All Pixar Movies Ranked By Tomatometer

The Incredibles is 20!

When Disney distributed Pixar’s Toy Story as an autumn alternative to traditional 2D animated features in 1995, could the studio have predicted that it would instead set the gold standard and template for theatrical cartoons for decades to come? After all, the slide from peak Disney Renaissance had only just begun (their releases that year were Pocahontas and A Goofy Movie) and Pixar was up to that point a studio that only made commercials and shorts; a feature-length 3D animated movie was a miracle in of itself, and they were not equipped to churn out quality yearly releases like Walt Disney Animation.

Pixar’s follow-up took three years to hit theaters, and though A Bug’s Life is looked back on in the canon as a minor Pixar effort, everyone in 1998 rushed out to see it, and it again ended up grossing more than Disney’s then recent works like Hercules and Mulan. 1999’s Toy Story 2 (which is celebrating its 25th this month) was a cultural event, and established Pixar as the one to take animation to the highest heights in the new century. What followed was a then-unprecedented run of Certified Fresh hits and box office smashes, from Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo to The Incredibles, WALL-E, and Up.

2011’s Cars 2 broke the streak with Pixar’s first Rotten film, and the studio has since spent the past decade oscillating between returning to the sequel well (Monsters University, Finding Dory) and pulling up original property (Coco, Inside Out), closing out with Toy Story 4. For 2020, Onward was pulled from theaters after two due to the pandemic, while Soul went straight to Disney+ in hopes of salvaging a year of chaos. Luca and Turning Red continue to expand the breadth and color of their stories.

Lightyear took a look at the early days of Buzz Lightyear, and Inside Out 2 see Riley host a new suite of emotions as she hits her teenage years. Now, we’re ranking all Pixar movies by Tomatometer!

#1

Toy Story 2 (1999)

100%

#1

Adjusted Score: 108779%

Critics Consensus: The rare sequel that arguably improves on its predecessor, Toy Story 2 uses inventive storytelling, gorgeous animation, and a talented cast to deliver another rich moviegoing experience for all ages.

Synopsis: Woody (Tom Hanks) is stolen from his home by toy dealer Al McWhiggin (Wayne Knight), leaving Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen)…
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Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer

Directed By: Ash Brannon, John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich

#2

Toy Story (1995)

100%

#2

Adjusted Score: 107122%

Critics Consensus: Entertaining as it is innovative, Toy Story reinvigorated animation while heralding the arrival of Pixar as a family-friendly force to be reckoned with.

Synopsis: Woody (Tom Hanks), a good-hearted cowboy doll who belongs to a young boy named Andy (John Morris), sees his position…
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Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney

Directed By: John Lasseter

#3

Finding Nemo (2003)

99%

#3

Adjusted Score: 108697%

Critics Consensus: Breathtakingly lovely and grounded by the stellar efforts of a well-chosen cast, Finding Nemo adds another beautifully crafted gem to Pixar’s crown.

Synopsis: Marlin (Albert Brooks), a clown fish, is overly cautious with his son, Nemo (Alexander Gould), who has a foreshortened fin….
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Starring: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe

Directed By: Andrew Stanton

#4

Inside Out (2015)

98%

#4

Adjusted Score: 117249%

Critics Consensus: Inventive, gorgeously animated, and powerfully moving, Inside Out is another outstanding addition to the Pixar library of modern animated classics.

Synopsis: Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) is a happy, hockey-loving 11-year-old Midwestern girl, but her world turns upside-down when she and her parents…
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Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader

Directed By: Pete Docter

#5

Toy Story 3 (2010)

98%

#5

Adjusted Score: 110933%

Critics Consensus: Deftly blending comedy, adventure, and honest emotion, Toy Story 3 is a rare second sequel that really works.

Synopsis: With their beloved Andy preparing to leave for college, Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), and…
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Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty

Directed By: Lee Unkrich

#6

Up (2009)

98%

#6

Adjusted Score: 110177%

Critics Consensus: An exciting, funny, and poignant adventure, Up offers an impeccably crafted story told with wit and arranged with depth, as well as yet another visual Pixar treat.

Synopsis: Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner), a 78-year-old balloon salesman, is about to fulfill a lifelong dream. Tying thousands of balloons to…
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Starring: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson

Directed By: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson

#7

Toy Story 4 (2019)

97%

#7

Adjusted Score: 121645%

Critics Consensus: Heartwarming, funny, and beautifully animated, Toy Story 4 manages the unlikely feat of extending — and perhaps concluding — a practically perfect animated saga.

