Much like I’ve repeatedly said over the past few years, the pinnacle of modern animation can be found within the releases put out by Pixar (now a whopping 22 strong). Ever since they started up with A Bug’s Life, their films have been hotly anticipated, both by critics and audiences alike. Now, with Onward hitting theaters this weekend, they’ve continued an all but unparalleled run of excellence. Their lows haven’t been especially low, in particular when compared to the competition, while their highs have been a number of instant classics. Any list of the best animation of the last 50 years has got to include multiple efforts of theirs. That, if nothing else, succinctly sums up why this company does it better than anyone else right now. They are on a different level, plain and simple. It’s again worth remembering that what sets Pixar apart from everyone else is the way that they appeal to both adults and children in equal measure. They make you laugh just as often as they make you cry. Emotions are the key to their success. Sure, the company, teamed up with Disney currently, makes a killing with merchandise and toys, but the experience of seeing the movies is truly what they seek. Any film that leaves you with the emotional power that theirs does is something noteworthy, and they do it better than anyone else. A heaping load of Academy Awards and critical praise is just icing on the cinematic cake. They’ve got Oscar love, but they’ve also received the love of multiple generations of animation fans. That’s the best barometer. Here is how I would rank the 22 Pixar movies so far to date: 22. Cars 2 21. Brave 20. Cars 19. Monsters University 18. Cars 3 17. A Bug’s Life 16. The Good Dinosaur 15. Finding Dory 14. Ratatouille 13. Monsters Inc 12. Finding Nemo 11. Onward 10. The Incredibles 9. Up 8. Incredibles 2 7. Inside Out 6. Coco 5. Toy Story 2 4. Toy Story 4 3. WALL-E 2. Toy Story 3 1. Toy Story Be sure to check out Onward, in theaters now!