Miracles do happen. A good movie — make that a great movie — hit the No. 1 spot this weekend. That's right, Pixar's latest animated masterwork, Up, had the helium to fly off with $68.2 million. That kicked the lazy ass of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian to second place. If only Up had dragged that Ben Stiller sequel to hell. Last night on the MTV Movie Awards, even Triumph the Wonder Dog referred to Museum as torture right to Stiller's face. I'll second that cigar-smoking mutt.
Up scored the third biggest Pixar opening weekend, following 2004’s The Incredibles ($70.5 million) and 2003’s Finding Nemo ($70.3 million). So much for all the hand wringing that audiences wouldn't show up and pay up for a movie about a little boy and an old man with dentures. Up scored the best reviews of any movie so far this year. Sam Raimi's return to his low-rent horror roots, Drag Me To Hell, also won wide critical approval. But its 3rd place weekend take of $16.6 million had some box-office watchers predicting doom. I'm betting (read: hoping) that Raimi and his denture-wearing old lady from hell will build an audience. If it doesn't, let the curse of the Lamia fall on those with no spirit to venture out of their comfort zones. Raimi's movie isn't big budget, nor does it have a 3-D gimmick to lure in the crowds.
Up is Pixar's first 3-D movie and the screens showing Up in 3-D (about 1500 of them) did twice as well as the theaters showing Up in 2-D. I'd like to reactions from those of you who saw Up wearing 3-D glasses, since I prefer the 2-D version myself. But any way you look at it, Up is a winner, making it 10 hits out of 10 movies for Pixar. Below are the Pixar 10 ranked by box-office clout. Screw money. Let's pick the all-time Pixar Top 3 purely on artistic merit (I'll go with The Incredibles, WALL-E and Up) and then throw in a nominee for bottom of the barrel (maybe A Bug's Life). Here's the list — jump in:
Finding Nemo
The Incredibles
Monsters, Inc.
Toy Story 2
Cars
WALL-E
Ratatouille
Toy Story
A Bug's Life
Up
Share
Email
Stumble
AIM
Del.icio.us
DiggThis
Fark It!
- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.
Get RS Mobile
RSS
DA | June 18, 2009 4:17 PM
Toy Story
Rataoullie
Finding Nemo
Incredibles
Up
Monster's Inc.
WALL E
Toy Story 2
A Bug's Life
Cars
George | June 14, 2009 8:51 PM
Best:
Up
Toy Story 1 & 2
Wall-E
Monster's Inc.
ok:
A Bug's Life
overrated/don't care about:
Finding Nemo
The Incredibles
could care less:
Ratatouille
Cars
do the shorts count?
JBizarre | June 11, 2009 4:56 PM
I still haven't seen Up! so my list is:
Favorite Ever: WALL-E.
It's a masterpiece, and I'm sure the new generations will love it.
Just awesome:
Toy Story
Finding Nemo
Toy Story
Great:
The Incredibles
Monsters Inc.
A Bug's Life
Good:
Cars
Ratatouille
carlos martinez | June 11, 2009 2:20 PM
There are no 'bottom of the barrel' when it comes to Pixar. Put it simply in the Jaw-dropping category all by themselves: from the playfulness of Monsters (Sulley!) to the majestic grandeur of Ratatouille and the gloomy beauty of Wall-E. No losers here.
Stu | June 8, 2009 8:02 PM
All Pixar movies are good. Some are great. Some are amongst my favorite films. Here's how I'd break them down.
Masterpieces:
1. WALL-E
2. The Incredibles
3. Toy Story 2
Great movies:
4. Finding Nemo
5. Toy Story
6. Up
7. Ratatouile
Very Good Movies:
8. Monsters, Inc.
9. Cars
Good movie:
10. A Bug's Life
I feel like A Bug's Life was made when they still had some interference from the overall Disney Brass. Maybe its also because the superior Antz was released a month earlier, I just don't dig Bug very much.
Yvette | June 5, 2009 7:29 PM
Ratatouille
WALL-E
Up
Finding Nemo
Toy Story
My top 5
Zach | June 3, 2009 5:39 AM
My all time favorite Pixar movie is still WALL-E.
