The Ultimate Pixar Animated Film Guide: 2020 - 2024
Created | Updated Aug 16, 2024
1995-1999 | 2000-2004 | 2005-2009 | 2010-2014 | 2015-2019 | 2020-2024
Pixar is a company considered to create the epitome of computer animation, dominating the Academy Awards for their animated films. Following a period in which they had made numerous sequels, they announced plans to return to making more original films. Yet their first challenge was one that no-one could have foreseen as they experienced their very first financial flop during a worldwide pandemic that threatened the very existence of cinema.
The Films
The films made during this five-year period are listed below, with recurring characters shown in Bold. This entry also states whether the films pass the Bechdel Test. This can be summarised as whether the film involves two or more female characters who have a conversation together that is not about men.
22. Onward (2020)
| Director | Dan Scanlon |
|---|---|
| Plot | In a fantasy world where technology has replaced magic because technology is easier live the Lightfoot family whose father died before Ian died. On Ian's 16trh birthday he is given a wizard's staff, a powerful crystal and a spell that can reincarnate Ian's father for one day that can only work once. Ian tries to cast the spell, but only manages to reincarnate his father's legs before the crystal disintegrates. He and his brother Barley decide to find a replacement gem to let them complete the spell before the time runs out, heading for the Manticore's Tavern, the first step on their journey. Will Ian and Barley succeed in their quest, and will they both develop as people and learn about themselves during the experience? Will their attempt to find magic in a world that has long gone without it encourage those around them to discover magic for themselves? |
| Length | 99 minutes |
| Setting | New Mushroomton, city in a fantasy world where technology has replaced magic |
| Characters |
|
| Music | 'Carried Me With You' by Brandi Carlile, Phil and Tim Hanseroth |
| Accompanying Short | Playdate with Destiny (2020) - short film based on The Simpsons1 |
| Cameos |
|
| Bechdel | Pass |
One of the joys of the film is looking out for the other film references. There is a Burger Shire serving second breakfast in a reference to The Lord of the Rings and the appetite of hobbits, as well as Indiana Jones references. The film was inspired by Dan Scanlon's personal experience, as he had lost his father at a young age.
Although it saw rave reviews in the western world2, the film bombed at cinemas, recouping half the production budget. This was largely because it was released just before the 2020 Covid-19 outbreak spread worldwide. On its opening weekend cinema attendance was a small fraction of what would normally be expected across all films, and by the following weekend many key markets had taken steps to close all cinemas. Rather than plan to re-release the film later in the year once the outbreak had passed, Disney announced that Onward would be available on their newly-launched Disney+ online video-streaming service and used extensively to try and persuade households to subscribe during the period of social distancing and lockdown.
Sadly Onward's failure at the box office may have consequences, no matter how unfair. It has led to speculation that Pixar may well abandon their strategy on making new, original films and instead return to making more films based on established successes. There is also a belief that fantasy western animated films consistently flop, following such film financial failures as The Lord of the Rings Part One (1979) and The Black Cauldron (1985).
23. Soul (2020)
| Director | Pete Docter |
|---|---|
| Plot | Joe is a music teacher who dreams of being a jazz pianist and one of his former students informs him that jazz legend Dorothea Williams is desperate for a pianist for a performance that night at a jazz club. After impressing her and getting the gig, he falls down a manhole and falls into a coma, becoming an untethered soul. Joe finds himself heading to the Great Beyond but wishing to return to his life escapes to the Great Before where souls who have not yet lived exist. Impersonating a soul mentor designed to aid young souls he is assigned to soul 22 who is unwilling to live and does not have the spark that would permit her to be born. Joe and 22 agree that if he is able to give her the spark that would give her the pass to go to Earth she will give the pass to him. After speaking to spiritual guru Moonwind, who still lives but can visit the spirit realm, an accident results in their falling to Earth with 22 in Joe's body and Joe trapped in the body of a therapy cat that had been next to Joe. Can Joe find his way back to his body and will 22 learn to accept life on Earth and finally want to live? Or will they be found by soul counter Terry |
| Length | 100 minutes |
| Setting | New York and the spirit world, both Great Beyond and Great Before |
| Characters |
|
| Soul Music |
|
| Oscar | Best Animated Film Best Original Score |
| Spin Off | 22 vs. Earth (2021) - Short film |
| Cameos |
|
| Bechdel | Pass |
Many of the mentor name stickers in 22's room are either famous inspirational figures or Pixar employees.
