Every single Pixar movie, in order of release
Pixar movies are absolutely magic, aren't they? While our love for Disney classics will remain forever, we all hold powerful, core memories of our favourite movies by Pixar Animation Studios, which have put out a whopping 27 films since 1995, with 15 of them becoming the top 50 highest-grossing animated films of all time. Impressive.
Furthermore, Pixar doesn't have favourites when it comes to which actors voice their iconic characters. Sure, the likes of Tom Hanks, Octavia Spencer and Sigourney Weaver have cemented their A-list status with roles in the studio's movies, but Hollywood's brightest up-and-coming talents have also been given a chance. Case in point, the latest release, Elemental, features Leah Lewis as its lead, who has also starred in the 2020 film The Half of It. Meanwhile, the year before, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan from Never Have I Ever fame starred in Turning Red.
So what exactly makes a Pixar movie so great? Well, first of all, with the advancement of cinema over the years, the studio, which first began as a subdivision of Lucasfilm before becoming its own corporation in 1986, delighted movie fanatics with its top-of-the-line computer-generated animations that have created absolute magic for people of all ages.
With those crisp and clean state-of-the-art visuals, the larger-than-life plots, and the outlandish characters that we can all relate to in some way, animated film lovers have genuinely been spoilt for choice. No matter what happens during these movies, they are always able to elicit some sort of emotion, whether its tears of laughter, tears of sadness (definitely tissues at the ready), or feelings of cosiness and warmth, Pixar indeed provides us with an elevated sense of escapism we all crave.
So, if you're in major need of a pick-me-up, here are all 27 Pixar movies in order of their release for your next binge-session:
©DisneyToy Story (1995)
Voiced by: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts
Plot: Cowboy doll Woody sees his position as Andy's favourite toy jeopardised when his parents buy him a Buzz Lightyear action figure, who arrogantly thinks he's a real spaceman on a mission. However, when Andy's family moves home, the toys are found in the clutches of the weird neighbour, and they must break free to reunite with their owner.Toy Story is undoubtedly one of the most iconic animated movie franchises of all time, so Pixar certainly started off with a bang on this one!
DisneyA Bug’s Life (1998)
Voiced by: Dave Foley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Plot: Probably the only time you'll ever love those creepy crawlies, A Bug's Life, which was Pixar's second film, follows an awkward ant Flik as he leads an army of ants and enlists a troop of circus bugs to help him to retaliate against a group of evil grasshoppers who steal their food every year.A Bug's Life was one aimed more at children, and we definitely have vivid memories of being grossed out by all the… ahem… bugs while at the cinema.
Toy Story 2 (1999)
Voiced by: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen
Plot: Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang embark on a mission to rescue Woody from the clutches of toy dealer Al McWhiggin. However, when Woody realises that he's actually a valuable collectable from a once-popular television show called Woody's Roundup and is tempted to become immortal in a museum, things take a horrifying turn. With people rushing to the cinemas to watch the second instalment of Toy Story franchise, this was certainly was another win in the bag for Pixar.
© Disney / PixarMonsters, Inc. (2001)
Voiced by: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Mary Gibbs
Plot: Best friends Sulley and Mike are loving life as the top scarers working at the largest scare factory in the world, Monsters, Inc, where things most certainly go bump in the night. However, when Boo, a tiny girl from the human world, visit them, they find their world turned upside down.We totally adore the girl power in this film!
Finding Nemo (2003)
Voiced by: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush
Plot: Chaos ensues as Marlin's young son Nemo is abducted from the Great Barrier and dispatched down to Sydney. In an effort to save his son, he joins forces with a reef fish named Dory, who has short-term memory loss, to find Nemo despite the ocean dangers of shakes and jellyfish.The most important aspect of the movie is the underlying message: Instead of smothering those you love, you need to unleash them into the dark waters for them to make their own way.
?WALT DISNEY PICTURES/PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.The Incredibles (2004)
Voiced by: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, Jason Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Elizabeth Peña
Plot: We all love a superhero family, and The Incredibles are our favourite!When all super-powered activity has been banned by the government, Mr Incredible and Elastigirl are forced to assume mundane everyday lives. The pair long to return to a life of adventure and soon have the chance when an island battles an out-of-control robot. We love the make-believe world of superheroes, and this is one of our favourites!
chammondCars (2006)
Voiced by: Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy
Plot: Serving as a great lesson for all of us to slow things down a bit, this movie is about a racing car named Lightning McQueen that is forced to repair all the damages he has done in Radiator Springs before he can get back on the road. The film proves that everything route must be taken in the need for speed, even if it's a bump ride!