Carri | June 2, 2009 10:58 PM
1) Finding Nemo (for a while I thought Wall-E had overtaken it, but then I watched Nemo and was reminded why it is so great)
2) Wall-E (what can I say, Stanton is brilliant)
3) Toy Story
4) Toy Story 2
5) Up (it was really really excellent, LOVE Dug the Dog)
6) A Bug's Life (SO UNDERRATED, its a great story about overcoming oppression and everyone in it is great, esp. Spacey)
7) The Incredibles
8) Monsters Inc. (totes brilliant, so funny. This film reminds me of old-fashioned comedy)
9) Ratatouille
10) Cars
I would just like to say that ranking these is hard to do because they are each good for different reasons. Also, I'm pretty sure if I sat down and ranked my top 25 movies all the Pixar films would be on it.
Bustray | June 2, 2009 10:17 PM
1. Toy Story
2. Up
3. The Incredibles
4. Toy Story 2
5. Monsters Inc.
6. WALL-E
7. Ratatouille
8. Finding Nemo
9. Cars
10. A Bug's Life
Beatle65 | June 2, 2009 7:21 PM
1. WALL*E
2. The Incredibles
3. Toy Story 2
4. Finding Nemo
5. Toy Story
6. Monster's Inc.
7. A Bug's Life
8. Cars
9. Ratatouille
But I love them all! Haven't seen UP yet but I will be seeing it in 3D.
Anonymous | June 2, 2009 6:52 PM
1) WALL-E
2) Toy Story
3) The Incredibles
joe bob | June 2, 2009 6:08 PM
I love em all but Up is definately NUMBER ONE
Pixar Fan | June 2, 2009 5:17 PM
1. Toy Story
2. Toy story 2
3. Up
4. Ratatouille
5. Incredibles
6. Finding Nemo
7. Monsters Inc.
8. Cars
9. Wall-e
10. Bugs Life
All are good. For some reason, im just not a huge Wall-e fan like everybody else. it's the kind of movie that you watch once to experience it, and then you don't care for it anymore. at least that was what it was for me. up was awesome!!!
matt09m | June 2, 2009 5:09 PM
1. Wall-E
2. Incredibles
5. Up!
I saw Up in 3-D. Some of the camera work/transitions were blurry and made the people I was with and myself a little dizzy. It did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the film though, but I would prefer the 2-D version.
Alex H | June 2, 2009 5:03 PM
#1 WALL-E
#2 Finding Nemo
#3 The Incredibles
I saw Up in 3D. It was in the middle for me.
Least impressive: Cars
foxboro | June 2, 2009 4:01 PM
sorry #7 is toy story 2, not toy story
foxboro | June 2, 2009 3:59 PM
1 ratatouille
2 wall-e
3 toy story
4 finding nemo
5 the incredibles
6 monsters, inc.
7 toy story
8 a bug's life
9 cars
haven't seen up yet
terrible turnip | June 2, 2009 3:15 PM
1. Finding Nemo
2. Ratatouille
3. Toy Story
Bottom of the barrel: Cars which I don't hate. I just think it's not up to par with the rest of their movies.
2dk | June 2, 2009 1:18 PM
I would have to say:
1. Ratatouille- maybe not for everyone (I suppose) but it is truly brilliant and is great commentary on art and creativity
2. WALL-E- the fact that a movie like this is actually embraced by our culture gives me hope
3. Toy Story
4. Finding Nemo
5. Incredibles- these 3 movies are all amazing and hard to rank against each other.
6. Monster's Inc.- really imaginative story, great voice acting, clever, and fun. Yet it didn't stick with me quite as much as the other 5 did.
7. Cars- Pleasant story, fun movie, kids probably love it. But that's about it.
8. A Bug's Life- not because it's bad, but because all I remember about it was that I seemed to enjoy it...and that's it. not too memorable.
I haven't been able to make it out to Up yet, and have never seen Toy Story 2, so I can't add them yet
Zombie | June 2, 2009 11:56 AM
"A Bug's Life" is completely satisfying, but the least original work in the Pixar catalog. It's a reworking of "The Magnificent Seven" which is itself a reworking of "The Seven Samurai."