Synopsis: Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie and a new toy…
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Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale

Directed By: Josh Cooley

#8

Coco (2017)

97%

#8

Adjusted Score: 117092%

Critics Consensus: Coco‘s rich visual pleasures are matched by a thoughtful narrative that takes a family-friendly — and deeply affecting — approach to questions of culture, family, life, and death.

Synopsis: Despite his family’s generations-old ban on music, young Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de…
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Starring: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach

Directed By: Lee Unkrich

#9

The Incredibles (2004)

97%

#9

Adjusted Score: 105572%

Critics Consensus: Bringing loads of wit and tons of fun to the animated superhero genre, The Incredibles easily lives up to its name.

Synopsis: In this lauded Pixar animated film, married superheroes Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) are forced to…
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Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Lee

Directed By: Brad Bird

#10

Ratatouille (2007)

96%

#10

Adjusted Score: 106291%

Critics Consensus: Fast-paced and stunningly animated, Ratatouille adds another delightfully entertaining entry — and a rather unlikely hero — to the Pixar canon.

Synopsis: Remy (Patton Oswalt), a resident of Paris, appreciates good food and has quite a sophisticated palate. He would love to…
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Starring: Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano, Brian Dennehy

Directed By: Brad Bird

#11

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

96%

#11

Adjusted Score: 103249%

Critics Consensus: Clever, funny, and delightful to look at, Monsters, Inc. delivers another resounding example of how Pixar elevated the bar for modern all-ages animation.

Synopsis: Monsters Incorporated is the largest scare factory in the monster world, and James P. Sullivan (John Goodman) is one of…
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Starring: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi

Directed By: Pete Docter

#12

Soul (2020)

95%

#12

Adjusted Score: 116350%

Critics Consensus: A film as beautiful to contemplate as it is to behold, Soul proves Pixar’s power to deliver outstanding all-ages entertainment remains undimmed.

Synopsis: Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn’t quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz…
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Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Phylicia Rashad, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson

Directed By: Pete Docter

#13

Turning Red (2022)

95%

#13

Adjusted Score: 111027%

Critics Consensus: Heartwarming, humorous, beautifully animated, and culturally expansive, Turning Red extends Pixar’s long list of family-friendly triumphs.

Synopsis: In “Turning Red”, Mei Lee is a confident, dorky thirteen-year-old torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos…
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Starring: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park

Directed By: Domee Shi

#14

WALL-E (2008)

95%

#14

Adjusted Score: 105660%

Critics Consensus: Wall-E‘s stellar visuals testify once again to Pixar’s ingenuity, while its charming star will captivate younger viewers — and its timely story offers thought-provoking subtext.

Synopsis: WALL-E, short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class, is the last robot left on Earth. He spends his days tidying…
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Starring: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard

Directed By: Andrew Stanton

#15

Finding Dory (2016)

94%

#15

Adjusted Score: 110571%

Critics Consensus: Funny, poignant, and thought-provoking, Finding Dory delivers a beautifully animated adventure that adds another entertaining chapter to its predecessor’s classic story.

Synopsis: Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) is a wide-eyed, blue tang fish who suffers from memory loss every 10 seconds or so. The…
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Starring: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill, Kaitlin Olson

Directed By: Andrew Stanton

#16

Incredibles 2 (2018)

93%

#16

Adjusted Score: 114621%

Critics Consensus: Incredibles 2 reunites Pixar’s family crimefighting team for a long-awaited follow-up that may not quite live up to the original, but comes close enough to earn its name.

Synopsis: Telecommunications guru Winston Deavor enlists Elastigirl to fight crime and make the public fall in love with superheroes once again….
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Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner

Directed By: Brad Bird

#17

Inside Out 2 (2024)

90%

#17

Adjusted Score: 111333%

Critics Consensus: Spicing things up with the wrinkle of teenage angst, Inside Out 2 clears the head and warms the heart by living up to its predecessor’s emotional intelligence.

Synopsis: The little voices inside Riley’s head know her inside and out–but next summer, everything changes when Disney and Pixar’s Inside…
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Starring: Amy Poehler, Kensington Tallman, Maya Hawke, Lilimar

Directed By: Kelsey Mann

#18

A Bug’s Life (1998)

92%

#18

Adjusted Score: 97440%

Critics Consensus: A Bug’s Life is a rousing adventure that blends animated thrills with witty dialogue and memorable characters – and another smashing early success for Pixar.

