Brad Bird’s Movies from Best to Worst – RT Critics

Phillip Bradley Bird (born 24 September 1957) is an American writer, director and producer. He has had a career spanning forty years in both animation and live-action, including involvement with a number of Pixar films. His best known endeavours include writing the film Batteries Not Included (1987) and some episodes of the shows Amazing Stories (1985-87) and Family Dog (1983); serving as a creative consultant on The Simpsons (1989-present) for 8 seasons; and directing the films The Iron Giant (1999), The Incredibles (2004), Ratatouille (2007), Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011), Tomorrowland (2015) and Incredibles 2 (2018), the latter of which is the 23rd-highest-grossing film of all time. The following are 43 of his 55 films, including credits as writer, director, song performer, producer, logos designer, song lyrics, animator, actor, senior creative team, uncredited brain trust, story artist, executive producer and special thanks, arranged in order from “best” to “worst” according to the collective opinions of Rotten Tomatoes film critics. Contained is each film’s critical approval, average rating and critical consensus (if there is one).

Canvas (2020)

100% – 10/10 (2 reviews)

Day & Night (2010)

100% – 9.5/10 (4 reviews)

One Man Band (2005)

100% (1 review)

Finding Nemo (2003)

99% – 8.7/10 (270 reviews)

Breathtakingly lovely and grounded by the stellar efforts of a well-chosen cast, Finding Nemo adds another beautifully crafted gem to Pixar’s crown. Read critic reviews

Inside Out (2015)

98% – 8.9/10 (382 reviews)

Inventive, gorgeously animated, and powerfully moving, Inside Out is another outstanding addition to the Pixar library of modern animated classics. Read critic reviews

Toy Story 3 (2010)

98% – 8.9/10 (312 reviews)

Deftly blending comedy, adventure, and honest emotion, Toy Story 3 is a rare second sequel that really works. Read critic reviews

Up (2009)

98% – 8.7/10 (298 reviews)

An exciting, funny, and poignant adventure, Up offers an impeccably crafted story told with wit and arranged with depth, as well as yet another visual Pixar treat. Read critic reviews

The Incredibles (2004)

97% – 8.4/10 (251 reviews)

Bringing loads of wit and tons of fun to the animated superhero genre, The Incredibles easily lives up to its name. Read critic reviews

Toy Story 4 (2019)

97% – 8.3/10 (459 reviews)

Heartwarming, funny, and beautifully animated, Toy Story 4 manages the unlikely feat of extending — and perhaps concluding — a practically perfect animated saga. Read critic reviews

Coco (2017)

97% – 8.3/10 (358 reviews)

Coco‘s rich visual pleasures are matched by a thoughtful narrative that takes a family-friendly — and deeply affecting — approach to questions of culture, family, life, and death. Read critic reviews

Ratatouille (2007)

96% – 8.5/10 (253 reviews)

Fast-paced and stunningly animated, Ratatouille adds another delightfully entertaining entry — and a rather unlikely hero — to the Pixar canon. Read critic reviews

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

96% – 8.5/10 (74 reviews)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is an innovative and entertaining film that features a groundbreaking mix of live action and animation, with a touching and original story to boot. Read critic reviews

The Iron Giant (1999)

96% – 8.2/10 (143 reviews)

The endearing Iron Giant tackles ambitious topics and complex human relationships with a steady hand and beautifully animated direction from Brad Bird. Read critic reviews

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

96% – 8.1/10 (199 reviews)

Clever, funny, and delightful to look at, Monsters, Inc. delivers another resounding example of how Pixar elevated the bar for modern all-ages animation. Read critic reviews

WALL-E (2008)

95% – 8.6/10 (262 reviews)

Wall-E‘s stellar visuals testify once again to Pixar’s ingenuity, while its charming star will captivate younger viewers — and its timely story offers thought-provoking subtext. Read critic reviews

Toy Story of Terror! (2013)

94% – 7.9/10 (17 reviews)

Finding Dory (2016)

94% – 7.7/10 (341 reviews)

Funny, poignant, and thought-provoking, Finding Dory delivers a beautifully animated adventure that adds another entertaining chapter to its predecessor’s classic story. Read critic reviews

Incredibles 2 (2018)

93% – 7.9/10 (388 reviews)