DISNEY/PIXARRatatouille (2007)
Voiced by: Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano, Brad Garrett, Peter O'Toole, Janeane Garofalo
Plot: Probably the most famous rat to ever exist, Pixar's Ratatouille sees ambitious rat Remy move to Paris to pursue his dream of becoming a great chef. He joins forces with hapless chef Luigi in a restaurant kitchen to prove his ability but remains in hiding simultaneously. And yes, you guessed it, plenty of chaos ensues. Ratatouille is a movie we have watched time and time again, and never gets old!
© Disney / PIXAR. All rights reservedWALL-E (2008)
Voiced by: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver
Plot: WALL-E, short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class, is incredibly lonely as the last remaining robot on Earth. For 700 years, he spends his days cleaning up the planet until he spots EVE, a sleek, shapely probe sent to Earth on a scanning mission. Smitten, WALL-E follows Eve on a journey across the galaxy.While this may be one of the lesser-known Pixar movies, we recommend checking it out as it's such a great watch!
©Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.Up (2009)
Voiced by: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson
Plot: We definitely consider Up a classic! In this beloved movie, a 78-year-old balloon salesman, Carl Fredricksen, fulfils a lifelong dream of tying thousands of balloons to his home and flying away to a South American wilderness in honour of his late wife. However, there's a dent in his plans as he discovers that a little boy named Russell is a stowaway on board his balloon-powered home. Tissues at the ready for this one…
©Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.Toy Story 3 (2010)
Voiced by: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Jodi Benson
Plot: Chaos ensues for the Toy Story gang in the third instalment! Before Andy prepares to leave for college, his toys are mistakenly delivered to a daycare centre. After Woody convinces the others that they were not dumped there on purpose, he leads them on an expedition back home. Reach for the sky!
Cars 2 (2011)
Voiced by: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, John Turturro, Eddie Izzard
Plot: Lightning McQueen and his tow-truck driver buddy continue their epic racing adventures abroad as they head to Japan and Europe for the first-ever World Grand Prix. However, while Lightning focuses on winning the championships, Mater becomes sidetracked by international espionage and ends up uncovering a conspiracy led by a mysterious criminal mastermind which threatens all the competitors in the Grand Prix.
Disney/PixarBrave (2012)
Voiced by: Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson
Plot: As Pixar's first film with a female protagonist (yay!), Brave focuses on skilled archer Merida, the courageous daughter of Scottish King Fergus and Queen Elinor, who seeks to carve out her own path in life. Her retaliation of an age-old tradition leaves the Highland lords fuming, and Merida must seek help from an eccentric witch to undo the chaos and a beastly curse before it's too late.
PixarMonsters University (2013)
Voiced by: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren
Plot: Two monsters, Mike and Sulley, join Monsters University in order to graduate as the scariest monsters on the planet. But it's not all about the terrifying end goal, as they go from being arch-rivals to best friends following a series of crazy antics and tough lessons learnt.It's definitely not the type of university experience we may have had, but it's always great to imagine student life through the eyes of two monsters!
PIXARInside Out (2015)
Voiced by: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan
Plot: A great movie that teaches you how to cope with your emotions. When happy hockey-loving Riley is forced to move to San Francisco from Minnesota, her world turns upside down. She uses her five core emotions Fear, Anger, Joy, Disgust and Sadness, to guide her through the big life change.
© Pixar/DisneyThe Good Dinosaur (2015)
Voiced by: Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Sam Elliott, Anna Paquin, A. J. Buckley, Steve Zahn, Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand
Plot: The Good Dinosaur focuses on frightened little dino Arlo, who has accidentally washed away from his family and taken downriver by a relentless rainstorm. There, he meets a Neanderthal boy who offers him help, and the pair forge a sweet friendship as they attempt to reunite Arlo with his family. You'll most certainly be a tyrannosaurus wreck when you see this one, so keep the tissues close by.
PixarFinding Dory (2016)
Voiced by: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Hayden Rolence, Ty Burrell, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy
Plot: Dory is a blue tang fish who suffers from memory loss every ten seconds or so. However, the only thing she does remember is being separated from her parents as a child. With the help of Nemo and Marlin, they set out on a mission to find her parents, who she soon learns are being held captive at the Marine Life Institute. Can she save her parents for the epic reunion in time?
