10 Most Intense Pixar Movie Moments

Ever since the release of Toy Story back in 1995, children across the world have grown up watching Pixar movies. These animated classics have always captured the imagination of the young thanks to their colourful vistas, fun characters, and unique premises.

Yet one of the best things about Pixar is that all of their stories – with the possible exception of the Cars trilogy – can also be enjoyed by older audiences. As well as exploring themes like loss, memory, isolation, familial expectation, and the dangers of overprotection, Pixar aren’t afraid to ramp up the intensity from time to time.

Many of the most intense Pixar movie moments place the characters on screen in dangerous environments and exploit common fears, like claustrophobia, asphyxiation, or the fear of heights. Pixar also increase the intensity of their stories by using creepy and – in some cases – psychotic villains who are hellbent on taking down our heroes by any means possible.

Whilst none of Pixar’s movies contain anything that’s flat-out terrifying, the animators certainly know how to bring the intensity and grip their viewers, regardless of how old they are.

Due to the daily abuse they receive from a horde of toddlers, our favourite gang of toys are desperate to get out of Sunnyside Daycare. Woody masterminds an escape plan involving stealthy manoeuvres, lots of signalling, a tortilla, and the destruction of Ken’s clothes.

But before all that, Woody and Slink have to take out the creepiest toy in the building: the Monkey. This crazed animal spends his nights looking at monitors and surveying Sunnyside via various security cameras. Unless they take him out, the whole plan is doomed.

So, rather like Ethan Hunt in the first Mission Impossible movie, Woody and Slink infiltrate the Monkey’s room, lower themselves down, and attempt to place a bag over their target. This already tense scenario goes up a notch when the Monkey turns around and starts squawking like a maniac.

Desperate to inform Lotso, the Monkey ends up in a violent scuffle with Woody, whacking him repeatedly with his cymbals. Thankfully, Slink comes to the rescue and subdues the Monkey by wrapping him up with some masking tape.

It’s a brief fight between the toys, but the Monkey’s robotic mannerisms and creepy appearance (especially those bloodshot eyes) make this one of Pixar’s most intense moments.