18 - The Good Dinosaur
Release Date: November 25, 2015
I haven't seen The Good Dinosaur yet, which is why it is currently in last place, but I love the premise: What if the asteroid that killed all the dinosaurs had missed Earth? The story follows an apatosaurus named Aldo and his pet boy Spot. And Sam Elliott plays a T. rex.
17 - Cars 3
Release Date: June 16, 2017
I haven't seen Cars 3 yet, but I'm imagining it will leap into the midpack at least. Lightning McQueen is now the tired veteran trying to rejuvenate his career after a wreck.
"Y'know, if you could just get over the gag reflex..."
16 - Ratatouille
Release Date: June 29, 2007
Rats aren't interesting main characters. Elite French cuisine is an uninteresting setting. And when you try to weave in a mystery about illegitimacy...eek.
15 - Finding Dory
Release Date: June 17, 2016
This didn't need to be made. Dory tracks down her parents at an aquarium in California.
14 - Brave
Release Date: June 22, 2012
The storyline is the worst of all these, because it follows an extremely cliched pathway. But the animation is beautiful, as is the soundtrack, loaded with Celtic music, so those save it from appearing too far in the back. A headstrong princess named Merida seeks to disenchant her mother from a curse that made her into a bear.
13 - Finding Nemo
Release Date: May 30, 2003
An overprotective clownfish father named Marlin, with the help of an extremely forgetful friend named Dory, tracks down his lost son Nemo, who has been captured. Aimed much more for parents than kids, which is why it's always astounded me that it has the following it has.
"...Oh, that's puce."
12 - Monsters, Inc.
Release Date: November 2, 2001
Highly quotable, and the idea of a parallel world peopled by monsters is amazing, but ranks this low rbecause of the frenetic pacing - the entire movie takes place in about 36 hours, which is far too rushed for the scale of events that happen. Bonus points for casting John Goodman as Sulley and Billy Crystal as Mike.
11 - Cars 2
Release Date: June 24, 2011
This is a spy adventure starring Mater the Southern tow truck. It's fun, but that's about it.
10 - Monsters University
Release Date: June 21, 2013
A prequel showing how Mike and Sulley met their freshman year of college, they captured the feel of campus life extremely well. So I'm not sure why I have it ranked so low. Probably because I dislike the Greek system and hated college.
9 - Toy Story 2
Release Date: November 24, 1999
Woody gets kidnapped by a collector, so Buzz, Slinky, Mr. Potato Head, Hamm and Rex go save him, which leads to a ridiculous chase sequence at the end. My 6-year-old self was vaguely offended they would make a sequel, though it looks better now that the trilogy has been completed.
8 - The Incredibles
Release Date: November 5, 2004
As a superhero movie, this is really good. As a family drama, it's also very good. As a Pixar movie, though? Not that great....aimed more directly at adults than children, which has always felt kind of out of place, given their usual target parameters of "everybody in the audience."
"Something AMAZING, I guess!"
7 - WALL-E
Release Date: June 27, 2008
This movie is mostly silent, yet it is amazing. It's new territory in far-flung-future sci-fi, which was an interesting way to challenge themselves. While falling in love, a janitorial robot stranded on a future Earth brings about a recolonization of the planet for humans.
6 - Up
Release Date: May 29, 2009
Grieving widower Charles Muntz and a lonely Scout named Russell go on an adventure to South America, where they adopt a noisy dog named Doug and save an endangered bird from Charles's boyhood hero. It's an extremely emotional movie, definitely not for the faint of heart. All of these from this point on are that way, really.
5 - Inside Out
Release Date: June 19, 2015
As a hockey-loving teenage girl named Riley tries to cope with moving from southeast Minnesota to San Francisco, her emotions attempt to work together. Bonus points for casting Amy Poehler as Joy.
4 - Cars
Release Date: June 9, 2006
Arrogant racer Lightning McQueen is stranded in a charming desert town called Radiator Springs, where he gradually makes friends and falls in love with town attorney Sally.
3 - A Bug's Life
Release Date: November 25, 1998
An eccentric outcast inventor ant named Flik manages to save his colony, with the help of a circus troupe out of options, from their tyrannical grasshopper overlords.
2 - Toy Story
Release Date: November 22, 1995
Woody and Buzz Lightyear vie for control of the leadership role of Andy's toys, but soon have to work together if they want to escape from the neighbor's house. Extra points for Tom Hanks as Woody and Tim Allen as Buzz.
1 - Toy Story 3
Release Date: June 18, 2010
Andy's going away to college, and so the toys who are left have to make a new life for themselves. I'm bawling by the end every time.
