You might know them for being the studio that brought us the likes of Buzz and Woody, Mike and Sulley, or Wall-E and Eve, but Pixar has done several other projects than its beloved feature films. We’re, of course, talking about the studio’s underrated short subjects normally aired before each theatrical film.
Before they were cranking out emotional powerhouse pictures, they focused on honing their craft through shorts, and we’re here today to look at ten of their best. Before the days of Toy Story, these were the films that helped make the magic of Pixar what it is today.
Luxo Jr.
Anyone even remotely familiar with the Pixar name or even just the logo knows about Luxo. If you don’t, he’s the hopping lamp you see at the beginning of every Pixar film. You know, the one that straight-up squashes the letter I in front of all its friends? Yeah, that’s the guy.
Luxo made his first appearance in this little film as a sort of CGI experimentation. Though simple in delivery, it’s one of the first short features that got Pixar some much-needed attention. The lamp characters even made appearances on Sesame Street in brief animated segments. Once Disney stepped in, the rest was history.
Tin Toy
Before Woody, Buzz, or any of Andy’s toys were even invented, the world was introduced to Tinny the Tin Toy. Think of Tin Toy as the prototype for Disney’s Toy Story, this early feature for the minds of Pixar used CGI animation to tell the story of a wind-up toy trying to escape a rambunctious (and grotesque) baby.
Though not as elaborate or deep as some of the studios’ later work, Tin Toy is more of a historical artifact serving as a reminder of how far animation has come. The shiny metallic exterior on Tinny works great in early CGI. But the models for the humanoid baby? Well… progress is progress.
One Man Band
And now we take you from one one-man-band to two with the appropriately titled One Man Band. In this short, two rival street musicians, Bass and Treble, must compete for the favor and coin of a little village girl. What ensues is a battle of the bands all told through physical comedy, music, and pantomime.
This short, like many on this list, illustrates that sometimes the best stories are told without saying a single word. The musical representation of all three characters was composed by Pixar mainstay, Michael Giacchino, and his talent truly shines in this little feature.
Geri’s Game
Who knew an old man playing chess by himself could be such a comedy goldmine? Yet another instance of a story being told without a single word of dialogue (or would it be a monologue?) in the entire sequence, Geri’s Game is an interesting and quirky little film that makes you forget exactly whose playing against who.
The premise and set up are incredibly simple, but the more we watch this old guy slip into his alter-ego, the more we lose ourselves in the heat of the competition. It might be confusing at first, but the ending is well worth a laugh or two from us.
Sanjay’s Super Team
Taking the idea of a culture clash and turning it on its head, it’s Sanjay’s Super Team. Inspired by the childhood of Pixar director Sanjay Patel, East meets west when a little boy’s love for American superheroes collides with his father’s Hindu traditions.
This is perhaps one of the most personal and unique stories that Pixar animation has ever told. The Hindu deities are at times presented with superhero-esque exploits, so the transition really isn’t that big of a jump. We also have to applaud Patel for sharing a personal story to give us an interesting and heartwarming short. It’s certainly worth a watch.
Mater and the Ghost Light
We know Cars isn’t really for everyone, but we’d be lying if we said we didn’t get a kick or two out of Mater and the Ghost Light. Though not accompanying the theatrically released feature, this little number came as a DVD bonus for the home audiences to enjoy. And quite frankly we did.
After a night of spooking the residence of Radiator Springs, Mater gets spooked himself by the infamous Ghost Light. It’s a little silly plot-wise, but it’s a nice little distraction with a few laughs along the way. Who knew Larry the Cable Guy was born to play a pickup truck?
Bao
One of the most recent entries on our list, Bao is a precious little short film about a mother’s love for a little baby baozi bun. Okay, so it’s more than that, addressing issues of empty-nest syndrome, childhood independence, and family connection, Bao is a visually impressive and touching way to tell this story.
Inspired by her Chinese heritage, director Domee Shi creates a story and characters that really tug at our heartstrings. Seeing this cute pudgy piece of pork-stuffed cuisine come to life really makes us smile, so we had to put it on our list.
Presto
Definitely one of the most comical shorts to come out of Pixar, and certainly one of the funniest on our list, Presto paints a picture of what happens when you mix a temperamental magician with a hungry and mischievous rabbit. With slapstick that would make any Looney Tune jealous, this is one short that will leave you in stitches.
The plot is simple, the rabbit wants a carrot that the magician won’t give him till the show is over. Throw in a magical portal hat and some conveniently placed instruments of pain, and you’ve got one heck of a show.
Lava
What do you get when you mix two lovesick volcanoes and a catchy Hawaiian ditty? You get a short film that makes everyone and their mother emotional. As if Inside Out didn’t punch us in the feels enough. The love story of Uku and Lele may not be as deep as the ocean they call home, but it’s definitely the sweetest.
If it’s one thing this short does right, it’s the love song between the two volcanoes. Inspired by the music of Iz, the song not only captures the love between the two characters but the traditional melody of the Hawaiian islands. There’s definitely a whole lot to lava.
Knick-Knack
We’re giving Knick Knack our number one spot simply that it’s what most fans think of when they hear the words “Pixar short film.” When a snowman trapped in a souvenir snowglobe tries to get in on the party had by the rest of his fellow knick-knacks, antics ensue when he tries to break free of his watery prison.
The animation might be dated, but there are some early Toy Story vibes going for it. We can easily see the snowglobe being in Andy’s room, and the plastic characters definitely have a toyish quality to them. Simply put, it’s a Pixar classic that everyone should know and love.
