Pixar Magic: 26 Behind-The-Scenes Secrets That Will Blow Your Mind

1. Toy Story 1995，IMDB Rating: 8.3, IMDB Votes: 1079594, ID: 0114709
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Toy Story, the first feature made entirely by computer, achieves a three-dimensional reality and freedom of movement that is liberating and new. The movie doesn’t simply animate characters in front of painted backdrops; it fully animates the characters and the space they occupy, and allows its point of view to move freely around them. It’s an amazing ride.
2. A Bug’s Life 1998，IMDB Rating: 7.2, IMDB Votes: 317570, ID: 0120623
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A Bug’s Life, with its rich images and sneaky throwaway lines, provides a more complex and fully realized environment compared to previous Pixar films. The film is about an ant colony that frees itself from slavery to grasshoppers. The animators, led by director John Lasseter, provide rich images.
3. Monsters, Inc. 2001，IMDB Rating: 8.1, IMDB Votes: 989891, ID: 0198781
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Monsters, Inc. is a delightful film about a world where monsters are scared of kids. The Pixar computer animators create an uncanny sense of dimension and movement. There’s something dreamlike about the visuals of Monsters, Inc., something that evokes the reverie of scuba-diving.
4. Finding Nemo 2003，IMDB Rating: 8.2, IMDB Votes: 1123334, ID: 0266543
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Finding Nemo is a visually astounding, wildly inventive winner. The marine milieu calls for more visual delicacy and aural subtlety than in past Pixar features. Their imagery captures not only the play of light through the ocean’s depths, but the texture of its roiling surface and the luminescence and character-defining locomotion of its inhabitants.
5. The Incredibles 2004，IMDB Rating: 8.0, IMDB Votes: 819461, ID: 0317705
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The Incredibles is a superhero spoof that alternates breakneck action with satire of suburban sitcom life. The Pixar Studios steps right again with The Incredibles, showing off the studio’s mastery of popular animation. The sleek computer animation is spellbinding as usual.
6. Cars 2006，IMDB Rating: 7.2, IMDB Votes: 477444, ID: 0317219
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Cars, a film that tells a bright and cheery story with a sense of loss. It’s about a racing car named Lightning McQueen who ends up in a forgotten town, Radiator Springs. The film is a jolly comedy, filled with action and jokes. It’s a testament to Pixar’s ability to create a captivating story with inanimate objects.
7. Ratatouille 2007，IMDB Rating: 8.1, IMDB Votes: 839019, ID: 0382932
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Ratatouille is a film that goes beyond being just an animated feature. It’s a thriller, a comedy, and a love story. The story revolves around Remy, a rat who dreams of becoming a chef. The film is a testament to Pixar’s ability to create a world where a rat can become a chef and food can take on an almost unbearable sensuality.
8. WALL·E 2008，IMDB Rating: 8.4, IMDB Votes: 1213089, ID: 0910970
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WALL·E is a film that succeeds at being an enthralling animated film, a visual wonderment, and a decent science-fiction story. It tells the story of WALL·E, the last functioning solar-powered robot on Earth. The film is a testament to Pixar’s ability to create a character that is cute in a human way.
9. Up 2009，IMDB Rating: 8.3, IMDB Votes: 1137415, ID: 1049413
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Up is a film that tells a story as tickling to the imagination as the magical animated films of my childhood. It’s about Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old balloon salesman, who fulfills his lifelong dream by flying away to the South American wilderness. The film is a testament to Pixar’s ability to create a story that deals with life experience in a way that is almost never found in family animation.
10. Toy Story 3 2010，IMDB Rating: 8.3, IMDB Votes: 900533, ID: 0435761
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Toy Story 3 is a film that is a jolly, slapstick comedy, lacking the almost eerie humanity that infused the earlier “Toy Story” sagas. It’s about the toys finding themselves at a day-care center, which they initially think they’ll like. The film is a testament to Pixar’s ability to create a story that is engaging and filled with action and jokes.
11. Cars 2 2011，IMDB Rating: 6.2, IMDB Votes: 222187, ID: 1216475
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Cars 2 is a visually stunning film that takes viewers on an international racing-and-spying adventure. However, the film’s plot complexity may be a bit too much for some, especially kids. The film’s animation system was completely rewritten for the first time in 25 years, which is a testament to Pixar’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of animation.
12. Brave 2012，IMDB Rating: 7.1, IMDB Votes: 446899, ID: 1217209
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Brave is a beautifully animated film that tells the story of Merida, a rebellious Scottish princess. Despite its somewhat weak plot, the film’s animation and voice acting are top-notch. The film’s animation system, Presto, was first built for Brave and was a significant technological advancement for Pixar.
13. Monsters University 2013，IMDB Rating: 7.2, IMDB Votes: 394677, ID: 1453405
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Monsters University is a charming film that, while not groundbreaking, is still enjoyable and humorous. The film offers a fresh take on the classic boy-and-his-pet narrative, with the boy being the pet. The film’s production involved a significant amount of research, including a trip to Scotland.
14. Inside Out 2015，IMDB Rating: 8.1, IMDB Votes: 815413, ID: 2096673
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Inside Out is a poignant and thoughtful film that explores the complexity of emotions. It’s one of Pixar’s funniest and most affecting films. The film’s production involved a lot of behind-the-scenes work, including voice recording sessions and the creation of complex character models.
