Elemental (2023)

Title: Elemental
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1 hour 41 minutes
Release Date: June 16, 2023
Genre(s): Animation, Fantasy, Romance
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Peter Sohn
Starring: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou, Ronnie Del Carmen


Who would I recommend this to?
Fans of Inside Out.

What is this about?
Fire and Water come together.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Whenever you need something to do.

Where does it take place?
Element City.

Why did I decide to watch this?
It's Disney.

How did I like this?
They tried to tell a story about the struggle of immigrants and discrimination, much like they did with Zootopia, but it didn't totally work. This was more like another Inside Out, but if Anger and Sadness started dating. I didn't get it at all. 

It was still pretty cute though.

Have you seen Elemental? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Lightyear (2022)

Title: Lightyear
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Release Date: June 17, 2022
Genre(s): Animation, Sci-Fi, Adventure
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Angus MacLane
Starring: Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Peter Sohn


Who would I recommend this to?
Toy Story fans.

What is this about?
A space ranger must fix his life-threatening mistake by learning to work with others.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Soon, if you haven't already.

Where does it take place?
Space.

Why did I decide to watch this?
Because it's Pixar, duh.

How did I like this?
I adored it! It made me laugh! It made me cry! It made me feel in general. It's definitely a fun and unique spinoff to a well-loved series. The "twist" was kind of weird, but I still enjoyed it.

I do have to say, that while I adored Sox, I was kind of annoyed how he was a blatant ripoff of Baymax, who is my absolute favorite robot companion ever.

Have you seen Lightyear? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Turning Red (2022)

Title: Turning Red
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Release Date: March 11, 2022
Genre(s): Animation, Fantasy
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Domee Shi
Starring: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse


Who would I recommend this to?
Definitely young girls on the verge of, or in the middle of, puberty. And everyone else.

What is this about?
A young girl turns into a giant red panda when her emotions run high.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Whenever you have 2 hours for an emotional rollercoaster.

Where does it take place?
Toronto, Canada.

Why did I decide to watch this?
Because it's Pixar.

How did I like this?
I'll admit that I was not excited for this one. The previews did nothing for me. But I loved how this one definitely stepped out of the squeak clean Disney-Pixar box. It deals with some major topics! INCLUDING PERIODS!!! Meilin's mom goes all out when she thinks Meilin has become a woman!

It did a lot of things wonderfully, and it's cute, but I didn't cry. But I am now a 4-Town fan, because A+ soundtrack.

Have you seen Turning Red? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Toy Story of Terror (2013)

Title: Toy Story of Terror
Rating: TV-G
Run Time: 26 minutes
Release Date: October 16, 2013
Genre(s): Animation, Fantasy, Horror
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Angus MacLane
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack


Who would I recommend this to?
Toy Story fans!

What is this about?
The toys have to survive the night in a potentially haunted motel!

When would be a good time to watch this?
Spooky season, or when you need a quick Toy Story fix.

Where does it take place?
A random motel somewhere.

Why did I decide to watch this?
It's Spooky Season and I love Toy Story.

How did I like this?
I loooved it! I can't believe I hadn't seen this until now! I think it's great that we got to explore Jessie's trauma and see her overcome it! Plus, I loved seeing more of Trixie! Mr. Pricklepants is the absolute worst in the best possible way! And meeting Combat Carl was a total treat! This was just an all-around great short about our favorite toys.

Have you seen Toy Story of Terror? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Monsters at Work - Season 1 (2021)

Title: Monsters at Work
Rating: TV-G
Run Time: 22 minutes
Release Date: July 2, 2021
Genre(s): Comedy, Animation, Series
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios, Disney Television Animation
Starring: Billy Crystal, Ben Feldman, Mindy Kaling


Who would I recommend this to?
Monsters Inc fans.

What is this about?
Tyler wants to be a joker but he's stuck in maintenance.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Whenever you need a bite-sized pick me up!

Where does it take place?
Monstropolis.

Why did I decide to watch this?
Because Monsters Inc and Monsters University are my favorites.

How did I like this?
It's so cute! And I love that the original cast is back along with new faces/voice! It's fun to see how Monsters Inc is continuing as a business after the ending of the movie.

Have you seen Monsters at Work? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

 

Luca (2021)

Title: Luca
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1 hour 41 minutes
Release Date: June 18, 2021
Genre(s): Animation, Fantasy, Adventure
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studio, Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Enrico Casarosa
Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman


Who would I recommend this to?
Whoever.

What is this about?
A couple of seamonsters disguised as human try to win a race and buy a Vespa.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Whenever.

Where does it take place?
Italy.

Why did I decide to watch this?
It's Pixar.

