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- Families around the world are getting ready for Elemental (June 16), Pixar's most recent outing. For years, the studio's work has been widely regarded as the standard for American animation. Since new audiences are constantly discovering and falling in love with their films, their scores on IMDb are constantly shifting.
The American animation company Pixar has been making audiences laugh and cry for over two decades now. In that time, they've created a variety of hilarious, heartwarming films suitable for the whole family, as well as some of cinema's most iconic characters.
The company has had a few misfires over the course of its existence, but there's no doubt that the vast majority of its filmography is held in high regard by critics and audiences alike. Though it's hard to pick a favorite Pixar film, IMDb is here to help point out some of the studio's most beloved outings.
Updated on June 14, 2023, by Diego Pineda Pacheco:
Families around the world are getting ready for Elemental (June 16), Pixar's most recent outing. For years, the studio's work has been widely regarded as the standard for American animation. Since new audiences are constantly discovering and falling in love with their films, their scores on IMDb are constantly shifting.
15 'Luca' (2021)
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Although Pixar's track record in the past few years hasn't been the best, they have certainly put out films that fans have felt lived up to the studio's past work. Luca, about two young boys' unforgettable Italian summer being threatened by a deep secret, is one of those special modern Pixar movies.
Featuring some of Pixar's best kid characters, the film has a beautiful, playful animation style that is unlike anything else the company had done before. Mixed with the story's tactful way of tackling very adult issues of acceptance and identity, you get a delightfully sweet experience that's really hard to dislike.
14 'Incredibles 2' (2018)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Coming 14 years after its legendary predecessor, Incredibles 2 had a weight on its shoulders that very few legacy sequels ever had. While it didn't exactly live up to the level of quality of the original, IMDb users thought that it was more than fun enough to qualify as one of the best Pixar movies.
The animation is outstanding, making the film's various high-thrill set pieces all the more entertaining and exciting. Funny and with tons of heart, Incredibles 2 offers more of the Parrs' fun family dynamics while taking on a nuanced portrayal of complex topics like marriage, technology, and heroism.
13 'Toy Story 4' (2019)
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
When Toy Story 4 was announced, fans were skeptical. They felt that the third installment had finished the narrative on a high note, and that it would be hard to replicate the franchise's success a fourth time. To many people's relief, the movie turned out to be a moving, visually striking addition to this beloved story about living toys and their various adventures.
While many people thought that the movie didn't do enough to justify its existence, leading it to become the lowest-rated of the series on IMDb, even they found it hard to deny that Toy Story 4 is a great time. Hilarious, emotionally stirring, and a great way to cap off one of Pixar's most iconic couples, it's a fourquel that manages to overcome its flaws to please fans.
12 'Toy Story 2' (1999)
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Despite having arguably the most tumultuous production in Pixar's history, Toy Story 2 turned out to be one of the studio's most successful and beloved efforts. Bigger and more complex than the first film, some users on IMDb think that this sequel is even a little better.
All the charming characters of Toy Story 2 make the adventure to rescue Woody one of the most purely entertaining experiences that any Pixar movie has to offer. There are scenes to laugh at, scenes to cry at, and plenty of memorable elements that make this an endearing classic.
11 'Soul' (2020)
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Back in the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown, people around the world were in desperate need of an uplifting streaming movie to comfort them. Pixar's response to that need was Soul, a gorgeously life-affirming story about how passion feeds humans' search for meaning in life.
Few movies leave you with an appetite for relishing every small detail of your life quite like Soul does. The concept is creative and incredibly profound, serving as the backdrop of a perfectly written story that's sure to move even the coldest of hearts.
10 'The Incredibles' (2004)
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
With the Fantastic Four preparing to enter the MCU, Disney's catalog is about to grow one superhero family bigger. But it's going to be a titanic task to create a more interesting superhero family than the Parrs, the bickering, tightly-knit animated super team in matching red costumes first introduced in Brad Bird's The Incredibles.
The animation and dialogue are exceptional, and it's genius how each character's power is reflective of their fun, vibrant personality. Violet is shy, so she can turn invisible. Frozone is effortlessly cool, so he has ice powers. With clever little details like that, Bird's film becomes much more than a simple family superhero movie.
9 'Inside Out' (2015)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Inside Out is a film that just about everybody can relate to. It follows a young girl named Riley, who is forced to move from the Midwest to San Francisco, which prompts some pretty extreme reactions from her emotions: Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust, and Sadness.
Not only are the argumentative emotions hilarious to watch, but Inside Out is also one of the most emotional animated movies ever. Stars of the caliber of Bill Hader, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling comprise just part of the impressive cast, and the film's unique concept keeps things fresh throughout.
