Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
A look at the first years of Pixar Animation Studios - from the success of "Toy Story" and Pixar's promotion of talented people, to the building of its East Bay campus, the company's relationship with Disney, and its remarkable initial string of eight hits. The contributions of John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and Steve Jobs are profiled. The decline of two-dimensional animation is chronicled as three-dimensional animation rises. Hard work and creativity seem to share the screen in equal proportions.
The Pixar Story is a solid, affectionate documentary chronicling the rise of one of animation's most beloved studios. It benefits from remarkable access to key figures like Lasseter, Catmull, and Jobs, and the subject matter is inherently compelling. However, as a documentary it follows fairly conventional talking-heads and archival footage structure, keeping cinematography modest. The narrative arc is engaging but doesn't dig deeply into tensions or shadows — it leans celebratory rather than investigative. Novelty is moderate; the Pixar story itself is fascinating but the documentary form employed is standard. A warm, informative watch for fans but not a landmark piece of non-fiction filmmaking.