Pixar studios has given us close to a dozen great full length feature films since 1995, and with the release of ‘Toy Story 3’, let’s take a look back and try to rate them from best to worst. This is more difficult than you might think, because each and every one of these movies is great…but some do stand out above the rest.

1. ‘Toy Story 3’ – Reason for number one status? Because this film just simply has everything you could ask for. (Check out my review on our site) Pixar seems to elevate itself with each release, and ‘Toy Story 3’ is a true testament to that. Rousing action sequences, heartfelt emotion, and incredibly detailed animation combine to form a nearly flawless film. Rating:

2. ‘Toy Story’ – When it debuted back in 1995, the original ‘Toy Story’ made moviegoers marvel at just how good the animation was. Not only that, containing a story that brought toys to life in this way somehow appealed to not only children, but adults as well. Everyone could relate to this story and seeing classic toys in an adventure such as this was a visual feast for audiences. Rating:

3. ‘UP’ – Last year when ‘UP’ debuted, it had a little less fan fare behind it than previous Pixar films. There were no toys, no cute little fish, no monsters, no cars, and no superheroes. But what it did have was ‘heart’. In my opinion, this is the most beautiful of all Pixar films. The relationship formed by the old man and the young boy in this film is touching, and the characters they meet on their journey along the way give the film that little extra that makes it work well. Rating:

Rating: 4. ‘Wall-E’ – Only a Pixar film can have no dialogue for the first 20 or so minutes and still manage to make you not able to take your eyes off of it. The best thing about this neat little robot is the fact that despite everything being shut down around him, he still continues to do his job…what he was built to do. Giving this little guy emotions just heightened the character, and his relationship with Eva is sweet. The film has a great message as well, and this very well may be Pixar’s most educational film to date.

Rating: 5. ‘The Incredibles’ – Probably regarded as being the most action packed Pixar film, and the only real true ‘superhero’ flick of the Pixar family, ‘The Incredibles’ is really fun to watch. Expertly written with great direction, the film soars during it’s action sequences and equally impresses with its witty dialogue. A lot of people feel this is the ultimate Pixar release and rank it at the top of the studios films thus far. I only have one question…where is the sequel?? This is a film that has so many sequel possibilities, so let’s hope they get one going real soon.

Rating: 6. ‘Toy Story 2’ – You may be asking why is this film inferior to parts 1 and 3, and further down on my list? Well, it’s not really because it is a sub-par film to those, but it’s because there are just a couple of moments in ‘Toy Story 2’ that I wanted something more. That something was found in the third one. The introduction of the characters in the first act was cool, and the great conclusion in the third act was near perfect. The middle film manages to build on the relationship between Woody and Buzz and their ability to coexist with the two biggest egos in the room. Pixar manages to build a nice bridge here. In the end, it makes this trilogy one of the best out there.

7. ‘Finding Nemo’ – The beginning of this film reminded me of how I felt when I watched ‘The Lion King’ for the first time. Although, not quite as emotional as the death of Mustafa in ‘Lion’, when Nemo’s family is pretty much taken out near the beginning of the film only brings more excitement to the journey that’s to come. Sea creatures are always pleasant for the kids to watch, and in this case…the adults too. Rating:

8. ‘Ratatouille’ – Only Pixar can make a truly enchanted tale out of a story about a rat. Not only are the adventures of Remy the rat interesting, but the film also manages to do very well with the chef factor. The food, although animated, looks delicious and the supporting characters give the reality of what working in a French restaurant might actually be like. This film surprised me more than any of the other movies on this list…much better than I initially thought it would be. Rating:

9. ‘Monsters Inc.’ – The film that defines one of the things that is truly important in life – laughter. A single mission, to get the little child (Boo), becomes quite the adventure as in the end, our heroes discover that laughter is much more powerful than screams of fear. Billy Crystal and John Goodman are perfectly cast in their roles of Mike and Sully. They are a great team and, besides Woody and Buzz, Pixar’s coolest pairing. Rating:

10. ‘A Bug’s Life’ – Well, the title pretty much says it all. Being the follow up to ‘Toy Story’, ‘Bug’s Life’ had a lot to live up to…and it delivered. The film faced competition the year it came out, from ‘Antz’, but ‘Life’ was the much better movie. Once again, the writers delivered a story that related to the struggles of everyday life – only through the eyes of bugs. I dig the fact that the grasshoppers are the bad guys here, as they just look like they should be. Actually, if you think about it, the story here resembles ‘The Magnificent Seven’…one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed live action films. Rating:

11. ‘Cars’ – One of these films had to end up in the last spot. Not that I dislike ‘Cars’, but to me it is the least entertaining of the Pixar releases. What I do enjoy is the casting of Paul Newman and Owen Wilson, and the names of some of the characters (cars). Lightning McQueen is a great name for a race car! The animation of the vehicles is phenomenal, and the extra scenes in the credits are hilarious. Rating:

So what do you think? I’m sure your list is different than mine, so let me know what your top Pixar films are…I would love to see the comparison.

Keep checking our site for more ‘best of’ lists…coming soon.