My Top 3 Pixar Movies

by Helen Earnshaw | 20 July 2015

Pixar have become the major force in animation movies in the last few years, treating to a series of magnificent film since their first, which was Toy Story, back in 1996.

Inside Out

This week, we see a new film and a new bunch of loveable characters heading our way in the form of Inside Out, which has already enjoyed huge success at the U.S box office this summer.

To celebrate the release of the film, which follows the emotions inside the mind of a young girl, I take a look at back the Pixar movies that I love the most.

- Toy Story 3

It is highly unusual that a franchise gets better and better with each movie... but that is exactly what has happened with the Toy Story franchise - which is the best animation franchise of all time.

It was back in 2010 when Toy Story 3 hit the big screen and it was set to the third and final film in the franchise, which would end the popular series. Toy Story 3 was the best animation movie to hit the big screen that year - by a country mile - and it remains one of Pixar's greatest achievements.

For me, Toy Story 3 is the greatest Pixar movie to grace the big screen so far and deserved of the praise and accolades that came its way.

It really is a timeless story with universal themes that we can all relate to about coming of age, moving out into the world and leaving childhood behind. We all remember that moment when we let our toys go and I defy anyone to not be choked up when Andy finally leaves his toys behind, which brings a very poignant end to this wonderful series of movies.

You can see the heart and soul that has been pouring into this movie by director Lee Unkrich and everyone who worked on it. It is this that gives Toy Story 3 its magic and elevates it to a truly great animation movie.

Not only was Toy Story 3 a critical success upon release, but it went on to become the first animation film to gross over $1 billion at the global box office. It remains the highest grossing Pixar film and is currently the second highest grossing animation movie behind Frozen. It was nominated for five Oscars - including Best Picture - and went on to win Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

- Up

It is hard to believe that Up is a movie that is already six years old - yes, it was released back in 2009 - and it remains a great amongst all of the Pixar movies. Not only is it one of Pixar's best films, but it is also one of my all-time favourite animation movies.

Up saw Peter Docter return to the director's chair to helm his first Pixar film since the success of Monsters, Inc. and he really did pull it out of the bag with this one.

The movie followed seventy eight year old Carl Fredricksen, who keeps a promise to his late wife to travel to Paradise Falls. He travels there in the rather unorthodox manner of a balloon house and finds that he has a stowaway in the form of young Wilderness Explorer Russell. However, at Paradise Falls things don't quite turn out the way Carl expected.

When Up hit the big screen in 2009, it was the best Pixar movie we had been treated to. Not only was this a film that was packed with colourful characters, adventure and danger, it was a poignant movie that explored life, loss, and the loneliness of old age; deep themes that perhaps had not be explored by Pixar before.

The first ten minutes of Up are perhaps the best ten minutes that Pixar have ever put on the big screen - only someone with a heart of stone is not moved by Carl's story - it is also an opening that no one was expecting. I loved that fact that Pixar went in hard emotionally at the beginning of this film as immediately you relate to the character of Carl and root for him from start to finish.

While the emotional range in this movie is terrific, Up is also packed with laugh out loud moments as well as characters and relationships that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.

Up was the sixth highest grossing movie of 2009 and the second highest grossing animation film - second only to Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. The movie as nominated for five Oscars - including Best Picture - and won best Animated Feature and Best Original Score.

- Monsters, Inc.

When it comes to Pixar, everyone has a favourite movie... and Monsters, Inc has always been mine. Monsters, Inc hit the big screen back in 2002 and introduced us to the characters of Mike Wazowski and James P. "Sulley" Sullivan - voiced by Billy Crystal and John Goodman - for the first time.

Monsters, Inc may not be the best film that Pixar have ever produced nor it is the most technically astounding, but this is one of the most delightful and is packed with some of the best characters.

But it is the friendship between Mike and Sulley that really makes this film what it is - for me, Mike and Sulley are two of Pixar's greatest creations and they are brought to life wonderfully by Crystal and Goodman.

Directed by Pete Docter, Monsters Inc follow Mike, Sulley and the other monsters that are hired to scare children as they screams are used to power the city. However, when a child accidentally comes through into their world, Mike and Sulley discover that they may not be the toxic creatures that they believed they were.

The kid inside everyone will love the world and the creatures that have been created in Monsters Inc, however, it is also a movie about accepting and tolerating those that are different; the journey that Mike and Sulley go on with Bo is an exciting one that will ultimately break your heart.

Monsters Inc is a movie that gets better and better the more times that you watch it and, for me, it remains one of the best films that Pixar have ever brought to the big screen. It is a movie that is packed with adventures and laughs and you cannot help but get swept along and into that world.

Monsters Inc was the third highest grossing movie of 2001, behind Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and the highest grossing animation film of the year.

The movie was nominated for four Oscars, including Best Animated Feature. It may have missed out on that gong, but it did take home the Oscar for Best Original Song.