Jimmy Jazz | June 2, 2009 10:26 AM
I haven't seen Up yet, but anyway....
1.) Incredibles. For my money, Pixar's best blend of emotion, humor (it helps immesely that the characters are human.), and knock-you-on-your-ass technical wizardry. I refer any doubters to Dash's big chase scene. The animation is incredible (no pun), but the real fun here is watching a little kid with superpowers figuring out exactly what he's capable of. Maybe a metaphor for the movie itself.....
2.) Finding Nemo. This is where Pixar really hit it's stride. Compelling storyline (even if it amounts to a road-trip with fish insted of people) and animation that may just be the best of any Pixar flick.
3.) Toy Story. Groundbreaking animation (if a bit dated looking not even 15 years later; that's Pixar innovation for you.), but if that was all the movie had going for it, we wouldn't be having this discussion. By taking the time to create a compelling story to go with the striking visuals, this movie raised the bar for any animated film to come after it.
..... And Last
10.) Cars. I'm sorry, Toys, Fish, and Monsters are one thing, but I don't think there's anyway to make me care about talking cars. I wasn't especially wowed by the animation either, though some of the backgrounds were impressive.
Diannha | June 2, 2009 10:24 AM
I meant never have been nominated for "Best Picture." I know that a few have won for "Best Animated Film." :)
Diannha | June 2, 2009 10:22 AM
This will give away my age (:P) but I remember when "Beauty and the Beast" was nominated for Best Picture back in the early 90s. I don't understand how any of these films (well, except for maybe "A Bug's Life," I was never really a fan) haven't at least been NOMINATED! It's a crime I tell you! :)
Maureen | June 2, 2009 10:18 AM
Toy Story was the first and will always be the best! :)
Christian | June 2, 2009 9:26 AM
1. Wall-E- Genius in the first third, brilliance in the second, and the social commentary at the end is dead-on.
2. Up- Touching, funny as hell, great images, great voices. It sticks in your head and you replay the themes.
3. The Incredibles- Imaginative as all get-out and the first truly adult-themed Pixar film. A breakthrough in all respects.
Bottom three (Not because they're bad, just not up to the level of the top three)
Monster's Inc- Great story and hilarious voices (Billy Crystal has never been better) The door factory sequence rocks, but the rest doesn't measure up. Honestly, the section with the Abominable Snowman drags a bit.
Bug's Life- Quit knocking it folks. The circus troupe is terrfically funny and the outtakes are brilliance. In between, some dull spots. Since when do ants have four legs?
Cars- Entertaining without a doubt, but grating after a while.
Mark | June 2, 2009 8:29 AM
As great as WALL-E, Toy Story and the Incredibles are...and they are great films...I think Monsters, Inc is the most creative of the bunch...the story is just brilliant
TequilaMockingbird | June 2, 2009 6:32 AM
Top 5:
1) Up
2) The Incredibles
3) Toy Story
4) Finding Nemo
5) Monsters Inc.
Sadly, I still haven't seen WALL-E...
abdulnasir | June 2, 2009 6:16 AM
1. WALL-E was pure genius. I was mesmerized.
2. THE INCREDIBLES.
3. RATATOUILLE. Hilarious and believable... if rats could talk.
4. Toy Story 2, cause it lived up to the first 1. Can't wait for the third one. It's hard to believe I watch the first one as a kid, the second as an adolescent and here I am as a grown up waiting for the third installment.
5. Everything else.
I've never seen Finding Nemo, but I think out of all of Pixar's picture, A Bug's Life (which I have seen) is perhaps the least favourite. Cars was good, but I think more so for the background art like Indi above said than more for the story.
brett | June 2, 2009 1:36 AM
A+
1. WALLE by far
A
2. toy story
A-
3. monsters inc.
