For almost 30 years, Pixar has shown that it’s not merely about creating awe-inspiring animation—it’s about making us feel everything too. Whether it’s a toy cowboy struggling with existential terror or a desolate robot who falls in love in a wasteland-filled world, Pixar has perfected the art of pulling on our heartstrings. These are not simply kids’ movies—they’re complex, multi-layered tales about life, love, loss, and all of the above.
So pick up some tissues, perhaps a blanket, and join us as we count down the Pixar films that impacted us the most—listed from soft snuffles to outright emotional breakdowns.
10. Up
Even if you only watched the first ten minutes, you already know why Up deserves to be included in this list. Carl and Ellie’s silent love story is both gorgeous and brutal. It’s the type of storytelling that makes you sob even before the opening credits roll. But what comes after is just as significant—one about healing, releasing, and finding happiness again. Up reminds us that life still has new pages to turn to, even after a devastating loss.
9. Monsters, Inc.
Okay, it’s about monsters in closets—but Monsters, Inc. is also one of Pixar’s most sentimental tales. Sulley and Boo’s relationship is the movie’s emotional center, and their goodbye? Oof. It’s one of the few endings that will make you both cry and smile. Who knew a big blue furball could reduce us so?
8. Ratatouille
A rat in a fine kitchen is a joke, but Ratatouille makes it a poem. It’s a movie about pursuing your passion and your place in the world, no matter what—or who—you are. Remy’s zeal and resolve resonate deeply on an emotional level, and that instant when Anton Ego takes a bite of the eponymous dish? Magical cinematic stuff.
7. WALL-E
Who would have thought a virtually silent robot would make us feel so much? WALL-E is adorable, of course—but beneath all the cute beeps and garbage cubes lies a powerfully affecting tale of loneliness, love, and the possibility of redemption. It’s a subtle, haunting movie that conveys as much through glances and gestures as most films convey through words. The ending? Heart-wrenching in the best possible way.
6. Inside Out
What if your feelings were actual characters? Inside Out does that idea and makes it one of the greatest and most emotional movies from Pixar. Joy, Sadness, and the crew lead us through Riley’s inner life as she faces huge transitions. It’s not only fun—it’s a profoundly compassionate exploration of mental illness, transformation, and growing up. And Bing Bong? Don’t even get us started.
5. Toy Story 3
This one slams like a freight train of heartache and nostalgia. The toys confront their mortality (that incinerator sequence!), and we confront our childhoods being over. Leaving Andy behind, seeing him give away his toys—it’s almost more than we can bear. Toy Story 3 is a lovely reflection on letting go, and if you didn’t tear up, well. You might be plastic.
4. Soul
Pixar gets existential with Soul, a movie that asks what exactly it means to live a good life. Joe’s path from pursuing “success” to savoring the little pleasures resonates on a very personal level. It’s not about music—it’s about discovering loveliness in the everyday. Subdued, meditative, and deeply affecting, Soul is an ode to being alive.
3. Finding Nemo
It may look like a fun ocean adventure on the surface, but Finding Nemo is a heartfelt story about fear, trust, and love between a father and son. Marlin’s relentless search for Nemo isn’t just heroic—it’s heartbreaking. By the time they’re reunited, you’re an emotional shipwreck, in the best way possible.
2. Toy Story
The original Toy Story didn’t just revolutionize animation—it introduced us to a cast of characters who felt more human than many real ones. Woody and Buzz’s story of rivalry-turned-friendship is as timeless as it is touching. A story about cchangeidentity, and loyalty, wrapped up in childhood nostalgia that still hits like it did in 1995.
1. Coco
Our top pick is Coco, Pixar’s most tear-jerking success. It takes place during Día de los Muertos, touching on memory, legacy, and the unbreakable tie of family. “Remember Me” is the emotional high point, a song that has left entire theaters in silent tears. It’s celebratory and melancholic at the same time—a film that welcomes life and death with heart, respect, and an overwhelming feeling of love.
Pixar can create stories that linger with us long after the credits roll. These films don’t simply make us cry-they make us feel understood. Whether it’s a moment of sorrow, a flash of joy, or a reminder to live in the moment, these movies remind us what it means to be human-even if the characters are toys, monsters, or robots.