This film had been intended for a summer 2020 release but was delayed by the Covid-19 outbreak which closed cinemas worldwide. Despite a premiere at the London Film Festival it was released worldwide on Christmas Day 2020 on Disney+.
24. Luca (2021)
| Director | Enrico Casarosa |
|---|---|
| Plot | Off the coast of Italian harbour town Portorosso in the 1950s is a community of mermaid 'sea monsters'. They have tails, gills and fins when underwater but, when dry, appear fully human. 13-year-old boy Luca, who has lived a sheltered life shepherding goatfish, encounters the adventurous and reckless 14-year-old sea monster Alberto, who lives alone on an isolated island, the two bond and dream of living in the human world and riding a Vespa motorscooter around the world. When Luca's parents discover this they plan to send him to the bottom of the ocean, but instead Luca runs away with Alberto to the nearest human town, Portorosso. In Portorosso they encounter Giulia, who spends the summer holidays with her fishmonger father Massimo training for the Portorosso Cup, a swimming, cycling, pasta-eating competition that she always loses. If they work as a team and win, Luca and Alberto will be able to afford to buy a Vespa. Can Luca and Alberto keep their secret and stay hidden from their parents? Will their views of not only humans but also the whole universe change? |
| Length | 101 minutes |
| Setting | 1954 Italian harbour town and surrounding water of Portorosso |
| Characters |
|
| Soundtrack | Composed by Dan Romer |
| Cameos |
|
| Bechdel | Pass |
The film is heavily influenced by the Studio Ghibli films of Hayao Miyazaki, which also often have a period and Mediterranean setting. The town of Portorosso is named after film Porco Rosso (1992), although meaning 'Red Port' it is also a reference to Pixar's next film, titled Turning Red. Cyclist Giulia wears the same clothes as cyclist Tombo does in Kiki's Delivery Service (1989). Other influences included Federico Fellini and his 1954 film La Strada, which actually can be seen as a poster Enrico Casarosa had previously directed Pixar short La Luna, with character Massimo who rows a small boat in order to get to work (fishing) looking very similar to the character Papa rowed a small boat in order to get to work.
There is a short post-credits sequence. This was the second Pixar film in a row to be released direct to Disney+ subscribers without first being shown in cinemas. As it was not even released as a premiere subscription this has led to complaints from Pixar employees that their work is undervalued by the Walt Disney Company.
25. Turning Red (2022)
| Director | Domee Shi |
|---|---|
| Plot | Meilin 'Mei Mei' Lee is a 13-year-old girl balancing living her own life with pleasing her loved but domineering parents, who run a Chinese temple in Toronto. She, along with her closest friends, has a crush on boy band 4*Town, who are due to perform in Toronto. After being majorly embarrassed by her mother Mei Mei discovers that due to a family curse whenever she feels emotional, she turns into a giant Red Panda. Horrified, Mei Mei tries to hide but later comes to realise that being a Red Panda can help her raise the funds to pay for the expensive tickets so she and her friends can see 4*Town, yet they are due to perform on the Night of the Red Moon, which is the only time when she can be freed of the curse of turning into a Red Panda. Can Mei Mei please her parents, end the curse or come to accept this new part of herself? |
| Length | 99 minutes |
| Setting | Toronto in 2002 |
| Characters |
|
| Music | Composed by Ludwig Göransson |
| Cameos |
|
| Bechdel | Pass |
Shi had previously directed Pixar Oscar-winning short Bao, about a Chinese-Canadian mother whose son is leaving home, which is referenced in the film and pitched a story about a 'girl going through a magical puberty'. The film was inspired by Studio Ghibli classics such as My Neighbor Totoro and even had a joke working-title of My Neighbor Toronto, with cats in the film having similar colouring to those in the Studio Ghibli classic.
