Pixar have set a high bar for animated films across the past decade. Since “Toy Story” in 1995, the animation company have set the standard for artistry and animation in the medium. But what are good visuals without a great story? The true barometer for their success are the accomplished, original stories they brought to the forefront. And that comes from their golden twenty-two rules, which they enforce vigorously with each project. But YouTuber kaptainkristian is here to focus on just one simple one: “Why must you tell this story?” This gets dissected in his latest video essay, “Pixar – What Makes a Story Relatable.”
Beyond that, what gets stressed with each Pixar film are these questions: What greater purpose do the movies serve? Whether it’s to teach the virtue of cooperation over pridefulness (“Toy Story”), coming to terms with the death of a loved one (“Up”) or following your passion despite your background (“Ratatouille”), each one stems from themes and ideas relating to social/emotional development. These are not merely shallow, vapid stories, they are focused on the greater themes of family, compassion, respect and friendship, and more. Pixar’s accomplishments in nuanced stories, layered characters and groundbreaking technology are not only outstanding, they’re transcendent. They change what stories can do, and allow future generations to grow up inspired and challenged to tell stronger, more inspired stories. And that’s what makes the best Pixar movies so great.
These stories are emotionally challenging and relatable in a lot of different ways, which continues to play into their strengths. They speak to the core of the human condition, whether they’re “WALL-E,” “Brave,” “Monsters Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles” or any other number of films under Pixar’s banner. Even when they focus on robots, monsters, toys, cars or whatever else, they’re still able to empathize with their audiences of multiple ages and generations. And they also show children that not only do other people feel the way they feel, but also why they feel the way they feel — as seen in last year’s exceptional “Inside Out.” It’s all about emotional understanding, and they often make films that can only be told with animation. There’s only one Pixar for a reason.