4. up
5. finding nemo
6. ratatouille
7. the incredibles
8. toy story 2
B+
9. a bug;s life
B
10. cars
Maria A. | June 2, 2009 12:03 AM
1) Toy Story 2- Because it was brilliant, period. It lived up to what the first one accomplished. I cried at Jessie's story
2) Up- Because it is simply beautiful, despite the lack of realism. I've never cried for an animated movie since Toy Story 2
3) WALL-E- Beautiful work out of Andrew Stanton's imagination.
4) Toy Story- Where the revolution began. The father of all the amazing animated movies out of Pixar.
5) Monsters Inc.- I felt so attached to Boo. (I was four years old when I saw it.)
6) Finding Nemo- Great, but doesn't pass my top 5. Ellen Degeneres was brilliant as Dory.
7) Cars- It was good. I liked the idea of having the late Paul Newman voice a "legendary" car, just like the legend he was.
8) The Incredibles- I love Dash. Brad Bird's best
9) Ratatouille- Had more humor than what Cars did, but didn't really aspire anything in me
10) A Bug's Life- It was nowhere near bad. It's better than the rest of the animated crap that Dreamworks puts out.
I would like to see Up as a Best Picture nominee, or even winner. That's just me.
daddio | June 1, 2009 11:39 PM
list of all time pixar favorites
1. Wall-E A masterpiece knocked down my second choice and its pixar best movie and probably and absolutely one of the greatest movies in the history of the cinema. Love it.
2. Toy Story 2 Wow it was just awesome It brings out the child that exist in us all
3. Monster Inc so funny and touching
my least favorite pixar film
1. Cars just like okay somewhat boring
2. A Bugs life um cant remember this film very forgettable
3. The Incredibles just okay i can watch it here and their but meh
J-Dog | June 1, 2009 11:04 PM
I think its time that animation got nominated for best picture and that Up should be one of them. Agree or disagree, I believe Up is incredible. It is the Into The Wild of animation. A roller coaster of emotions and an incredible adventure
mike | June 1, 2009 10:54 PM
Up is the best by far--I'd go so far as to say it belongs in the conversation of best movies of this decade. I know that sounds like overhype, but that's just my take. Saw it in 2-D also. The Incredibles and Finding Nemo are my other Pixar favorites and I consider them about equal. My least favorite? Surprisingly, Monsters Inc. Always want to love it, but I never have.
wall-e 2 EARTH RESCUE! | June 1, 2009 10:31 PM
wall-e and incredibles are neck
and neck.
i always thought nemo was good.
but overrated.
been desperately trying to see up
i'm sure I'll love it.
my list goes..
1 wall-e (by a sliver)
2 the incredibles
3 toy stories
4 nemo
5 monsters inc.
i can't really remember antz
or a bug's life.
Shakespeare | June 1, 2009 10:16 PM
why is everyone sucking Pixars COCK! They only had two good movies, Finding Nemo & Toy Story. Dreamworks Shrek and Kung Fu Panda are much better!
Popcorn Squirrel | June 1, 2009 9:30 PM
Trying to pick top ones is like trying to figure out which fruit in the bowl you want to eat: It depends on your mood really--they're all tasty.
But, if I HAVE to, then...
1. Wall•E (normally I'm opposed to including fresh titles onto a list, but it's really going to hold up)
2. Toy Story
3. Monsters Inc. (tie)
3. The Incredibles (tie)
Bottom of the list is Ratatouille. I just had problems with the plot-- but it was by no means horrible or even just okay. Still a winner, but needed some work.
al bundy | June 1, 2009 9:30 PM
havent seen it yet but it will be hard to top FINDING NEMO
dlen | June 1, 2009 9:29 PM
Unfortunately, we in Australia have to wait until September(wtf?) for the release of Up. And they wonder why piracy booms.
For me, Finding Nemo is the best Pixar work: a freakin' masterpiece!
Cars is the only Pixar film I didn't like and that's because it's about cars - whatever! Also the 'harking back to the good old days' theme didn't sit with me. We had a conservative govt for 11 years, until recently, whose main policy drive seemed to derive from the 1950s, urgh.
I don't have fond memories of A Bug's Life, either, but that may be because I enjoyed that year's Antz much more.