Inexplicably there were complaints in America that menstruation was an inappropriate topic for a film aimed at children, even though this will affect half the world's population between the age of 9-16 whether approved of or not. Other influences on Mei include the character of Lisa Simpson, who also plays an instrument in the school orchestra, with the temple's panda statues named 'Bart' and 'Lisa'.
Following the success of Encanto which was praised for having the main female protagonist wear glasses, Mei wears glasses in this film too. Like the previous two Pixar films, Turning Red was released directly on Disney+ instead of in cinemas as a result of the Covid pandemic, leading to further reports that Disney were deliberately side-lining Pixar's films, especially ones featuring non-white lead characters. Despite this, following its release Domee Shi was promoted to be one of Pixar's Vice President of Creative [sic].
26. Lightyear (2022)
| Director | Angus MacLane |
|---|---|
| Plot | Buzz Lightyear is a Space Ranger in Star Command. When exploring a hostile planet he refuses to accept help, and crashes the ship. While the crew begins to colonise the planet Buzz is determined to find a way off the planet and volunteers for a series of hyperspace tests that will allow them to escape. However each flight he takes at near-hyperspace speeds lasts only minutes for him, but years for those on the planet. Eventually he discovers how to refine the fuel, only to realise that his best friend Commander Alisha Hawthorne has married Kiko, they've had a granddaughter and Alisha has died of old age. Meanwhile alien robots commanded by Zurg have invaded the planet and seem to be after Buzz's fuel. With the colony besieged, only his robot cat Sox and eager, but inexperienced rookies Izzy Hawthorne, Alisha's granddaughter who has astrophobia, paroled convict Darby Steel and clumsy quitter Mo Morrison are free. Has Buzz learned his lesson that he needs to befriend and trust others, or will he try to fight Zurg on his own? |
| Length | 105 minutes |
| Setting | Space, the Final Frontier. Particularly planet T'Kani Prime |
| Characters |
|
| Soundtrack | Composed by Michael Giacchino |
| Related |
|
| Cameos |
|
| Bechdel | Fail |
A spin-off of the Toy Story series covering the same ground as cartoon Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000), with this film purporting to show the real adventures of Buzz Lightyear, who Andy in the Toy Story film series has a toy of. Unfortunately his adventures seem to consist largely of blaming himself for a mistake made a century ago and trying to avoid interacting with anyone else. The plot, in which the faster that Buzz travels, the longer in years it takes for him to return to the planet he is marooned on, makes it difficult to care about the supporting characters as the first lot are disposed with quite quickly.
This was the first Pixar film to be released in cinemas since the start of the Covid pandemic, and bombed. In 2018 Disney released Solo, a science fiction prequel film named after a major character in the Star Wars series only with the main role recast with a different actor instead of the iconic man who made the role famous, creating a film that bombed. In 2022 Disney released Lightyear, a science fiction prequel film named after a major character in the Toy Story series only with the main role recast with a different actor instead of the iconic man who made the role famous, creating a film that bombed. Why Tim Allen was replaced as Buzz Lightyear with Chris Evans is unclear, however audiences did not react well to the change. Lightyear also featured a blink-and-you'll-miss-it kiss between two women, one of whom doesn't even have any lines. This led to it being banned in all the usual countries where Lesbianism is illegal3. As the last few Pixar films were released straight to Disney+, with the popularity of that streaming service it is believed that many Disney fans who have subscribed to it preferred to wait 45 days to see the film in the comfort of their own home rather than go to the cinema. There is also a belief that western science fiction animated films consistently flop4.
There are pleasing references to numerous science fiction films throughout, which rewards multiple viewings even though the plot is predictable and cliched.