15. The Good Dinosaur 2015，IMDB Rating: 6.7, IMDB Votes: 129060, ID: 1979388
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The Good Dinosaur is a visually stunning film that tells a touching story of interspecies friendship. Despite its title, the film is not about the main character being ‘good’, but rather about bravery and growth. The film’s production involved a lot of research and the creation of beautifully rendered photorealistic backgrounds.
16. Finding Dory 2016，IMDB Rating: 7.2, IMDB Votes: 307637, ID: 2277860
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Finding Dory, a sequel to the beloved Finding Nemo, is a beautifully animated adventure that dives deep into the theme of family and self-discovery. The film’s portrayal of Dory’s short-term memory loss is both humorous and poignant, making it a memorable character study. The animation is praised for its realism, capturing the magic of the underwater world. Despite some predictability, the film’s emotional depth and engaging storytelling make it a worthy sequel.
17. Cars 3 2017，IMDB Rating: 6.7, IMDB Votes: 125515, ID: 3606752
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Cars 3 offers a more nuanced and emotional journey compared to its predecessors. The film explores the challenges of an aging athlete, providing a thoughtful narrative that resonates with both young and old. Despite some predictability, the film’s animation and character dynamics, especially between Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez, are engaging. It’s a testament to Pixar’s ability to balance action-packed spectacle with heartfelt storytelling.
18. Coco 2017，IMDB Rating: 8.4, IMDB Votes: 603703, ID: 2380307
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Coco is a vibrant celebration of Mexican culture and folklore, offering a deep exploration of family, legacy, and the power of music. The film’s animation is stunning, capturing the colorful Land of the Dead with a level of detail that is truly breathtaking. Coco’s narrative is filled with allegory and metaphor, making it a deeply resonant and emotive work. It’s a testament to Pixar’s storytelling prowess, delivering a film that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.
19. Incredibles 2 2018，IMDB Rating: 7.5, IMDB Votes: 336205, ID: 3606756
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Incredibles 2 brings back the beloved superhero family with a narrative that explores the dynamics of changing family roles. The film cleverly updates the world of the Incredibles, staying true to what fans loved about the first movie while introducing new themes and characters. Despite some narrative predictability, the film’s animation is top-notch, and its action sequences are thrilling. It’s a fun, family-friendly film that offers both entertainment and emotional depth.
20. Toy Story 4 2019，IMDB Rating: 7.7, IMDB Votes: 284444, ID: 1979376
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Toy Story 4 offers a satisfying conclusion to Pixar’s iconic franchise, exploring themes of identity, purpose, and change. The film introduces new characters and brings back old favorites, creating a narrative that is both nostalgic and fresh. The animation is superb, and the storytelling is poignant, making Toy Story 4 a fitting end to a beloved series. Despite being a sequel, the film manages to deliver a unique and emotionally resonant story.
21. Onward 2020，IMDB Rating: 7.4, IMDB Votes: 172656, ID: 7146812
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Onward, a Pixar film, is a deeply personal tale that explores the possibility of spending one more day with a loved one who has passed away. The film’s high-energy, pop-culture-heavy result feels frantically eager to please. Despite its episodic structure, it provides a glimpse of what director and co-writer Dan Scanlon was aiming for in sharing an intimate piece of his childhood on the big screen. However, the character design is blandly off-putting.
22. Soul 2020，IMDB Rating: 8.0, IMDB Votes: 386846, ID: 2948372
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Soul, another Pixar creation, is about a jazz pianist who has a near-death experience and gets stuck in the afterlife, contemplating his choices and regretting the existence that he mostly took for granted. Despite its weighty themes, the project has a light touch. It’s a film as beautiful to contemplate as it is to behold, proving Pixar’s power to deliver outstanding all-ages entertainment.
23. Luca 2021，IMDB Rating: 7.4, IMDB Votes: 198705, ID: 12801262
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Luca, set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Despite being a slightly predictable plot, it’s a heartwarming, beautifully told story that recaptures a lot of the magic and heart that Pixar animations are known for.
24. Turning Red 2022，IMDB Rating: 7.0, IMDB Votes: 156227, ID: 8097030
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Turning Red is a radical, brazenly hormonal PG movie that instantly fills a huge void in the lives of awkward, novel female teens who might just be starting to crawl out of their childhood cocoons with a disharmony of mystifying awakenings and sexual feelings. It’s a film that represents much of this repeated passage of time in a montage.
25. Lightyear 2022，IMDB Rating: 6.1, IMDB Votes: 125794, ID: 10298810
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Lightyear, a Pixar film, is not the origin story of the Buzz Lightyear toy from Pixar’s “Toy Story” series. It’s the origin story of the reason the Buzz Lightyear toy wound up in Andy’s bedroom. The film offers a good balance between emotion and comedy. Visually stunning with plenty of humor and heart, Lightyear is another shining example of Pixar’s ability to tell captivating and grounded stories.
26. Elemental 2023，IMDB Rating: 7.0, IMDB Votes: 134156, ID: 15789038
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Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ is a visually stunning film that attempts to tackle complex social issues through its unique world-building. The film is set in a metropolis where natural elements represent different social classes. However, it struggles to balance its ambitious metaphor with a compelling narrative, resulting in a film that feels underdeveloped. Despite this, the animation is praised for its fluidity and creativity. As a critic, I appreciate Pixar’s attempt to explore new themes and narratives, but ‘Elemental’ falls short of the studio’s usual standard of storytelling excellence. It’s a colorful spectacle, but lacks the depth and nuance that usually make Pixar films so memorable.