Synopsis: Flik is an inventive ant who’s always messing things up for his colony. His latest mishap was destroying the food…
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Starring: Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hayden Panettiere

Directed By: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton

#19

Luca (2021)

91%

#19

Adjusted Score: 106564%

Critics Consensus: Slight but suffused with infectious joy, the beguiling Luca proves Pixar can play it safe while still charming audiences of all ages.

Synopsis: Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, Disney and Pixar’s original feature film “Luca” is a coming-of-age…
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Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Maya Rudolph

Directed By: Enrico Casarosa

#20

Onward (2020)

88%

#20

Adjusted Score: 108497%

Critics Consensus: It may suffer in comparison to Pixar’s classics, but Onward makes effective use of the studio’s formula — and stands on its own merits as a funny, heartwarming, dazzlingly animated adventure.

Synopsis: Teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley embark on a magical quest to spend one more day with their late father….
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Starring: Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer

Directed By: Dan Scanlon

#21

Monsters University (2013)

80%

#21

Adjusted Score: 89162%

Critics Consensus: Offering Monsters, Inc. fans a return visit with beloved characters, Monsters University delivers funny and thoughtful family entertainment for viewers of any age.

Synopsis: Ever since he was a kid monster, Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) has dreamed of becoming a Scarer. To make his…
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Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren

Directed By: Dan Scanlon

#22

Brave (2012)

78%

#22

Adjusted Score: 90229%

Critics Consensus: Brave offers young audiences and fairy tale fans a rousing, funny fantasy adventure with a distaff twist and surprising depth.

Synopsis: Merida (Kelly Macdonald), the impetuous but courageous daughter of Scottish King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), is…
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Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters

Directed By: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman

#23

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

76%

#23

Adjusted Score: 86519%

Critics Consensus: The Good Dinosaur delivers thrillingly beautiful animation in service of a worthy story that, even if it doesn’t quite live up to the lofty standards set by Pixar, still adds up to charming, family-friendly entertainment.

Synopsis: Luckily for young Arlo, his parents (Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand) and his two siblings, the mighty dinosaurs were not wiped…
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Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Maleah Nipay-Padilla, Ryan Teeple

Directed By: Peter Sohn

#24

Cars (2006)

74%

#24

Adjusted Score: 82330%

Critics Consensus: Cars offers visual treats that more than compensate for its somewhat thinly written story, adding up to a satisfying diversion for younger viewers.

Synopsis: While traveling to California to race The King and Chick Hicks in the Piston Cup Championship, Lightning McQueen falls out…
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Starring: Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy

Directed By: John Lasseter, Joe Ranft

#25

Lightyear (2022)

74%

#25

Adjusted Score: 91853%

Critics Consensus: Lightyear settles for being a rather conventional origin story instead of reaching for the stars, but this gorgeously animated adventure ably accomplishes its mission of straightforward fun.

Synopsis: Legendary space ranger Buzz Lightyear embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside ambitious recruits Izzy, Mo, Darby, and his robot companion,…
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Starring: Chris Evans, Taika Waititi, Keke Palmer, James Brolin

Directed By: Angus MacLane

#26

Elemental (2023)

73%

#26

Adjusted Score: 88018%

Critics Consensus: Elemental may not satisfy as fully as the greatest Pixar pictures, but it remains a solid story told with dazzling visual flair.

Synopsis: Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental,” an all-new, original feature film set in Element City, where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live…
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Starring: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi

Directed By: Peter Sohn

#27

Cars 3 (2017)

69%

#27

Adjusted Score: 81668%

Critics Consensus: Cars 3 has an unexpectedly poignant story to go with its dazzling animation, suggesting Pixar’s most middle-of-the-road franchise may have a surprising amount of tread left.

Synopsis: Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast cars, the legendary Lighting McQueen finds himself pushed out of the sport that…
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Starring: Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer, Chris Cooper

Directed By: Brian Fee

#28

Cars 2 (2011)

39%

#28

Adjusted Score: 47692%

Critics Consensus: Cars 2 is as visually appealing as any other Pixar production, but all that dazzle can’t disguise the rusty storytelling under the hood.

Synopsis: Racecar Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and his tow-truck buddy, Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), have had their share of adventures…
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Starring: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer

Directed By: John Lasseter