27. Elemental (2023)
| Director | Peter Sohn |
|---|---|
| Plot | In a world divided between the four elements - Earth, Air, Water and Fire - Firish immigrants to Element City Bernie and Cinder establish a shop called the Fireplace and hold onto their heritage and tradition in a new place despite being labelled hot heads by the other elements. There they raise their daughter Ember, with the expectation that she will one day inherit the shop, once she is able to control her temper. Following a hot-tempered outburst that breaks a water pipe, a water element named Wade who is an inspector, floods into the shop and threatens to close it down. After submitting his report, Wade helps Ember talk to his boss. They agree that if Ember can help Wade find and solve a serious leak in the city, the shop won't be shut for good. Can a hot-headed fire element work with a wet water element who is transparent and goes with the flow? What are Ember's temper tantrums trying to tell her? |
| Length | 109 minutes |
| Setting | Element City, especially Fire Town |
| Characters |
|
| Music | By Thomas Newman |
| Accompanying Short | Carl's Date (2023) |
| Cameos |
|
| Bechdel | Pass |
This film is a thinly-veiled story of people migrating to the United States, particularly New York. Director Peter Sohn had himself migrated to New York from Korea with his parents, who opened a shop. Influenced by rom-coms, this is a breathtakingly beautiful film with likeable characters, but a largely cheesy and predictable plot that contains elements of earlier films such as An American Tale and Zootopia.
28. Inside Out 2 (2024)
| Director | Kelsey Mann |
|---|---|
| Plot | 13-year-old Riley is going to enter High School after the summer holiday. She plans to first go to Ice Hockey Camp with her two best friends, but learns that they will be going to a different school than she is. Meanwhile her emotions in Headquarters have built a positive 'Sense of Self' consisting of Riley's key positive memories. The day before camp is due to begin, Riley's puberty alarm sounds. This leads to four new emotions - Envy, Embarrassment, Ennui and Anxiety - and Riley's console has become super-sensitive, leading to Riley overreacting to any emotional stimulus. At hockey camp the original emotions wish Riley to spend time with her friends but her new emotions want her to fit in with popular, older cool girl Val Ortiz and believe Riley needs to change to fit in. They turn on Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust, making them bottled emotions, and their actions replace Riley's sense of self with one dominated by anxiety. How will Riley behave at summer camp, and can her warring emotions reconcile? |
| Length | 96 minutes |
| Setting | Ice hockey camp in 21st Century San Francisco |
| Riley's Emotions |
|
| Characters |
|
| Music | Soundtrack composed by Andrea Datzman
|
| Oscar | |
| Related |
|
| Cameos |
|
| Bechdel | Pass |
| Post Credits Scene | Revealing Riley's Deep Dark Secret |
When released this became the most successful Pixar film of all time and the most-successful animated film of all time5.
Many of the existing characters had new voice actors for this sequel, for example, Kensington Tallman replaces Kaitlyn Dias as Riley but Phyllis Smith came out of retirement to play Sadness again for this film.
The Future
The first half of the 2020s has proved to be a difficult time for Pixar. Their films were increasingly used during the pandemic to promote home streaming service Disney+, with Onward released on Disney+ in April 2020. Even after the pandemic ended and the world returned to normal it was felt that Pixar films in particular were being used to encourage people to take up Disney+ subscriptions instead of going to the cinema. Soul (2020), Luca (2021) and Turning Red (2022) were all released free on Disney+ while other films required an additional charge.
Following criticism that all of Pixar's original content was being sacrificed, the next two Pixar films featured existing characters and had mixed results. Lightyear (2022) was indirectly related to the Toy Story films, only with an astronaut who is not a toy and not voiced by Tim Allen, only for the film to flop, whereas Inside Out 2 (2024) was a much more faithful sequel and released to incredible box office success.
1995-1999 | 2000-2004 | 2005-2009 | 2010-2014 | 2015-2019 | 2020-2024