Incredibles 2 reunites Pixar’s family crimefighting team for a long-awaited follow-up that may not quite live up to the original, but comes close enough to earn its name. Read critic reviews

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

93% – 7.7/10 (253 reviews)

Stylish, fast-paced, and loaded with gripping set pieces, the fourth Mission: Impossible is big-budget popcorn entertainment that really works. Read critic reviews

Bao (2018)

89% – 8.4/10 (9 reviews)

Werewolf by Night (2022)

89% – 7.5/10 (114 reviews)

A spooky yarn told with taut economy, Werewolf by Night is a standout Marvel entry that proves Michael Giacchino as atmospheric and skilled a director as he is a composer. Read critic reviews

The Pixar Story (2007)

86% – 7.5/10 (7 reviews)

Corpse Bride (2005)

84% – 7.2/10 (198 reviews)

As can be expected from a Tim Burton movie, Corpse Bride is whimsically macabre, visually imaginative, and emotionally bittersweet. Read critic reviews

Monsters University (2013)

80% – 6.8/10 (203 reviews)

Offering Monsters, Inc. fans a return visit with beloved characters, Monsters University delivers funny and thoughtful family entertainment for viewers of any age. Read critic reviews

Brave (2012)

79% – 7/10 (257 reviews)

Brave offers young audiences and fairy tale fans a rousing, funny fantasy adventure with a distaff twist and surprising depth. Read critic reviews

The Brave Little Toaster (1987)

77% – 7.3/10 (13 reviews)

Frozen II (2019)

77% – 6.7/10 (340 reviews)

Frozen II can’t quite recapture the showstopping feel of its predecessor, but it remains a dazzling adventure into the unknown. Read critic reviews

An American Tail (1986)

77% – 6.5/10 (86 reviews)

Exquisitely animated, An American Tail is a sweet, melancholy, immigrants story. Read critic reviews

Cars (2006)

75% – 6.9/10 (205 reviews)

Cars offers visual treats that more than compensate for its somewhat thinly written story, adding up to a satisfying diversion for younger viewers. Read critic reviews

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

75% – 6.6/10 (219 reviews)

The Good Dinosaur delivers thrillingly beautiful animation in service of a worthy story that, even if it doesn’t quite live up to the lofty standards set by Pixar, still adds up to charming, family-friendly entertainment. Read critic reviews

The Fox and the Hound (1981)

75% – 6.5/10 (28 reviews)

The Fox and the Hound is a likeable, charming, unassuming effort that manages to transcend its thin, predictable plot. Read critic reviews

Lightyear (2022)

74% – 6.7/10 (321 reviews)

Lightyear settles for being a rather conventional origin story instead of reaching for the stars, but this gorgeously animated adventure ably accomplishes its mission of straightforward fun. Read critic reviews

Jurassic World (2015)

71% – 6.7/10 (360 reviews)

Jurassic World can’t match the original for sheer inventiveness and impact, but it works in its own right as an entertaining — and visually dazzling — popcorn thriller. Read critic reviews

Cars 3 (2017)

69% – 6.1/10 (233 reviews)

Cars 3 has an unexpectedly poignant story to go with its dazzling animation, suggesting Pixar’s most middle-of-the-road franchise may have a surprising amount of tread left. Read critic reviews

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)

68% – 6.3/10 (127 reviews)

Surreally goofy and entertaining for both children and their parents. Read critic reviews

The Plague Dogs (1982)

67% – 7.3/10 (9 reviews)

Batteries Not Included (1987)

67% – 5.6/10 (18 reviews)

Fog City Mavericks (2007)

60% – 6.8/10 (5 reviews)

The Black Cauldron (1985)

54% – 5.6/10 (35 reviews)

Ambitious but flawed, The Black Cauldron is technically brilliant as usual, but lacks the compelling characters of other Disney animated classics. Read critic reviews

Tomorrowland (2015)

50% – 5.9/10 (304 reviews)

Ambitious and visually stunning, Tomorrowland is unfortunately weighted down by uneven storytelling. Read critic reviews

Cars 2 (2011)

39% – 5.5/10 (221 reviews)

Cars 2 is as visually appealing as any other Pixar production, but all that dazzle can’t disguise the rusty storytelling under the hood. Read critic reviews

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