How did I like this?
It was cute, but it felt like they recycled The Little Mermaid and turned it into a Vespa ad. Kinda weird.

Have you seen Luca? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Soul (2020)

Title: Soul
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Release Date: December 25, 2020
Genre(s): Animation, Drama
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Pete Docter, Kemp Powers
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton


Who would I recommend this to?
Anyone who needs to find their spark.

What is this about?
Joe dies and is tasked with helping an unborn soul find their purpose.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Anytime really.

Where does it take place?
New York.

Why did I decide to watch this?
Because it's Pixar, duh.

How did I like this?
It reminded me a lot of Inside Out, which isn't one of my favorites, but both movies are really interesting and innovative. They go way deeper than the typical kid movie.

Having a spark does not equal a one-track-mind though. I get that they had to simplify a bit for the target audience, but I think they could have given Joe other interests outside of just Jazz.

Have you seen Soul? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Toy Story 4 (2019)

Title: Toy Story 4
Rating: G
Run Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Release Date: June 21, 2019
Genre(s): Animation
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Josh Cooley
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts


Who would I recommend this to?
I want to say Toy Story fans, but not the hardcore ones, since this sequel was very much not needed.

What is this about?
Bonnie's family goes on vacation and she loses Woody! But maybe life as a lost toy isn't so bad...

When would be a good time to watch this?
Never, honestly. Let Toy Story 3 be the perfect ending to this series.

Where does it take place?
Mostly at a creepy antique shop and carnival.

Why did I decide to watch this?
It's Toy Story. I was morally obligated to.

How did I like this?
It's fine. It's fun, but it was not a good addition to the series. Toy Story 3 ended PERFECTLY. This was just extra, but thankfully that ending makes more movies unlikely. It honestly felt like a long-winded way of explaining what happened to Bo Peep after she was briefly mentioned in the previous movie, even though I'm sure the intention was to complete Woody's mission of being there for his kid.

I must say that the "Plush Rush" scene is the greatest scene of all of the movies though. I was dying. Ducky and Bunny were hilarious. On the other hand, Forky's antics got old fast. They were clearly trying to appeal to kids rather than the adults who grew up with these movies.

The Bensons...No. The animation...woah. It's been so weird watching all of them close together to see how much the visuals changed over the last 25 years.

Have you seen Toy Story 4? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

The Incredibles 2 (2018)

Title: The Incredibles 2
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1 hour 58 minutes
Release Date: June 15, 2018
Genre(s): Animation, Adventure
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Brad Bird
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell


Who would I recommend this to?
Fans of the first movie.

What is this about?
A superhero family tries to save their public image while saving the world.

When would be a good time to watch this?
After watching The Incredibles. It oddly picks up immediately after even though it's been 15 years.

Where does it take place?
Still retro America.

Why did I decide to watch this?
Because it's Disney Pixar, duh.

How did I like this?
Flipping traditional gender roles! Bob has to stay home with the baby, while his wife works to save the world! Which job is more difficult?

More Violet! I love Violet! I was hoping this would have been about the grown up kids. Yes, I knew nothing about this movie going in.

Screenslaver is a very good villain. They could easily take over in today's world. Although the person behind the mask was obvious.

Have you seen The Incredibles 2? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Title: The Good Dinosaur
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1 hour 33 minutes
Release Date: November 25, 2015
Genre(s): Animation, Adventure
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Peter Sohn
Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Maleah Nipay-Padilla


Who would I recommend this to?
Anybody remember Dinosaur? Me either.

What is this about?
A dinosaur named Arlo loses his family but finds a pet human.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Before bed.

Where does it take place?
Ancient Earth.

Why did I decide to watch this?
It's Disney/Pixar and I like dinosaurs. It also kind of reminded me of Ice Age.

How did I like this?
It's cute, but I think the scaredy character goes on an adventure trope is overdone. This one didn't do anything particularly original with it either, except for the dog-boy.

The scene when they accidentally get high is pretty funny though.

Have you seen The Good Dinosaur? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Monsters University (2013)

Title: Monsters University
Rating: G
Run Time: 1 hour 44 minutes
Release Date: June 21, 2013
Genre(s): Animation
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Dan Scanlon
Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi


Who would I recommend this to?
Monsters Inc fans.

What is this about?
It's the prequel to Monsters Inc, so we follow Mike and Sully during their college years!

When would be a good time to watch this?
Whenever you need a laugh.

Where does it take place?
Like the title suggests, Monsters University...

Why did I decide to watch this?
Because I love Monsters Inc.

How did I like this?
It's so fun to see young Mike, Sully, and Randal. They were so different! I love Grumpy Sully! I also just love weirdos and outcasts banding together to stick it to the man!

