By BrainFall Staff - Updated: April 9, 2024
No one was expecting Toy Story (1995), Pixar Animation Studios’ first feature computer-animated film, to become the highest-grossing film in 1995 and third-highest animated film ever at the time. But its success changed the world of feature films, and Pixar Animation Studios was able to become the world leader in computer-animated films.
They would release hits like Monsters, Inc., A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, Cars, The Incredibles, Wall-E, Up, Inside Out, Coco, Onward, and Soul. They’ve also released lots of sequels to their big hits, including Toy Story 2 and Monsters University. The list of Pixar films is also stacked with Academy Award winners too. They’ve won 23 awards in total.
Pixar began with a short film called The Adventures of Andre & Wally B. (1984), and it’s now the world’s largest computer-animated company with a value of $7.4 billion and nearly 1,300 employees. They have also become synonymous with creating heartwarming stories that you can’t help but watch and relate to. If you’re a true Pixar film fan then you should be able to tell the difference between fact and fiction in their movies, right?
Pixar filmography
The Pixar filmography includes over 24 films. Since Pixar released its first film, Toy Story, in 1995, they've won 23 Academy Awards and earned almost $15 billion worldwide at the box office.
The characters of these films are the reason for all the success of Pixar. Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Flik, Nemo, Lightning McQueen, Mike Wazowski, Carl Fredricksen, Miguel, and Luca are all reasons people keep going to the cinema to see these movies. Even their short films are now available to watch thanks to online streaming.
Fact or Fiction: The Complete Pixar Filmography
Oh, the whimsical world of Pixar! Ever since the animation juggernaut turned our childhoods upside down with a little movie about a bunch of toys coming to life, we've been riding a delightful rollercoaster of emotions. Our pals at Pixar have mastered the art of tugging at heartstrings and tickling funny bones, all while breaking the barriers of animation with each new film they conjure from their magical storyboard cauldrons. But let's get real for a second - ever found yourself wondering if you've caught all the Pixar gems out there, or if some are just figments of a movie buff's wild imagination?
We all remember bawling our eyes out to the adventures of a certain clownfish, or cheering on a rat with gourmet dreams, but is there a list of these animated masterpieces that we can trust to be as accurate as Buzz Lightyear's wrist laser? The quest to separate fact from fiction in the complete Pixar filmography is no child's play. Trust us, in the time it took us to figure it out, we could've earned a degree from Monsters University!
So buckle up, animation aficionados, and let's dive into the enchanted and often hilarious realm of Pixar. The mission, should you choose to accept it, involves unraveling the technicolor tapestry of Pixar's film catalogue, sending you on a nostalgia-fueled quest that's part trivia, part trip down memory lane, and all parts awesome. Are you ready to put your Pixar prowess to the test?
The Evolution of Animation Mastery
Before we rev up the engines on our Pixar journey, let's remember that every story starts with a sketch and every character has its quirks. In the tale of Pixar, every frame is packed with the kind of mastery that takes us from "cool animation" to "how did they make us cry over a toy?"
From Toy Mania to Soul Searching
Remember when Woody and Buzz first busted into our world with their "To infinity and beyond!" antics? Toy Story set the stage with Tom Hanks bringing Woody to life and John Lasseter at the helm. We went from cowboy camp-outs in Toy Story to a whirlwind daycare heist in Toy Story 3. Let's not forget Toy Story 4, where a spork’s existential crisis had us all soul-searching by the credits.
Key Films:
- Toy Story
- Toy Story 2
- Toy Story 3
- Toy Story 4
- Soul
Key Players:
- Woody (Voice: Tom Hanks)
- Director: John Lasseter
- Soul Director: Pete Docter
Racing Hearts and Artistic Starts
Get ready to put the pedal to the metal with Lightning McQueen in the Cars trilogy. From his first trophy-chasing adventure in Cars to the comeback-kid narrative of Cars 3, we were strapped in tight for an emotional ride. Kachow! And who could ignore the visual feast whipped up by Brad Bird and Andrew Stanton, taking animation from the race track to the stratosphere?
Key Films:
- Cars
- Cars 2
- Cars 3
Key Characters:
- Lightning McQueen
- Directors: Brad Bird, Andrew Stanton
High Fliers and Emotional Gyres
Up, up, and away! With Up, we soared to new heights in storytelling, our hearts hitching a ride on Carl's balloon-lifted house. Inside Out took a deep dive into the mind, spinning a tale of Emotions—Joy, Fear, Anger, and more—and turned us into emotional gyres ourselves. We laughed, we sobbed, we learned it’s okay to feel all the feels.
Key Films:
- Up
- Inside Out
Key Emotions:
- Joy
- Fear
- Anger
Monstrous Hits and Dino Misses
Oh, we roared with glee for Mike and Sulley in Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University. Our heartstrings were plucked with the not-quite-dino-mite The Good Dinosaur. It was a hit and miss, but even when Pixar "missed", we were still scoring heartwarming tales of monstrous friendships and prehistoric journeys.
Key Films:
- Monsters, Inc.
- Monsters University
- The Good Dinosaur
Key Concepts:
- Adventure
- Friendship
Now, don't just sit there like a toy collecting dust! Come on over to BrainFall to find out which Pixar character is your spirit animator!
Rave Reviews and Box Office Booms
In the world of animation, we've seen some stories that soar sky-high with critical acclaim and others that rake in the kind of dough that would make Scrooge McDuck jealous. Let's dive right in and explore some of Pixar's biggest hits—films that not only charmed critics but also filled the treasure chests at Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.
The Incredibles: Family That Saves Together
"The Incredibles" catapulted onto the scene in 2004, delivering a fresh take on the superhero genre with a side of family dynamics. The Parrs didn't just fight baddies—they dealt with real-life issues like work-life balance. Directed by Brad Bird, this flick wasn't just a critical darling, it grossed over $600 million worldwide. Fast forward to 2018, and "Incredibles 2" nearly doubled that with an eye-watering $1.2 billion. Now, that's super!
Explorations of the Heart and Hearth
Wouldn't you know it, but Pixar is pretty deft at tugging at our heartstrings. Take "Brave" for example. Back in 2012, Merida and her fiery red curls had us all aiming for our own targets. The film boasted a compelling tale, complete with family at its heart, and it bagged a respectable haul of around $540 million. Oh, and let's not forget about "Coco"—this vibrant foray into the Land of the Dead to discover a great-great-grandfather warmed our souls and pocketed a cool $807 million.
Buddies, Beasts, and Beyond
We all remember where we were the first time we heard "Fish are friends, not food," don't we? "Finding Nemo" swam its way into our lives with a splash, showing us the lengths a parent will go for their little one, and it surfed away with a whale-sized $940 million. Its sequel, "Finding Dory," kept swimming all the way to a gargantuan $1 billion gross. Then there's the foodie rat in "Ratatouille" that made us all believe maybe, just maybe, rats in the kitchen could be charming. This culinary adventure simmered to a tasty $620 million.
New Horizons: Floating Houses and Italian Rivieras
"Up" lifted us up with balloons and an old man with a dream, to a staggering height of around $735 million at the box office. It wasn’t just about the flying house; it was the adventure and tenderness that floated our hearts, too. And who could resist the pull of the Italian Riviera in "Luca"? Directed by Enrico Casarosa, this under-the-sea and over-the-scooter odyssey was a delightful dive into friendship and adventure. While it may not have made a giant splash at the box office due to its release strategy, it still made waves in our hearts with its story.
