Pixar Perfect

Recently Pixar presented us with the masterpiece Soul. If this movie made you meditate about life, let me take you on a journey highlighting each Pixar movie as the landmarks of our existence, so you can pick whichever film matches your past, present, or hope for the future. From Soul to Soul again. Beginning, end, infinity, and beyond.

Root

If our lives were a tree represented by Pixar’s filmography, the root (or seed) could only grow from a film that touches both ends of the spectrum (life and death) and connects them as one circle. Hence the beauty of Soul.

The story of Joe Gardner, a music teacher who gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and passes away on the same day, makes us reflect a lot not only about death but life itself, how it begins, what things actually matter, and where do we go from here.

Childhood imagination

As babies, our imagination evolves walking hand-to-hand with our fantasies. We find it easy to believe there are monsters under our bed but do we ever ask ourselves why they come at night to scare children?

If a blanket and a teddy bear were your incorruptible guardians as a child, you will feel very comfortable visiting Monsters, Inc., accompanied by Mike and Sullivan, in a city powered by children’s screams.

A friend in me

Our toys also play main characters feeding our vivid imagination, sometimes even making us wonder what do they do when we are not around. If that was your childhood then there is a classic for you: Toy Story.

This 1995 groundbreaking animation introduces us to Woody, a toy seriously devoted to his owner’s playtime, and Buzz Lightyear, an action figure who believes to be on an actual real mission.

“You are a toy!”

— Woody (Toy Story, 1995)

As we grow up, we decide to pass on our toys to other children so they can create their own stories and fantasies. A rite of passage you can experience again in Toy Story 3.

Little by little, we become more independent and willing to explore what is beyond the crib, the bedroom, the house, the neighborhood, and so on. The beautiful The Good Dinosaur is for those who seek an adventure to learn more about what is out there and about themselves.

And then puberty kicks in

If you still cringe when you think about your mistakes as a teenager, then you must watch Inside Out and follow young Riley’s battles against her fears and insecurities, while we see her emotions as living characters, led by Joy, striving to bring balance to her life.

This struggle comes with a clash between her and her family, which may sound familiar to some, but for other teens not having the whole family around might be their core issue.

If you have experienced that, then Onward is for you. The adventure of Ian and Barley Lightfoot, as epic as it is, is inspired by the desire for family bonding, as these two brothers seek a magic gem that can bring their father back to life for just a single — but really special — day.

“On a quest, the clear path is never the right one.”

— Barley Lightfoot (Onward, 2020)

Making friends and “clicking” with other people is also part of this period in life and, if you are looking for a great friendship movie, Finding Dory is here for you.

Dory is a fish who suffers from memory loss and is trying to find her family. With the help of her loyal friends Nemo and Marlin, they will have to swim against the current to unite them once again.

These waves of challenges are accompanied by a quest to understand our roots, much like the plot in Toy Story 2, where Woody’s values are shaken when he learns about his origins and his true story, making him wonder where he actually belongs.

Coming of age

The round edges on Merida’s curly hair have never stopped her from looking for straight answers. While different kingdoms fight for her hand, all she desires is to be free to walk her own path. Sadly, she learns the hard way to always be careful with what you wish for.

This fight for independence seen in Brave may remind us of what it is to leave our parent’s house and find our own place under the same sun. Just like in Toy Story 4, it is the time to say goodbye to old habits, sometimes, to old friends, and, if you ever watch the movie, to our favorite animated toys as we once knew them.

The dream of an amazing career is now boiling in our minds. We think we may have the ingredients, but it takes skills, talent, and a spoon of luck to get where we want.

“Anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great.”

— Gusteau (Ratatouille, 2007)

The first job is not always easy. We have to adjust to the industry and work environment we were in, without ever losing grasp of who we are and where we are from. If that is your order for tonight, with Ratatouille you are in for a treat.

We finish packing our backpack and take one step further than ever, away from the nest, with just the horizon in front of us, and whatever challenges life may bring. If that rings a bell, then you should press play on A Bug’s Life.

Of books and monsters

“You’re not scary, not even a little bit, but you are fearless!”

— Sullivan (Monsters University, 2013)

Finding a balance between parties and assignments is just part of the story. One of our most important and long-lasting friendships might start in college. At least that is what happened to Mike and Sullivan when they joined the Scare Program at Monsters University.

In this period of life, we compete with others for excellence but, at the end of the day, we are always competing against ourselves. This race to the top is what drives us to success. We train harder every day just like Lightning McQueen in Cars and Cars 2, but we quickly learn there is more in this life than just trophies.

Building something together

Toys, friends, career, that’s all cool but... what’s love got to do with it? Turns out doing all these things in the company of somebody special makes it even better.

When a Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class) robot thought life would forever be just, well... allocating waste, the arrival of another robot, EVE, changes everything, and their connection will spark something beyond batteries and circuits. It is a movie you will definitely love.

As we look forward to maintaining and perpetuating our existence on this planet, we pass on our knowledge and experience to new generations, including those who share our blood.

Pixar’s most famous family, the Parrs, understands that having superpowers doesn’t always solve every problem. It takes all members united to stay strong and overcome all life challenges, especially when it comes to picking a title for a family movie night. In this case, the solution is very obvious: The Incredibles and The Incredibles 2.

They grow up fast

As we watch them go through the same mistakes we did, we know we would do anything for our children, even if it takes crossing an entire ocean to save them. Just like Marlin did for his son in Finding Nemo, with the help of his great friend Dory. Wait. Did you already forget who she is?

“Just keep swimming.”

— Dory (Finding Nemo, 2003)

Once they are ready to conquer their independence, we become more familiar with the idea of belonging to an older generation and realize it is time to pass the torch.

When we encounter Lightning McQueen for the third time, in Cars 3, we see him now as a trainer, sharing his experience with Cruz Ramirez, and guiding her to compete at the Piston Cup.

Senior character

If you are familiar with Pixar’s filmography, you know what is coming Up. Our journey takes us to Carl Fredricksen, who patiently awaits in his flying house to tell his story, as we watch him trying to fulfill his lifelong dream. His love for his wife, Ellie, will make even the grumpiest heart cry. Good luck.

The afterlife

If you would like to go for a stroll and appreciate the colorful landscape by memory lane, where the history of our lineage is kept alive, you will love to follow Miguel through the Land of the Dead, in Coco.

Clashing with his family seems inevitable if his hope to become a musician will never die. He knows in his bones music is his true passion, but it will take more than that to bring everything back to harmony again.

Back to back

The only step left, as we become full-circle, is to hop on the Soul bus again, let life do its thing, one more cycle, and all that jazz. From here you can go through our list again and rewatch all these amazing movies created by Pixar.

Go ahead, don’t be scared. It’s not like it takes a lifetime to finish it.

• • •

Now, if you’re not familiar with Pixar and you feel like a fish out of water, you may want to visit Luca this summer for a refreshment. As Jacques Cousteau once said, “the best way to observe a fish is to become a fish.”

Enjoy your show!

“Thanks for the adventure. Now go have a new one.”

— Ellie (Up, 2009)