Today, everyone knows about Pixar animated movies due to their great story ideas, excellent visuals, and unforgettable characters. After the release of Toy Story, Pixar raised the standard of animation in these films by blending comedy, humor, emotion, and adventure.
From heartfelt narratives to the most humorous ones, these movies explore complex themes like family, friendship, and self-discovery while delivering a deep message. Here, we highlight some of the best Pixar animated movies that leave a lasting impact and that no one can dislike.
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Best Pixar Animation Movies
1- Wall-E
- IMDb: 8.4/10
- Release Date: June 27, 2008
Hey! Can you imagine what Earth will be like in 2805 based on the current situation? If you can’t, then let Wall-E show you the top pick on the list of the best Pixar animated movies. The story reveals the desolate wasteland hidden in garbage, which humans abandoned. Due to high pollution and waste, they left the planet, leaving behind only a small, lovable robot WALL-E, specially designed to clean up the mess.
Spending hundreds of years tirelessly collecting trash, and discovering interesting items WALL-E, finally meets companion EVE who arrives on Earth to search for signs of life. After seeing EVE, WALL-E falls in love with this sleek robot and together they seek an adventure across space.
2- Coco
- IMDb: 8.4/10
- Release Date: November 22, 2017
Cultures around the world practice the remembrance of ancestors, especially in Mexico, where they celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Our second pick on the list of best Pixar animated movies is Coco, which highlights this Mexican holiday through its emotional narrative and musical journey.
This vibrant plot showcases Miguel’s journey as he accidentally enters the colorful and fast-paced Land of the Dead. There, he meets his great-great-grandfather, who helps Miguel discover the truth about his family’s past and their connection to music. Throughout this journey, Miguel confronts their family’s traditions and fights for his passion while learning the importance of family, memory, and following one’s dreams.
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3- Inside Out 2
- IMDb: 7.6/10
- Release Date: June 14, 2024
After the release of Inside Out’s first season, the creators took two years to develop the emotional roller coaster of its second part, and now the main character Riley is in high school. During adolescence, she faces challenges filled with different emotions—Joy, Fear, Sadness, Anger, and Disgust—along with new emotions: Anxiety, Embarrassment, Envy, and Ennui.
As the journey begins, these new characters add complexity for Riley. Her old emotion, Joy, emphasizes positivity, while Anxiety expresses worry about her ability to make new friends and succeed. When she attends a hockey camp with her beloved friends Bree and Grace, her old and new emotions clash in her mind, creating chaos as they compete to help her. This leads to self-doubt and fear of losing friends. With this most relatable narrative, the film won the hearts of many viewers.
4- Up
- IMDb: 8.3/10
- Release Date: September 11, 2009
Up is a phenomenal story that showcases a childish dream of tying balloons to the house and flying around the world. This best Pixar animated movie features Carl Fredricksen, a retired balloon salesman who has always dreamed of adventure. When Carl was a young boy, he idolized the popular explorer Charles Muntz and desired to see Paradise Falls in South America.
As he meets a girl named Ellie, who shares the same dreams, they both fall in love with each other and build a life together. However, regular life challenges interrupt their adventurous trip to Paradise Falls, and Ellie eventually dies. To fulfill their dream, Carl ties thousands of balloons to the house and prepares for an exciting journey. During this time, he takes on the role of guardian for Russell, a young scout and eager boy aiming to obtain his final merit badge. Additionally, they meet new wild buddies together, and the film beautifully explores themes of love, loss, and dreams.
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5- Inside Out
- IMDb: 8.1/10
- Release Date: June 19, 2015
The most amazing concept-based story, Inside Out, also ranks among the best Pixar animated movies. In this first chapter, we meet Riley, an 11-year-old girl whose parents move from Minnesota to San Francisco, turning her life upside down. Her emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust—help her navigate the new challenges and adapt to this new environment.
Riley’s most dominant emotion, Joy, keeps her happy and optimistic despite the turmoil. However, when sadness suddenly starts affecting her core memories, Joy struggles to maintain balance in Riley’s emotions. When both emotions unexpectedly arrive at a massive storage facility containing Riley’s long-term memories, they embark on a journey to return before it’s too late. Anger, Fear, and Disgust attempt to manage her emotions, but they fail as she feels distant from her parents and friends. Through this message, the story highlights the importance of both emotions.
6- Toy Story 2
- IMDb: 7.9/10
- Release Date: November 24, 1999
We won’t miss the opportunity to include the most popular title, Toy Story 2, in the best Pixar animated movies list. This sequel film follows Woody and Buzz Lightyear, along with Andy’s toys co-leaders, as they face new challenges. Just before Andy’s family plans to visit Cowboy Camp, Woody accidentally gets damaged.
Fearing that someone will throw him away, Woody puts himself on a shelf, where he meets a penguin toy named Wheezy with a broken squeaker. When a person tries to sell Wheezy at a yard sale, Woody bravely rescues him, but greedy toy collector Al McWhiggin steals Wheezy. To save Woody, Buzz, Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Rex, and Hamm embark on a mission during which they learn about his origin and history. This movie ties the toys together through friendship, self-discovery, and loyalty.