8 'Monsters, Inc.' (2001)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Monstropolis is, by far, the coolest place seen in a Pixar film. The monster-populated city is perfectly thought out, with the writers ensuring that even the smallest detail makes it feel like a real, lived-in place, whether that be wet dog deodorant or the sludge they consider coffee.
Monsters, Inc. has everything audiences want in an animated film: larger-than-life characters, triumphant voice performances (Billy Crystal and John Goodman shine), and a plot that keeps both adults and children on the edge of their seats. It's no wonder why this is considered one of Pixar's best movies.
7 'Ratatouille' (2007)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
The kitchen of a fancy French restaurant is invaded by a rat who puts his paws all over the food. If you think this sounds more like the start of a horror film than a light-hearted family comedy, you're not alone. Ratatouille, however, somehow manages to make that premise the basis of an absolute delight of a film.
Brad Bird co-wrote and co-directed the movie, and his trademark style and wit are clear throughout. Remy, voiced by Patton Oswalt, is arguably one of the most lovable protagonists Pixar has introduced. His drive, passion, and no-quit attitude are just three of the reasons that IMDb considers Ratatouille a movie so worthy of praise.
6 'Finding Nemo' (2003)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
It's hard to believe that almost two decades have passed since audiences first watched Marlin's (Albert Brooks) epic journey to reunite with his lost son. Finding Nemo took audiences to the depths of the Great Barrier Reef to see the extreme lengths that widowed father Marlin would go to protect his only son and the incredible friends he met along the way.
Featuring a fish tank heist escape, a demented fish-murdering toddler, and a severely forgetful fish, Finding Nemo won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and deservedly so. It has aged like fine wine, as IMDb users would be happy to confirm.
5 'Up' (2009)
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
If the first ten minutes of Up don't reduce you to a blubbering mess, it's safe to assume that you're a robot. The movie tells the story of Carl and his journey to transport his home to Paradise Falls, honoring the dream of his late wife, Ellie. It's one of the saddest animated movies you can find, yet also full of sweetness and an adventurous spirit.
Carl's immediate dismissal of Russell only makes his eventual befriending of the boy that much sweeter. Up is a wonderful exploration of grief and hope, which is surely why fans on IMDb have given it such a sky-high rating.
4 'Toy Story 3' (2010)
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
For people of a certain age, seeing Woody (Tom Hanks) say farewell to Andy felt like the end of their childhoods, and what an ending it was. At the time, Toy Story 3 felt like the perfect conclusion to the story; but even now that it has a sequel, that doesn't take away from the incredibly touching way in which it caps off the story of Andy and his toys.
Seeing Woody watch Andy drive away is one of the most emotionally powerful moments in all of the studio's library, making it no surprise that IMDb considers it one of the top 10 Pixar movies. Toy Story 3 is the whole package: As often as it's poignant, it's also funny and exciting, making it one of the most iconic animated sequels ever made.
3 'Toy Story' (1995)
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Toy Story is utterly timeless. Though it isn't a match for more recent Pixar films, the animation holds up extraordinarily well, especially considering that it was the first film to be entirely computer animated. The cast features Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, and Annie Potts, which set the standard for Pixar to attract huge names and round out their voice actors.
The characters are lovable, bounce off one another brilliantly, and the plot is fast-paced and exciting. Toy Story is an absolute treat, made even better by the fact that it was the pioneer in a style of animation that has now become the standard for the American animation industry – for good reason.
2 'Coco' (2017)
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Coco has all the heart, wit, and dazzling animation that Pixar is renowned for, on top of accurately and beautifully paying homage to Mexican culture and their Día de Muertos. The film follows Miguel, a young aspiring musician who enters the Land Of the Dead to track down his great-great-grandfather, who was a legendary singer.
The visuals are stunningly colorful and well-realized, and the characters are nicely developed, genuine, and relatable. Pixar is known for creating emotional movies, and Coco is certainly no exception. If you're going to watch it, have a tissue box ready for tears that'll be caused by both laughter and sadness.
1 'Wall-E' (2008)
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Wall-E is one of the most profound animated films of all time. The film, which is set in the distant future, follows Wall-E, a waste-collecting robot who accidentally finds himself in the middle of an epic space adventure after falling in love with a much more sophisticated robot.
Neither of the movie's robot co-protagonists is capable of complex speech, but it's easy to know exactly what they both are feeling at every moment, as the movie pays homage to silent cinema in its first half to then become a thrilling sci-fi adventure in the second. Wall-E is cinematic perfection in so many ways, making it no surprise that IMDb considers it to be the best Pixar film.