Pixar are many things. Genius, funny, emotional, perfect; the superlative terms are never-ending. But the biggest thing they are is consistent. In terms of quality that consistency is undebatable. Their films are regularly the best reviewed of the year, and when they do have that rare misfire it's viewed as a temporary blip, rather than a worrying sign of studio decline. Heck, they've got a whole Oscar category created in their honour; Best Animated Feature was created by the Academy when Pixar's early hits proved such critical darlings that they couldn't be ignored any more. But there's also an overarching style - a series of recognisable traits that makes a movie Pixar - that runs through their entire filmography; an emotionally mature theme paired with a suitable high concept, resulting in something at once identifiable and gleefully unique. This is something their competitors just can't offer; Dreamworks' tone varies wildly from pop culture quoting to heavy action; Disney has a carefully cultivated brand, but some of their work from the '40s/'80s/'00s looks nothing like what you expect from Uncle Walt; nobody outside of animation fans even know who Blue Sky are. To celebrate the one true King of Animation in the wake of their latest success, Inside Out, here's a definitive ranking of all fifteen of their feature films (so far).
