5 Best Pixar Movies of All-Time
Pixar has officially released its lineup for 2013-2015, which promises to be another three years of smash hits. Among the planned new movies will be "The Good Dinosaur," a story about dinosaurs and humans living together, a film about Día de los Muertos, and yet another that promises to "go inside the human mind" of a young girl.
If you're a kid at heart like me, then you'll know the feeling of Pixar movies tugging at your heartstrings, making you laugh, cry, and sigh in relief as you get drawn into the lives of your favorite characters.
The vibrant animation and detailed story lines have helped Pixar become one of the most successful animation studios in the world. Every film has had success, and it's easy to see why.
To get excited for the upcoming release of more great Pixar films, here's my list of the five best Pixar films of all-time. If you're a true Pixar fan, then you know that the studio inserts fun little tributes into each movie, known as “Easter Eggs,” for viewers to find which serve as previews to future films. To get excited for the upcoming release of more great Pixar films, here's my list of to the best five Pixar films of all-time, Easter eggs and fun facts included:
5. Monsters, Inc.
This film was released in 2001, and features the voices of John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, and of course, John Ratzenberger. (Fun fact #1: Ratzenberger has been in every Pixar film ever made, and is considered to be Pixar’s lucky charm.) The adorable character, Boo, can melt anyone’s heart with her little pigtails and calling Sulley, “Kitty!” This film is sweet, endearing, and leaves viewers with a few life lessons to mull over. The biggest lesson? You can go to any ends, when it comes to helping those whom you love.
The Easter egg in Monsters, Inc. actually appears towards the end of the movie. When Sulley takes Boo back to her room, she shows Sulley her Jesse doll, and then hands him Nemo, the next featured film by Pixar.
4. Finding Nemo.
This 2003 film features the voices of greats like Albert Brookes, Ellen DeGeneres, and Willem Dafoe. This film celebrates the importance of family, and how going outside our comfort zones to make friendships can help us to “Just Keep Swimming.” (I hope you are all singing this to yourselves right now). This film also taught most viewers the now well-known address: P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney.
The Easter egg shown here is actually found in the waiting room of the dentist’s office, where the little boy is reading a comic book about Mr. Incredible, which came out a year later.
3. Toy Story 3.
This tear-jerker released in 2010 brought the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, and Michael Keaton together to give the audience one final adventure with Andy’s toys. For anyone who grew up with Pixar, this movie hit home, as Andy leaves for college and his toys are finally retired to another home. The movie is not all sad though. Pixar does a fantastic job of reuniting Ken and Barbie, introducing some great new characters, and teaching viewers valuable lessons about friendship and loyalty.
The Easter egg in this movie was seen in Andy’s room. It was a poster of Finn McMissle, a lead character introduced in Cars 2.
2. Up.
Carl Fredricksenwas introduced to us in 2009, and I admit that I cried during the first ten minutes. But as the story progresses, Carl learns that his adventure can continue. Characters like Dug, the lovable dog who hates squirrels, Kevin, the crazy bird that loves chocolate and eats balloons, and Russell, the 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer who accompanies Carl on his new journey.
The Easter egg in this film is seen in a little girl’s room after Carl’s house is lifted off its foundation. As the colors of the balloons reflect in the room, a Lotso Love bear can be seen in the corner of the room near the bed.
1. Toy Story.
The film that started it all was first released in 1995, and captured the hearts of audiences. It was the first full-length film by the animation studio, and the film introduced us to the characters that have become household names, and created a solid fan base for generations to come. Woody, Buzz, Mr. Potato Head, Rex, and the rest of the gang taught us about not giving up, being open to foreigners, and how our differences do not mean that we cannot have deep, meaning full relationships.
Since this is the film that started it all, there are no real Easter eggs for future films. However, the Pizza Planet truck that is first introduced to us in this film is seen in every Pixar film except The Incredibles.
