Pixar Productions- In Review

Pixar Productions- In Review

OK, this isn’t the original article that I planned to do this week. I wanted to justify why I consider Disney Pixar the greatest production company currently running today. However, the subject is close to my heart and I don’t feel like I have enough information yet to do the article justice. 

Instead I’m going to run through every feature film that they have made, giving a quick synopsis of the film, summarising it and then giving it a grade at the end. I won’t be ranking all the films in order. However, you will be able to get a rough idea of which Pixar films I love, and others that I’m not too fussed on.

Without further ado, I present to you Disney Pixar- In review. 

Toy Story (1995) – Director  – John Lasseter,  Stars – Tom Hanks, Tim Allen

Pixar’s first feature centres on Sheriff Woody (Hanks) who is Andy’s favourite toy and leader of the gang. That it is until the super cool and hi tech Buzz Lightyear (Allen) comes to town and the two immediately clash.

Not only is Toy Story arguably Pixar’s finest work, it also could possibly be the greatest animated feature of all time. With Toy Story, Pixar took a slightly bizarre concept and brought it to life with what would become their trademark charm and wit. The only thing more impressive than the revolutionary visuals is the superb voice cast.

A+

A Bugs Life (1998) – Director – John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton,  Stars – Kevin Spacey , Dave Foley

For Pixar’s next feature, it wasn’t toys that were brought to life, but bugs. Flick is a worker ant, whose colony is plagued by the evil Grasshoppers led by Hopper (Spacey), after accidently, destroying the entire supply of food; Flick is exiled from the colony where he meets an ensemble of misfit circus bugs.

Pixar arguably set the bar too high for the follow up of Toy Story, making A Bugs Life doomed to fail from the off. Despite lacking the immediate charm that Woody and the gang have, there are still some laughs, capped off by Kevin Spacey’s great portrayal of Hopper.

B-

Toy Story 2 (1999) – Director John Lasseter, Ash Brannon, Lee Unkrich, – Stars – Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack

Pixar next went back to the drawing board producing a sequel of what brought them to the dance, Toy Story. This time it’s Woody who is questioning his relationship with Andy, when he discovers that he is a collector’s item and a part of the once famous TV Show ‘Woody’s Round-up’.

For me It’s Toy Story 2, that stars a trend of making family films, centred on adult issues. Abandonment and fame are all important issues of the second Toy film. However, it’s not all doom and gloom, with the laughs nearly as strong as the first one.

A

Monsters Inc (2001) Director –  Pete Docter, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich, Stars – John Goodman, Billy Crystal

Another children’s myth was tackled with Pixar’s next film when they answered the question of whether ‘Monsters’ actually live in your closest. Mike Wizowski (Crystal) and Michael ‘Sully’ Sullivan (Goodman) are workers for Monsters Inc, a company that sole purpose is to scare children to provide energy. However, all hell breaks loose when one child manages to venture into the Monsters sacred world.

Now a trademark of the studio, Pixar takes a familiar concept of Monsters hiding under their bed and turns it on its head, by having the monsters more scared of the children their scaring. The Monsters Inc. world is probably the most unique of all Pixar’s creations, feeling almost real. However, the centrepiece of the film has to be Mike and Sully’s almost Albert and Costello-esque double act.

A-

Finding Nemo (2003) Director – Lee Unkrich, Andrew Stanton, Stars – Ellen DeGeneres , Albert Brooks

Getting sick of the stable ground, Pixar decided to set their next picture under the sea. After seeing his wife and all but one child die, Marlin has turned into a scaredy fish. This causes tension with now grown up Nemo. After a big bust up between the two, Nemo is captured by fisherman, forcing Marlin to face his fears in order to rescue his son.

Nemo, didn’t look like much in the trailer, but racked up a whopping  860,000 million at the box office and made clown fish immensely successful. For me, Nemo lacks the charm some of the other Pixar films have in abundance. However, this doesn’t stop Finding Nemo being a tale of loss and courage that will warm the coldest of cockles.

B+

The Incredbles (2005) Director – Brad Bird, Stars – Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson, Jason Lee

The next thing for Pixar to do was to put their spin on the super hero movie with The Incredibles. After a string of lawsuits Super Hero-ing is outlawed causing Mr incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) to settle down and start a family. That is till; Mr Incredible is called back for one more job.

Like Finding Nemo, The Incredibles also made Pixar an ‘Incredible’ amount of money and proved that Pixar could pretty much handle any genre. However, concentrating too much on the plot I think ‘The Incredibles’ is short on those little laugh out loud moments that make Pixar films stand out from the Pack. That being said, Samuel L. Jackson as Frozone is damn cool (literally).

