Every Pixar Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best

Following Cars' lukewarm reviews, it's not surprising that this 2011 sequel left plenty to be desired. But as far as Pixar movies go, this is a staggeringly low score. In fact, it is the only Pixar movie to date not to receive a green Metascore.

"The movie has its own deficits—a lack of variety, originality, subtlety, clarity and plain old charm." —Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

Though it make its world premiere at Cannes, Pixar's newest feature appears to be one of the animation studio's least impressive films to date. Directed by Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur), Elemental sets a story that's effectively about immigration and diversity (with a romance mixed in for good measure) in a fantastical city where members of the various "elements"—water, fire, air, and land—live together. But reviewers complained about a lack of originality and inspiration and an excess of energy spent on world-building.

"There's poetry and soul here, but both are watered down by how much the movie seems to be multitasking. With Pixar, sincerity is elemental. The rest risks distracting from what really matters." —Peter Debruge, Variety

Its predecessor was the worst-reviewed Pixar film to date. This 2017 chapter in the Cars saga—which added Nathan Fillion, Cristela Alonzo, Chris Cooper, Kerry Washington, and Armie Hammer to the voice cast—scored slightly better reviews, though critics were still generally lukewarm about the film. And so, apparently, were audiences: Only The Good Dinosaur grossed less at the domestic box office among Pixar titles.

"It's all well and good for the under-12s, but this movie never packs the kind of emotional punch we know Pixar is capable of." —Ellie Walker-Arnott, TimeOut

The first spinoff from Pixar's most successful franchise (Toy Story) serves as an origin story for Buzz Lightyear, the astronaut who inspired the toy of the same name in those prior movies. While the toy, of course, was voiced by Tim Allen, it is Chris Evans who stars in Lightyear as the voice of the "real" Buzz Lightyear. The 2022 release paled in comparison to the Toy Story films according to critics who felt that Lightyear lacked Pixar's usual story quality—though they did appreciate the visuals.

"What ultimately waters down Lightyear, an otherwise polished, gorgeous-looking entry into the Pixar oeuvre, is an absence of the excitement and disciplined storytelling spirit that made Toy Story such a pioneering hit." —Tomris Laffly, A.V. Club

The first of two Pixar original films released in 2020, this adventure centering on elf brothers (voiced by Chris Pratt and Tom Holland) comes from Monsters University director Dan Scanlon. Critics found it lacking the usual Pixar magic.

"Onward ... is insistently unspecial. It's enjoyable enough if you don't mind machine-made entertainment, but so desperate to please that it wears out its welcome long before the closing credits." —Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal

Despite bringing back its all-star cast of John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Steve Buscemi for a 2013 prequel—more than 12 years after the original Monsters, Inc. debuted—this film still fell relatively flat with many reviewers, who called it uninspired and lacking in substance.

Pixar's first original story since 2023's Elemental is another relatively lackluster feature—at least, by Pixar standards. Elio follows the title character, an 11-year-old boy who is obsessed with aliens. And he actually gets to meet quite a few when he is accidentally beamed up to an interplanetary governing organization and mistaken for Earth's representative. Co-directed by Turning Red's Domee Shi, Elio fails to meld its various components into a galaxy-beating whole like the best Pixar films do. But critics think the visually appealing film should still appeal to younger viewers.

"The best Pixar films make their dexterous mixture of humour, emotion and spectacle feel effortless but the ingredients do not blend as smoothly in Elio." —Tim Grierson, Screen Daily

Pixar's most recent release fell short of the greatness expected of most of the animation studio's films. The 2015 movie starts with an original concept (dino befriends boy) and hits on familiar themes of self-discovery and friendship, but the only element of the film that soars above the ordinary is the painstaking attention to detail in the breathtaking landscapes.

The first Pixar film with a female lead received praise in 2012 for its spunky main character Princess Merida, as well as for its jewel-toned scenery. But many critics found the mother-daughter conflict to be melodramatic, preventing the film from transforming into the modern anti-Disney fairy tale they really wanted.

