In the wake of the critical drubbing of Cars 2, the perceived underwhelming performance of Brave, and an upcoming slate that is built around prequels, sequels, and things involving Dane Cook, it would be easy to feel down about Pixar. Indeed, many have been quick to anoint other animation studios as being as good, if not superior, and even taking shots at Pixars creative teams and earlier work. To quote the great poet laureate of the 90s: This will not stand, man. There is perhaps no more important American film institution currently making films than Pixar Animation. The work they have done since Toy Story's debut in 1995 has inspired an entire generation of film makers and film lovers, and there can be no question that as the craft evolves, the future of the form will be built around the foundations of narrative, emotion, style and skill that Pixar established. Quality, plus endless replays on Disney channel, will ensure that. So thats the future all settled. But lets look to the past, and try to articulate WHY Pixars films, coming from a range of directors and covering a wide range of stories and styles, have struck such a resonant chord and reached such a peak of excellence. Lets look at what makes Pixar, Pixar.