Bobby | June 1, 2009 8:48 PM
Toy Story
Finding Nemo
Up
Toy Story 2
WALL-E
The Incredibles
Monster's Inc.
Ratatouille
A Bug's Life
Cars
WTF? | June 1, 2009 8:22 PM
What's with everyone hating on A Bug's Life? I liked that one way better than Cars and actually better than WALL-E for that matter.
Adam | June 1, 2009 8:15 PM
I thought Up was a disappointment. I think Pixar's in a 2 picture rut that they really need to break out of.
The Great
Finding Nemo
The Incredibles
Cars
Toy Story 2
The Very Good
Ratatouille
Monsters, Inc
The OK
Up
Toy Story
The Duds
WALL-E
A Bug's Life
Deez Nutz | June 1, 2009 7:57 PM
1. Toy Story
2. Wall-E
3. Finding Nemo
10. A Bug's Life
Jordan | June 1, 2009 7:41 PM
Toy Story 2
Ratatouille
Wall-E
Toy Story
Finding Nemo
Up
Cars
The Incredibles (not Pixar's worst, but certainly their most overrated)
Monsters, Inc.
A Bug's Life
Mike | June 1, 2009 7:26 PM
Finding Nemo
The Incredibles
Wall-E
The rest:
Toy Story
Cars
Ratatouille
Up
Monster's Inc.
A Bug's Life
Willis Hughes | June 1, 2009 6:43 PM
1. The Incredibles
2. WALL-E
3. UP
4. Toy Story
5. Finding Nemo
Worst= Cars (fucking awful, Pixar's only true mistake, considering its lack of any real redeeming qualities)
While I never saw Ratatouille, I can honestly say that those are five excellent films. The reason 1-3 are the way they are is because of the variety of themes and motifs each film managed to fit into their running time. Nothing ever felt forced and everything was meaningful, from the drudgery of everyday life and the love one's family (and fear of it breaking apart) in the Incredibles to the sociological message in WALL-E and the theme of rebirth and retribution in Up. Toy Story started everything for Pixar and Finding Nemo is a beautiful and fun ride with some good emotion as well.
Sean | June 1, 2009 6:25 PM
My list goes:
WALL-E (a masterpiece)
Finding Nemo (Andrew Stanton is the man)
Up (first movie to make me cry)
The Incredibles (so interesting)
Toy Story 1 and 2 (because they were both equally great)
Monsters Inc. (it just has too much competition)
Ratatouille (brilliant music and animation, just not too ambitious)
A Bug's Life (great, but a kids movie)
Cars (the least creative, black sheep of Pixar)
Zombie | June 1, 2009 6:02 PM
Here's my list:
Toy Story 2
The Incredibles
Toy Story
Monsters, Inc.
Ratatouille
Finding Nemo
Up
WALL-E
Cars
A Bug's Life
Since this is a subjective discussion, I'm just going to spit this out and brace myself for the backlash:
I'm not a fan of WALL-E.
I think that the first third of WALL-E is genius but the final two acts are extremely heavy handed. The excellent pantomime between EVE and WALL-E, I thought,was overwhelmed by the overt commentary of the final two acts.
WALL-E is the kind of movie Kool-Aid that people can't keep themselves from drinking. It's a visual spectacle, and is celebrated for being socially progressive even though the position it takes is one that virtually everyone agrees with and no one will dare refute the wisdom of.
It won awards for the same reason Happy Feet won awards. The entertainment industry seems to honor films based on every criteria imaginable, with the exception of actual entertainment value. This is why Kung-Fu Panda has no hardware. I work in the animation industry and most every professional I know shares this opinion.
There, I said it!
John Debono | June 1, 2009 5:42 PM
The way I look at it
Wall-E
Up
Toy Story 2
Toy Story
Ratatouille
The Incredibles
Finding Nemo (Yeah I'm edgy.)
A Bug's Life
Cars
hdbngr63 | June 1, 2009 5:02 PM
"UP" was a beautiful movie, though I wish I would've saw it in 2-D. The glasses didn't enhance the movie, just made it a distraction, and they're a pain in the ass to clean between shows. For top three Pixar movies:
1)Toy Story: It's near and dear to my heart, and an animation breakthrough when it first came out. I was only 4 when I saw it in the theater, and I loved it. Well told, funny and touching.
