9. Up (2009) - $731.3 million
Arguably the most successful studio in Hollywood history, Pixar's fourteen movies have grossed over $8 billion at the box office and are some of the most critically-lauded animated features of all time (the less said about Cars 2, the better). Even more impressive is that the studio don't tend to over-rely on franchise fare, focusing more on original stories than bashing out half-baked sequels. Up is one of Pixar's greatest triumphs, perfectly balancing humor with heart, and was deservedly nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Director Pete Docter began writing the story in 2004, based on a childhood difficulty in dealing with social situations and wanting to escape from reality. Whimsical stuff. Five years later, it was clear that Pixar were confident in their product when it became the first animated movie to open the Cannes Film Festival, and that confidence certainly wasn't misplaced. On paper, a buddy movie starring a 78 year-old widower and a little kid that features a flying house, talking dogs and a giant flightless bird named Kevin seems like a tough sell but if any studio could make it work, it was Pixar. The montage tracing the life of Carl Fredricksen and his soul-mate Ellie remains one of the most emotionally powerful sequences in cinema history, leaving many theatregoers welling up with tears. The movie blends so many styles together and nails every single one of them; the sense of wonder as Carl's home floats through the sky, the odd-couple dynamic with young explorer Russel, the absurdist humour of Kevin and Dug the dog and a wonderful sense of adventure. Quite simply, it is one of the greatest animated films ever made.