PixarCars 3 (2017)
Voiced by: Owen Wilson, Kerry Washington, Lea DeLaria, Cristela Alonzo
Plot: With age not on his side anymore, Lightning McQueen feels insecure with a new generation of speed cars set to take his crown and push him out of the sport he very much loves. In hopes of getting back in the game, he teams up with a charismatic young technician Crus Ramirez and begins preparing to compete on the coveted Piston Cup Racing stage.
Walt Disney/PixarCoco (2017)
Voiced by: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renée Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguía, Edward James Olmos
Plot: Young Miguel dreams of being an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz despite his family's generations-old ban on music. To prove his ambition and talents, he joins forces with a charming trickster named Héctor to discover the real story behind his family history while exploring the colourful Land of the Dead.
PixarIncredibles 2 (2018)
Voiced by: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huckleberry Milner, Samuel L. Jackson, Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, Jonathan Banks
Plot: Mr Incredibles is forced to stay home with the children as telecommunications guru Winston Deavor enlists Elastigirl to set off on a mission to catch a supervillain and restore the public's faith in superheroes. However, while at home, Mr Incredible realises that a cybercriminal named Screenslaver is hatching a deadly plan through computer screens, and he springs into action to stop him.
Disney/PixarToy Story 4 (2019)
Voiced by: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Madeleine McGraw, Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves
Plot: The gang are back in this fourth instalment of Toy Story, which sees Woody trying his best to make struggling Forky realise his importance in the life of their owner Bonnie. However, when Bonnie takes everyone on an RV road trip, Forky gets lost, and Woody and Buzz set out to find him. That's until Gabby Gabby comes into the picture...
DisneyOnward (2019)
Voiced by: Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer
Plot: Onward definitely had us a bit emotional with its visually stunning tale of teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley, who embark on a magical journey to spend one more date with their late father. Their adventure comes with plenty of surprising discoveries and obstacles, but it really hammers home the fact the family is everything.
PixarSoul (2020)
Voiced by: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Questlove, Angela Bassett
Plot: Aspiring jazz musician Joe lives an unfulfilled life before finally getting his big break. However, he takes one wrong turn and ends up in another realm called the Great Before, where an infant soul helps him discover the meaning of having a soul in order to return him to reality.Soul won Oscars for Best Score and Best Animated Feature, so you're definitely in for a good time with this Pixar movie.
PixarLuca (2021)
Voiced by: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Saverio Raimondo, Maya Rudolph, Marco Barricelli, Jim Gaffigan
Plot: This Pixar movie is a wonderful coming-of-age story about a young boy who enjoys an unforgettable Italian summer with his new BFF, who just so happens to be a sea monster with a very dark secret.Pixar certainly had an older audience in mind for Luca, so it shows that the studio is open to taking on different tones, storylines and moods with ease.
Disney PixarTurning Red (2022)
Voiced by: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, Tristan Allerick Chen, James Hong
Plot: Things get even more challenging for a thirteen-year-old girl who already has to grapple between staying her mother's dutiful daughter and the changes of adolescence when she realises that when she gets overly excited, she transforms into a giant red panda. Honestly, we wish we could, too!
DisneyLightyear (2022)
Voiced by: Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, Uzo Aduba
Plot: Legendary space ranger Buzz Lightyear attempts to find his way back home alongside recruits Izzy, Mo, Darby, and his robot companion, Sox, after being deserted on a hostile planet. It's not all smooth sailing, though, as the team faces plenty of threats to the universe's safety on the way back.
PixarElemental (2023)
Voiced by: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Catherine O'Hara, Ronnie del Carmen, Bernie Lumen, Shila Ommi
Plot: In a city where fire, water, land, and air residents live together, no-nonsense go-getter Ember, who is made out of flames and lives in Firetown, meets laid-back Wade, made out of water. Ember soon realises she wants more from life as the pair connect deeper while exploring Element City.Movie-goers loved the latest release by Pixar, with one person pointing out the significance of its lead voice actors, tweeting: "One of the many reasons why I love #Elemental so much is the fact that Ember and Wade are voiced by an Asian woman and a Black man respectively. An interracial couple that doesn't involve a white person voicing leads in a Pixar movie is a first. We love to see it!"