B

Cars (2006) Director –  John Lasseter, Joe Raft, Stars – Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy

After their first foray into human life (ish) with ‘The Incredibles’, this time Pixar decided to go back to bringing life to inanimate objects breathing life into cars. Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is an up and coming racing car, whose head is hotter than his wheels. On his way to the big race, McQueen is accidently left in Radiator Springs, the definition of a one engine town.

Often Labelled as the problem child of the Pixar family. I for one think that Cars, is mistreated and underrated by fans and critics alike. Yes, it doesn’t have the emotional punch that other Pixar films have, but what it does have is a lot of fun and until recently was the best looking Pixar film out.

B

Ratatouille (2007) Director – Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava,  Stars - Brad Garett, Lou Romano

The next of Pixar’s films' dabble with both animal and human characters. Remy is a mouse who dreams of being a Chef, but is told he’ll never have a chance. This changes when Remy encounters Alfredo, a trainee Chef and starts cooking instead of Alfredo, quickly becoming the toast of the town.

Critically acclaimed when released and winner of the best Animated Feature award at the 2008 Academy Awards, ‘ Ratatouille’ is the only dud in Pixar’s prize collection. Maybe I judge it too harsh, but for me the relationship between the two leads has very little chemistry and unlike Remy’s own Ratatouille, this one feels a bit stale.

C

Wall E (2008) Director – Andrew Stanton, Stars – Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight

Feeling that they have told too many stories about the present, Pixar’s next movie is thrust into the future. Wall-E is a cleaning bot on a now unpopulated earth. However, it seems somebody forgot to turn off Wall-E as he still performs his job. This changes when EVE, a life collecting unit comes to earth and invertedly whisks Wall-E of to the human’s spaceship.

Even for Pixar’s high standards, Wall-E was consumed with hype, with still shots of the visually superb picture, leaking through months in advance. Not only being Pixar’s best film visually, it’s also their bravest, due to the fact that the first act of the film is almost in complete silence. A risk that pays off, being heads and shoulders the best part of the film.

A-

UP (2009) Director –Pete Docter, Bob Paterson, Stars – Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai

Pixar went from outer worldly to something quite close to home (well at least in its start). Carl Fredrickson was lucky enough to find the love of his life, Ellie early on and dreamt big dreams with her. However, before they could explore the world, Ellie dies, leaving Carl on his own.

Following the trend of Wall-E, UP again deals with very adult themes. However, while Wall-E’s themes were political, UP’s are incredibly personal, with loss and grief running rife throughout the opening act of the movie. However, what is delivered is equally as heart warming as it is heart wrenching and is a stunning movie, just for the three minute story of Carl’s and Ellie’s life alone.

A

Toy Story 3 (2010) Director – Lee Unkrich,  Stars – Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Michael Keaton

The Toys are back for the third time, but this time things have all grown up. Set in real time between the second and third film, Andy has grown up and is now ready to go to college. Due, to not being played with for years, Woody and the gang have become lonely, yearning for one more playtime. Things only get worse, when Andy’s mum mistakenly takes the toys to Sunnyside Day-care.

John Lassater and his team has made it clear, that there not in the business for making sequel’s for sequels sake. Toy Story 3 is a perfect example of this, equalling if not surpassing the first two ‘Toy Story’ films. Mixing the emotional truth of UP with the comic timing of Monsters Inc. and the charm of the two previous movies, Toy Story 3 is arguably Pixar’s masterpiece. Oh and Spanish Buzz! Genius!

A+

Cars 2 (2011) Director – John Lasseter, Brad Lewis, Stars – Owen Wilson, Michael Cane

Pixar’s latest movie is their second sequel and a follow on from the first Cars movie. This time Lightning McQueen has been challenged to race in a world grand prix, but this doesn’t sit right with now best friend, Mator (Larry the Cable guy). Especially when, it looks like somebody is sabotaging the races.

Whereas Toy Story 3 is an argument in favour of Pixar sequels. Cars 2 is probably an argument against in and leads one to believe, truth that sequels are more Disney’s influence than Pixar’s. Not a terrible movie, but nowhere near Pixar’s high standards and lacking the American charm that was the first films strong point.

C

So there you go. Every feature that Pixar have made evaluated and summarised in a bigger column that I originally planned. Oh well, it’s OK. It’s Pixar. 

What do you think? Are my ratings to generous? Too Harsh. Feel free to let me know.

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Until next time, enjoy the show

Daniel Morris.