Pixar's second straight feature to debut on Disney+ rather than in theaters, this summer 2021 release is set on the Italian Riviera and depicts an original (albeit Little Mermaid -influenced) story centering on a pair of young sea monsters, voiced by Jacob Tremblay and Jack Dylan Grazer, who seek to learn more about the world beyond the sea. The debut film from director Enrico Casarosa also features the voices of Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan.

"Granted, Luca might not go down as one of the more profound entries in the Pixar catalog. Don't expect it to make you well up the same way Up or Toy Story 2 did. Still, at a time in which international travel is mostly for the bold, it's an undeniably pleasant summertime trip." —Mike Scott, New Orleans Times-Picayune

Even though the Cars characters were plastered on every type of merchandise imaginable in the late aughts, critics felt the film didn't quite stack up to the high standard that Pixar had set for itself. On the heels of Finding Nemo and The Incredibles, Cars made less of an emotional impact, though it's still not close to being a bad film.

Longtime storyboard artist Daniel Chong's Pixar directorial debut is an original story (scripted by Me and Earl and the Dying Girl author Jesse Andrews) that finds college student named Mabel (Piper Curda) transferring her mind into a robotic beaver in an attempt to save a local forest glade. Now able to communicate with a wide variety of animals, she accidentally kicks of an animal uprising. Meryl Streep, Jon Hamm, Bobby Moynihan, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, and Tom Law help fill out the voice cast in what critics have deemed a modest but mostly fun and funny entry in the Pixar canon.

"It's a fable, really, with a science-nerd edge and some charming animal friends. You could do a whole lot worse at the movies." —Alissa Wilkinson, The New York Times

This first sequel to 2015's Inside Out once again goes inside the mind of young Riley to depict her various emotions, including Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale, replacing the first film's Bill Hader), and Disgust (Liza Lapira, in for Mindy Kaling). But Riley is now a teenager, and that means new emotions enter the picture: Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser).

The feature directorial debut for Kelsey Mann appears to be a worthy addition to the Pixar canon even if it doesn't reach the heights of the prior film. But despite scoring lower with critics, Inside Out 2 greatly surpassed all expectations at the box office, soaring well past $1.4 billion worldwide to become not just the highest-grossing Pixar release of all time, but also the highest-grossing animated film in history.

"The new characters of Inside Out 2 are a success, and the voice actors definitely help bring them to life ... The only problem is that the new characters in Inside Out 2 begin to outshine the old." —Paolo Ragusa, Consequence

The much-anticipated follow-up to Finding Nemo didn't quite reach the heights (or depths) of the original, according to critics. However, the New York Post's Lou Lumenick called Ellen DeGeneres' performance as Dory "a tour de force."

The second full-length Pixar film, released in 1998, didn't quite shine as brightly as the first, Toy Story. But it was still fresh enough to wow critics with its feats of animation and the colorful micro world of bugs. Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Hayden Panettiere loaned their voices to the kooky cast of antennaed characters.

Sensory overload, strong vocal work from John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Steve Buscemi, and a witty script made this 2001 movie a favorite with tots and adults alike. While critics held that it didn't quite stack up to Toy Story, it still remains a classic.

Pixar's most recent release is Brad Bird's first film for the studio in 11 years and a sequel to his 2004 Pixar classic The Incredibles. Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, and Sarah Vowell return to voice the superhero Parr family, joined by Samuel L. Jackson, Catherine Keener, and the Better Call Saul duo of Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks.

"Bird's made the weirdest Pixar movie ever, revolutionary and retro, an anti-authoritarian ode to good parenting" —Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly

After a pair of sequels, Pixar returned to original storytelling in late 2017 with this Oscar-winning, Day of the Dead-themed musical tale from Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich. Coco was a box office hit in the U.S., but did so well in Mexico that it now stands as that country's highest-grossing film in history.

"Coco is animatedly empowering entertainment for anyone who's ever had to go against the wishes of their family to achieve their most heartfelt dreams." —Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle

Debuting on Disney+ in March 2022—the third straight Pixar film to bypass theaters during the pandemic— Turning Red is the feature debut for director Domee Shi, who previously directed the Oscar-winning Pixar short Bao. The film centers on a confident but dorky teen girl (Rosalie Chiang) who boasts one rather unusual trait: Anytime she gets overexcited, she transforms instantly into a giant red panda.