2)WALL-e: Usually it would take a while for a movie to climb so far on a "top list," but WALL-e's timely themes and poetic love story grabbed me from the very beginning, and has the best animation I've seen up to date.
3)Ratatouille-If you can be both entertained and emotionally moved by a movie who's main antagonist is a rat, then you're good, enough said.
And for bottom of the barrel, though all Pixar is great, I would agree, Bug's Life would have to go there. Though I like it, it's definitely their weakest entry.
keegs | June 1, 2009 4:54 PM
Up might be Pixar's funniest, but certainly not its best. Also, the 3-D hardly makes any difference. It's a little too in your face with its storytelling, whereas a movie like wall-e garners thought and emotion without redundantly shoving it at you.
Pixar's top 5:
1. Toy Storys
2. Wall-E
3. The Incredibles
4. Up
5. Finding Nemo
Rachel | June 1, 2009 4:53 PM
This is a really tough one! I agree with Travers that the top three are WALL-E, Up, and The Incredibles. However, I can't figure out where I place them. I will probably go with a tie on WALL-E and Up (although WALL-E could edge it out in time) with The Incredibles in a close second.
Czikk | June 1, 2009 4:48 PM
I have seen nearly every Pixar film as of yet (seeing UP this weekend, have yet to soldier through all of Cars). With that said:
Toy Story
Ratatouille
WALL-E
Toy Story 2
Finding Nemo
The Incredibles
Monsters, Inc.
------------
A Bug's Life
That line, by the way, shows where I feel quality went down the crapper. Seriously, how could anyone not love the more adult and interesting Antz? I expect to place UP above it and Cars below it.
spoonrocks | June 1, 2009 4:42 PM
im sorry i kno its easy 2 get swept up in the emotions of a new movie but Up is not better then WALL-E. it gets close (a lot closer then i thot it would) and its a wonderful movie but its just 2 tall an order 2 top 1 of the most human and beautiful romances on screen ever (that just happened 2 be between 2 robots). so heres my list from best 2 worst:
WALL-E
Up
Monsters Inc.
Toy Story
The Incredibles
Finding Nemo
Toy Story 2
Ratatouille
A Bug's Life
Cars
schneidy | June 1, 2009 4:40 PM
As simeine growing up watching these films, even though i haven seen up yet my faverite niw in artistic merit aand just a greaat movie in the Incredibles, however when i was little growing up i LOVED Monsters inc. i still do 2ed faveriote of all time
kyle.m | June 1, 2009 4:39 PM
I have to say, for some reason UP just didn't grab me as much as some of the other Pixar movies. I absolutely loved the opening montage with Carl and Ellie, but other than that it wasn't my cup of tea. The difference between me and other people though is that I do recognize that UP was a very good movie, it just wasn't for me.
My personal top three are:
Ratatouille
The Incredibles
Finding Nemo
Shawn | June 1, 2009 4:30 PM
For me- the top 5 would be:
1) Up
2) The Incredibles
3) Finding Nemo
4) Toy Story 2
5) Ratatouille
UP is absolutely one of the best movies I have ever seen. Understated and totally impactful.
Dana | June 1, 2009 4:15 PM
I've seen ALL of the Disney Pixar movies and they're all solid but UP just blew them all away. I didn't expect it to be "touching."
Sam | June 1, 2009 4:09 PM
I saw up and I have to say that it is definitely my favorite Pixar movie ever. If you thought WALL-E was good you HAVE to see Up!
Lettrek | June 1, 2009 3:51 PM
Toy Story will always be my favorite Pixar movie. But based purely on artistic merit, I would have to pick WALL-E. Cars comes in last on my personal list.
Indi | June 1, 2009 3:47 PM
I haven't seen UP,so from great to good:
WALL-E
Finding Nemo
Toy Story 2
Toy Story
Monsters, Inc.
Ratatouille
Cars(not the story, but more the awesome background art)
The Incredibles (I guess I'm just not into animated people)
A Bug's Life