Pixar is synonymous with quality. Even if we agree that not all of its films are great, the attention to detail and the fluidity of its animations place the company in a privileged position, while the rest tries to follow its steps. Pixar has made the most of more than thirty years of technological evolution, and the best way to visualize this is with a short that goes from its early projects in the mid-80s to what will be the premiere of its next film, Coco, passing through unforgettable classics like Toy Story and WALL-E.
Personally, I need to watch WALL-E about three or four times a year at minimum, and I think the vast majority of Pixar fans do something similar with their favorite films. What the company has given us over the years is so good that when we find a flaw, it takes us by surprise. Cars 3 is far superior to its predecessor, but it does not fully hide the franchise's cracks. Brave, Monsters University, and The Good Dinosaur are solid films, though they remain a step below Inside Out or Finding Dory. Despite the sharp edges those stories may have, there is one factor that remains constant: visual quality. Fluidity, lights, shadows, colors, textures... Pixar is impeccable. Obviously it didn't reach such a level overnight, but if we go back to the beginning, how was its evolution?
The video lasts almost 15 minutes, and it's worth every second. It starts with The Adventures of André and Wally B. from 1984, and reviews different shorts until reaching the first hit, Toy Story. Only four years separate Toy Story from Toy Story 2 (the world still used Windows 98 Second Edition when it came out), but the improvements are evident. Finding Nemo put the quality bar into orbit, and WALL-E was the rocket that helped cross it. Every time we had doubts about Pixar's ability to surpass previous efforts, they vanished into thin air.
Finally we reach the two most recent projects, Cars 3, which is already in theaters, and Coco, whose release is scheduled for October 27 in Mexico. I decided to add the Coco trailer so everyone can make a fairer comparison, not limited to a couple of frames. Watch carefully. The animation of the fingers on the guitar is... excellent.