"With a bright visual style and specific, evocative storytelling, Turning Red is an incredibly special addition to the Pixar canon, and one of its best films." —Petrana Radulovic, Polygon

Pixar's second release of 2020 wasn't able to make it to theaters (instead debuting Christmas Day on Disney+), but it proved to be the most impressive film out of the studio since Inside Out five years earlier. Sharing a director (Pete Docter) with the latter film, Soul centers on a middle-school music teacher (Jamie Foxx) whose quest to perform at a top jazz club takes him on a journey through a fantastical land populated by unborn souls.

"This densely packed, exquisitely executed and just a teensy bit batshit film is peak Pixar. It's a vintage mix of the company's intricate storytelling, complex emotional intelligence, technical prowess and cerebral whimsy on dexamethasone." —Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter

The fourth and likely final installment in Pixar's longest-running franchise may be the lowest-scoring release in the series, but that doesn't mean it isn't still great. The directorial debut for Josh Cooley adds Tony Hale's Forky to a returning cast once again led by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen.

"It doesn't put you through the emotional wringer the way its predecessor did, but it's consistently inventive, funny, witty, and heartfelt. In other words, it's a lot better than it has any right to be. It's more than good enough to justify its existence." —Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor

While a Metascore of 88 is nothing to scoff at, Toy Story 2 is the lowest-rated film in the trilogy. With Andy off at cowboy camp, the toys get into some mischief, including the kidnapping of Woody, who, until now, hasn't realized he was a collector's item. Four years after the original, some critics felt it was just as good, if not better, than the original, while others felt some of the novelty had worn off.

A buoyant yet heart-wrenching film, Up follows 78-year-old widower Carl Fredricksen as he pursues a longtime dream. Carl tacks balloons to his home and charts a course to South America, while a Wilderness Explorer stowaway brings some self-discovery to the mix.

"Extending the patented Pixar mix of humor and heart, Up is the studio's most deeply emotional and affecting work." —Richard Corliss, Time

Sure, The Incredibles won over kids with its likable superhuman characters and charming humor, but critics were wowed by its nuanced storytelling and uplifting themes.

"A work of huge, if unobtrusive, ambition—a vision of modern life, appropriate for sophisticated adults as well as for kids, that is both satirical and, of all things, inspirational. It's a great film about the possibility of greatness." —Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

One of the darlings of the Pixar family, there's no doubt that Finding Nemo holds a place in the hearts of film critics and families alike. Chalk it up to the adorable undersea creatures (Ellen DeGeneres particularly shines bright in her role as Dory, who gets a movie of her own this summer), the stunning underwater scenery, and the touching tale of a father's search for his son.

Despite hitting theaters 15 years after the original Toy Story, this 2010 film proves that Woody and Buzz have a lasting hold on audiences, regardless of time and place. New characters like Barbie and Ken keep the third installment in the trilogy feeling fresh.

Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith, and Lewis Black flesh out the impressive cast that Disney and Pixar recruited for this imaginative 2015 film, which helps to illustrate what really goes on inside someone's head. Keep a box of tissues handy: this one's a tearjerker.

Set in the distant future, Wall-E proves that robots have feelings too. The first 30 minutes of the 2008 film are wordless, relying on Pixar's brilliant CGI technology and blend of funny and feel-good scenes to yield stellar results.

"Daring and traditional, groundbreaking and familiar, apocalyptic and sentimental, Wall-E gains strength from embracing contradictions that would destroy other films." —Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

Director Brad Bird weaves the tale of a rat who wants nothing more than to become a Michelin-starred chef, incorporating familiar voices from Patton Oswalt, Janeane Garofalo, and Will Arnett. Like a richly flavored meal, 2007's Ratatouille is universally acclaimed for its many layers: hilarious hijinks, heartfelt moments, and hunger-inducing animation.

One of the classic films of the '90s, this first-of-its-kind movie delights children and parents alike. Through the voices of Tim Allen and Tom Hanks, Buzz Lightyear and Woody become multifaceted lead characters who teach viewers lasting lessons about jealousy and friendship.