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7- Ratatouille
- IMDb: 8.1/10
- Release Date: June 29, 2007
Ratatouille showcases an exciting and unseen narrative centered around a young rat named Remy, who loves cooking and possesses a remarkable sense of taste—inspired by the famous chef Auguste Gusteau, Remy dreams of becoming a chef in Paris.
Remy’s life takes a turn when he meets Alfredo Linguini, a clumsy young man who works as a garbage boy in Gusteau’s restaurant. When Linguini accidentally ruins a soup, Remy can’t resist helping him. Using his skills, Remy secretly controls Linguini by pulling his hair, transforming him into an unexpected culinary star. As they work together, they face several difficulties, including the challenges of friendship and ambition.
8- Soul
- IMDb: 8.0/10
- Release Date: October 11, 2020
The next plot in the best Pixar animated movies list is Soul which redefines the meaning of life. This follows a middle school band teacher, Joe Gardner, who has a passion for jazz music and dreams of becoming a successful musician. Finally, he gets a chance to play at a prestigious jazz club, now he feels like his dreams have come true.
However, he accidentally falls into a manhole and finds himself in the Great Beyond. As Joe tries to escape, he reaches the Great Before, where instructors prepare new souls for life on Earth. There, he meets 22, a cynical soul who has dodged life on Earth for centuries. Joe aims to help him by teaching valuable lessons about the real meaning of life.
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9- Big Hero 6
- IMDb: 7.8/10
- Release Date: November 7, 2014
If you enjoy exploring tech and futuristic stories, then you’ll find that Big Hero 6 ranks among the best Pixar animated movies. The plot follows Hiro Hamada, a 14-year-old robotics prodigy living in San Fransokyo. After Hiro gets involved in some illegal activities, his older brother, Tadashi, encourages him to pursue his talents positively and join the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology.
There, he meets Tadashi’s friends: Go Go Tomago, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, and Fred, along with Baymax, an inflatable healthcare robot that his brother created. However, a tragedy strikes the institute and claims Tadashi’s life while he attempts to save his mentor. This accident grief-stricken Hiro and left him feeling lost, prompting him to embark on a journey to uncover the truth while assembling a team of all Tadashi’s friends. Filled with action, adventure, thrill, innovation, friendship, and the spirit of heroism, this movie captivates the audience’s attention.
10- The Incredibles
- IMDb: 8.0/10
- Release Date: November 5, 2004
The Incredible beautifully explores the superhero-based narrative by showcasing a whole superhero family. The Parr family consists of Bob Parr, known as Mr. Incredible, his wife Helen, known as Elastigirl, and their three children, Violet, Dash, and baby Jack-Jack. Since the government bans the use of any powers, they live undercover in a suburban neighborhood.
As they started adjusting to their new life, one day a mysterious woman named Mirage sent Bob a secret message, offering him a dangerous mission involving a rogue robot called the Omnidroid. To regain glory, Bob accepted the opportunity. However, this decision trapped his family with several challenges and valuable lessons.
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11- Finding Nemo
- IMDb: 8.2/10
- Release Date: May 30, 2003
The heartwarming and most lovable story in the best Pixar animated movies list is Finding Nemo. This showcases a beautiful relationship between the overprotected father, a clownfish named Marlin, and his fearless son, Nemo. They live in an underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef, with fear, especially after a tragedy took his wife and most of their eggs.
On the first day of Nemo’s school, his father worries, but Nemo feels excited to explore. In a moment of defiance, he swims too close to a boat, and a diver captures him. Now, he is in a fish tank in the dentist’s office in Sydney and to rescue him Marline moves on to an epic adventure. In this, he meets blue tang fish Dory, a friendly but forgetful, who joins him on his quest. Together they encounter various sea creatures and navigate in the vast ocean to discover Nemo.
12- The Good Dinosaur
- IMDb: 6.7/10
- Release Date: November 25, 2015
The last story in the checklist of best Pixar animated movies is The Good Dinosaur, which unfolds in a world where dinosaurs never went extinct. The story follows a young Apatosaurus named Arlo, who struggles and faces difficulty in finding his place in the family. One day, as they all live on a corn farm, a small creature steals the food that Arlo’s father sends him to catch.
During this mission, a tragic storm changes his life completely, prompting him to chase the same creature, a feral caveboy named Spot, into the wilderness. Together as they search for their way home, Arlo learns an important life lesson about courage, friendship, and the true meaning of strength.
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We conclude our list of the best Pixar animated movies here with twelve beloved stories that showcase high animation, deep emotions, and great character development, featuring characters like Arlo, Hiro, and others. Additionally, we include some upcoming movie suggestions for you, such as Elio, Toy Story 5, and Win and Lose. For more recommendations related to animated movies, visit our website.