This will probably sound strange, but I do like how they show you don't have to finish college to get your dream job. It takes the pressure off.

Disneyland should have built a Monsters University Campus rather than the Avengers Campus. Just saying...

Have you seen Monsters University? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Brave (2012)

Title: Brave
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1 hour 33 minutes
Release Date: June 22, 2012
Genre(s): Animation, Adventure
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson


Who would I recommend this to?
Girls! Boys! You!

What is this about?
Merida gets her mom turned into a bear and has to get her changed back.

When would be a good time to watch this?
A rainy afternoon would be good. I don't know why. It just has that vibe.

Where does it take place?
Scotland of old.

Why did I decide to watch this?
Because Pixar finally made a princess movie. I originally watched it when it first came out with my mom.

How did I like this?
First, Merida has my hair. At least when mine is freshly dyed, which I don't do anymore. But wild, red curls is the thing.

This is a great mother-daughter movie, which Disney generally doesn't do, since they like to kill-off the mothers. Merida and the queen fight, go on a crazy adventure nearly getting killed by the king, but at the end they still love each other.

Have you seen Brave? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Cars 2 (2011)

Title: Cars 2
Rating: G
Run Time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Release Date: June 24, 2011
Genre(s): Animation
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: John Lasseter, Bradford Lewis
Starring: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine


Who would I recommend this to?
My worst enemy.

What is this about?
The ruination of Mater as a character.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Never.

Where does it take place?
Around the world.

Why did I decide to watch this?
Because I loved the first movie. Then again for this review, although I had sworn to remove this movie from my memory.

How did I like this?
No. That's it. Those are my thoughts. No. WTF was that?! Okay, that's more thoughts. But really, Mater is a great sidekick, but he is not a leading character. He could not carry an entire movie on his own. Disney dumbed him down way too much and took everything that made him lovable in the first movie and bastardized it.

Okay, I will say that having the criminals BE their own getaway vehicle was kind of clever.

Have you seen Cars 2? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Title: Toy Story 3
Rating: G
Run Time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Release Date: June 18, 2010
Genre(s): Animation
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Lee Unkrich
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack


Who would I recommend this to?
Everyone has ever loved Toy Story.

What is this about?
Andy is leaving for college, which means packing up his old toys and putting them in the attic. Except that's not where they end up...

When would be a good time to watch this?
When you want something fun and then to sob like the world is ending.

Where does it take place?
Day care! Oh no!

Why did I decide to watch this?
Because it's Toy Story, duh.

How did I like this?
I don't think "like" is the right word. This movie nearly broke me. Do you know how uncomfortable it is to cry while watching a movie with 3D glasses. It's terrible. I was a mess. This was the end of an era. At least it was suppose to be. And felt like it. Then I watched it again and same reaction, minus the glasses.

Ken cracks me the heck up. I love him. Big Baby scared the crap out of me. I want to hug Lottso. Which I did last year. He did not smell like strawberries. Also, Spanish-mode Buzz.

Have you seen Toy Story 3? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Up (2009)

Title: Up
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1 hour 36 minutes
Release Date: May 29, 2009
Genre(s): Animation, Adventure
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Starring: Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, John Ratzenberger


Who would I recommend this to?
People who like to cry and like dogs. And grumpy old men.

What is this about?
Carl finally lives out his and his late wife's dream of traveling to Paradise Falls. However, he's not the only one going on this adventure.

When would be a good time to watch this?
You'll need ten-ish minutes to cry at the beginning, so whenever you can accommodate for that.

Where does it take place?
In a flying house on its way to Paradise Falls.

Why did I decide to watch this?
It's a Disney Pixar movie, duh. This was only my second time watching it though, which is unusual.

How did I like this?
Let me sound like a grown-up for a minute: It was nice to see a couple who was loving and fulfilled without having children. That's it. Even if their relationship ends in tragedy and rips your heart out before the movie even gets going!

That opening scene was the only thing I remembered before my rewatch. This movie is cute, but ultimately forgettable. I adore Dug though.

Have you seen Up? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

WALL-E (2008)

Title: WALL-E
Rating: G
Run Time: 1 hour 38 minutes
Release Date: June 27, 2008
Genre(s): Animation, Sci-Fi
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Andrew Stanton
Starring: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin


Who would I recommend this to?
People who care about the environment and like robots? So, me.

What is this about?
WALL-E, a trash-compacting robot, is the only inhabitant left on Earth after the humans destroyed and abandoned it. Of course, WALL-E is more than just a trash-compacting robot.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Uuhh...I don't know. It super relevant, so...now?

Where does it take place?
Mostly outer space, but also partly on a destroyed Earth.

