to venture out to sea. What follows is a road trip style film where she has to retrieve the Heart of Te Fiti to stop her island suffering from famine. Teaming up with shapeshifting demigod, Maui, Moana must sail across the seas encountering monsters and finding herself along the way. The plot for the film is simple and the structure is reflective of a road-trip movie but elevates this film and makes it special is the soundtrack. Written by Pulitzer Prize winning songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, the songs are beautiful and clever, incorporating the language and music style of Polynesian culture naturally. I don’t think the film would be as successful as it is without the soundtrack as the songs really show the character development as Moana grows from a fearful girl wanting to explore to an adventurer who wants to continue her ancestor’s tradition. The animation is stunning and it is by far my favourite inclusion on this list.

57) Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

The second Disney sequel to be included on the Animated Classics list, Ralph Breaks the Internet is the eagerly awaited follow-up to 2012’s Wreck-It Ralph. The arcade’s popularity is waning and Vanellope is growing bored with the same racetracks everyday. She wants more and longs to venture to the internet where free-riding games are all the rage. When a player accidentally breaks the steering wheel for the machine after fighting Vanellope for control, Ralph and Vanellope must find $27,000 for a new wheel to purchase before the machine is closed down. They venture into the internet to find the money. The film is even more bonkers than the first and really captures how random the internet really is. The studio even goes as far as to incorporate the dark web by making it sleezy and the creatures that reside there are truly disgusting and disturbing. Unlike The Rescuers Down Under, this is a sequel that feels fresh and familiar at the same time.

ralph-breaks-the-internet-princess-tiana-post3

So that’s it! That’s all the reviews for every Animated Classic so far. It’s been a lot of fun but really challenging having to decide where they all slot because every film is so different (except for The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under which is the same film set in different countries). Needless to say, I am very excited to see where Disney goes as we enter a new decade and I hope that they also go back to including hand-drawn animation as well. It’d be nice to see their animations explored in all styles.

Here is my final ranking:

1) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

2) Fantasia (1940)

3) Beauty and the Beast (1991)

4) Sleeping Beauty (1959)

5) Bambi (1942)

6) The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

7) The Lion King (1994)

8) Mulan (1998)

9) The Little Mermaid (1989)

10) Tangled (2010)

11) Alice in Wonderland (1951)

12) Aladdin (1992)

13) The Aristocats (1971)

14) One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

15) The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)

16) The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

17) Lilo & Stitch (2002)

18) The Princess and the Frog (2009)

19) Moana (2016)

20) Peter Pan (1953)

21) The Three Caballeros (1945)

22) Pinocchio (1940)

23) Pocahontas (1995)

24) Tarzan (1999)

25) Frozen (2013)

26) Dumbo (1941)

27) Hercules (1997)

28) The Black Cauldron (1985)

29) Atlantis: the Lost Empire (2001)

30) The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

31) Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

32) Zootopia (2016)

33) Treasure Planet (2002)

34) Brother Bear (2003)

35) The Jungle Book (1967)

36) The Sword in the Stone (1963)

37) Cinderella (1950)

38) Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

39) Bolt (2008)

40) Big Hero 6 (2014)

41) The Rescuers (1977)

42) Robin Hood (1973)

43) Oliver & Company (1988)

44) Lady and the Tramp (1955)

45) The Fox and the Hound (1981)

46) Fun and Fancy Free (1947)

47) The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

48) Saludos Amigos (1943)

49) Melody Time (1948)

50) Fantasia 2000 (2000)

51) The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

52) Make Mine Music (1946)

53) Meet the Robinsons (2007)

54) Home on the Range (2004)

55) Dinosaur (2000)

56) Chicken Little (2005)

57) Winnie the Pooh (2011)

I am aware that the final rankings may seem shocking and the new films such as Frozen may seem really low on the list, but consider that the ones at the tops are classics that have been with me through childhood, I think they have done really well. The films at the top have proven to be classics that have stood the test of time for decades and still resonate with audiences today whereas the newer films need that chance to breathe.

I am excited to see where Disney go in the future and I am hoping Frozen II continues to push Disney in the right direction as it has done so far with its feminist outlook.

What do you think of my final ranking? What would be your top choice? Let me know in the comments below!