Why did I decide to watch this?
I love Pixar and robots (thanks to Johnny-5). I originally saw this one in theaters.

How did I like this?
I was OBSESSED when it first came out. Was this movie written especially for me?! WALL-E is effing adorable (reminds me of Johnny-5) and his crush on EVE was the cutest effing thing ever.

It was also scary how accurate this movie appeared to be at the time. Is humanity really heading in this direction? Most likely. I believe so, if things don't change soon.

In case you haven't seen this movie and are considering it, know that there's no dialogue for the first like half hour. It's just WALL-E and his friend cockroach.

Have you seen WALL-E? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Ratatouille (2007)

Title: Ratatouille
Rating: G
Run Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Release Date: June 29, 2007
Genre(s): Animation
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava
Starring: Brad Garrett, Lou Romano, Patton Oswalt


Who would I recommend this to?
Foodies who like animal movies.

What is this about?
A rat who loves to cook helps a human who sucks at it.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Maybe not when you're hungry...

Where does it take place?
Paris.

Why did I decide to watch this?
I did see this one in theaters and it made me so happy. It just looked super cute.

How did I like this?
It's super cute and totally flips the "animal helper" trope on its head, since Remy is the one who needs a human helper to achieve his dream.

While I still really enjoy this movie, it didn't fully hold my attention this time. Maybe because I'm out of my "cooking reality TV" phase?

Have you seen Ratatouille? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Cars (2006)

Title: Cars
Rating: G
Run Time: 1 hour 57 minutes
Release Date: June 9, 2006
Genre(s): Animation
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: John Lasseter, Joe Ranft
Starring: Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Paul Newman


Who would I recommend this to?
I honestly don't know. While I adore this movie, I don't think it's that popular. At least comparatively. It's a weird one.

What is this about?
Rookie racecar with a big head gets stuck in the middle of nowhere where he learns the value of friendship and regains a more humble confidence.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Whenever you have 2 hours and need a little pick me up.

Where does it take place?
Radiator Springs. California.

Why did I decide to watch this?
I actually wasn't too interested in this when it first came out, but my friend's mom took us to see it. And of course I wound up liking it more than her little sister did.

How did I like this?
Like I just said, I adored this movie. It doesn't really look like my thing, other than being Disney, but it's so funny and unique. There are NO HUMANS OR ANIMALS! Anthropomorphic cars, KACHOW!

We all know that kids' movies contain jokes for the parents, and this movie is no exception. There are sooo many adult jokes! That might be why at 16, I enjoyed this more than the six-year-old... 

And, yes, even a movie about talking cars made me cry.

But I am sooo sick of "Life is a Highway." Can we please retire that song? Forever!

Have you seen Cars? What did you think?
If not, would you watch it?

Finding Nemo (2003)

Title: Finding Nemo
Rating: G
Run Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Release Date: May 30, 2003
Genre(s): Animation
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
Starring: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould


Who would I recommend this to?
If you like cute fishes and new friendships and familial relationships.

What is this about?
Exactly what the title suggests. We are trying to find Nemo, who is lost.

When would be a good time to watch this?
Now. We can all use a little Dory in our lives.

Where does it take place?
Pixar world. 42 Wallaby Way.

Why did I decide to watch this?
Because it's adorable.

How did I like this?
Disney likes to kill parents. Especially mothers. And this opening scene is just cruel and traumatizing. But Marlen is so freaking sweet and such a great dad!

Nemo's "lucky fin" and Dory's short-term memory loss are a great way to show kids (or anyone really) that it's okay to be different. Our handicaps don't have to  hold us back. We can all do great things and have adventures. With some help from friends.

I just love the colors and shapes and textures and the animation in general of this movie. It's so pretty.

Have you seen Finding Nemo? What did you think?

If not, would you watch it?

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Title: Monsters, Inc.
Rating: G
Run Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Release Date: November 2, 2001
Genre(s): Animation
Production Co.: Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Pete Docter, David Silverman
Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Mary Gibbs


Who would I recommend this to?
Myself and everyone who likes cute movies.

What is this about?
Monsters scare children to power their town, but then one accidentally gets in and causes chaos! Also corporate corruption.

When would be a good time to watch this?
When you need a good laugh.

Where does it take place?
Monstropolis.

Why did I decide to watch this?
Again, I don't remember my first time seeing this, but the last time before this was during my last trip to Disney World. Right after meeting Mike and Sully!

How did I like this?
This movie is so fun and colorful! I love all of the different monsters!

I also love how this movie gets into corporate corruption and how businesses are always looking out for their bottom line rather than ethical practices! Not that most kids will understand that, but it's good to be aware of.

Have you seen Monsters, Inc.? What did you think?

If not, would you watch it?