The Pixar/Marvel/Lucasfilm Bracket, Round 1

Yet another bracket, celebrating the best in live-action performances in Disney films, is in the books. I’ve done quite a few brackets in the last seven months — good God, has it been seven months? — but as I’ve kept building out new ones, I’ve mostly omitted some pretty major films from the last 25 years.

Well, not anymore. Here’s your next bracket, on the films of Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm.

As usual, I’ll start by taking questions. Any questions you may have at this time.

You just can’t stop, can you?

Can’t stop, won’t stop! (I mean, eventually, I will probably have to, because I’ll run out of Disney-centric topics.)

This feels like a pretty heavy-duty mashup, no?

Well, somewhat. There’s just not enough films from any of these three studios to fill up the majority of a 64-seed bracket.

Yeah, I see some Pixar shorts here.

That’s correct. Pixar’s made more than 20 films, but even now, there’s a few gaps to fill in, and only so many Planes movies.

Should I have seen Planes?

Good Lord, no.

You say Lucasfilm, but this basically just looks like Star Wars movies, by the way.

I didn’t hear a question.

No Indiana Jones movies? No Radioland Murders?

As much as I wanted to place Radioland Murders as a one-seed, it unfortunately has not been released by the Walt Disney Company, and it is not available to stream on Disney+. While only some of the Star Wars movies are true Disney releases, you can stream all of the titles in this bracket on Disney+. So I say it counts.

That’s an arbitrary rule, y’know.

So are the brackets, but as always, my brackets, my rules. Let’s dive into the first set of matchups, shall we?

Day 1

(1) Toy Story vs. (16) Planes: Did you know that Planes posits a world in which World War II happened, but only with vehicles? I guess there was a vehicular Hitler! Sure! Why not! Anyway, Toy Story. Duh.

(8) Incredibles II vs. (9) Finding Dory: The first mild challenge of the bracket for me. Both of these are fine sequels to excellent originals. I give the leg up to Incredibles II; not a huge fan of Bird’s arguments here, but I prefer that he’s doing something more than just a regurgitation of the original.

(5) Monsters, Inc. vs. (12) Monsters University: While I think the 2013 sequel has more on its mind (in a meta way) about living up to impossible expectations, the 2001 original is just an aces farce with great work by Crystal and Goodman.

(4) The Incredibles vs. (13) Brave: I wanted so badly to love Brave. A beautifully animated film, a great lead performance, but a mess of a story. The Incredibles it is.

Day 2

(6) Cars vs. (11) Cars 2: I don’t love the original, but it’s some of the best animation Pixar has ever done. And it only has a bit of Larry the Cable Guy, not a ton.

(3) Ratatouille vs. (14) A Bug’s Life: Some days, Ratatouille is my pick for the best film Pixar’s ever made. So it wins here, obviously.

(7) Toy Story 4 vs. (10) Onward: The fourth Toy Story is the weakest, but it still has the appropriate emotional gut-punch at the end. Onward has its moments, but far fewer of them.

(2) WALL-E vs. (15) The Good Dinosaur: That wimpy little dinosaur doesn’t stand a chance. Sorry.

Day 3

(1) Toy Story 2 vs. (16) Planes: Fire and Rescue: I mean, we both know what I’m choosing here, right? Planes: Fire and Rescue, baby!!! (Duh, Toy Story 2.)

(8) Sanjay’s Super Team vs. (9) Lifted: Both of these are very good shorts, but I give the upper hand to Sanjay for being a story so keenly derived from the director’s heritage and personal history.

(5) Coco vs. (12) Partly Cloudy: It’s unfair to pit a feature against a short, I know. There’s only so many Pixar films, though, so some of these matchups are unavoidable. That said: Coco.

(4) Inside Out vs. (13) La Luna: Another very good short up against a great original story. Sorry to the star-catching family. I’m with Joy and company.

Day 4

(6) Toy Story 3 vs. (11) Cars 3: The last Cars movie is almost halfway decent. But it’s no Toy Story 3, which is cinematic emotional terrorism of the best kind.

(3) Finding Nemo vs. (14) Luxo, Jr.: We might not have Pixar without Luxo, Jr. It’s true! I’m still voting for Nemo, but I think it’s worth saying.

(7) Presto vs. (10) Bao: So, Presto is my favorite Pixar short, by a country mile. I wish they made more Looney Tunes-style shorts like this, frankly. It wins here handily.

(2) Up vs. (15) Lava: Now you know how much I hate the Planes movies. I seeded Lava above them both. Find someone else to lava, though.

Day 5

(1) Star Wars vs. (16) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: I know some folks have an affinity for the 2016 midquel (prequel? I guess?). I am not one of them. Original recipe all the way.

(8) Ant-Man vs. (9) Ant-Man and the Wasp: In truth, I barely remember either of these movies. I mostly give the vote to the sequel because it allowed Evangeline Lilly to do more than sit on the sidelines.

(5) The Force Awakens vs. (12) The Phantom Menace: The 1999 prequel has two good action sequences, and a quality score. That is not enough to win my vote. Sorry, Jar Jar.

(4) Return of the Jedi vs. (13) Revenge of the Sith: I dislike the prequels. A lot. Each of the prequels will not make it out of the first round in my vote. So…Ewoks it is.

Day 6

(6) Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 vs. (11) Attack of the Clones: Remember how I said I don’t like the prequels? Peter Quill and friends get my vote.

(3) The Last Jedi vs. (14) The Rise of Skywalker: You can tell from how I seeded these films what I think about them. I’m sticking with the middle entry in the sequel trilogy, duh.

(7) Captain America: Civil War vs. (10) Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Consider this a vote against The Clone Wars as much as a vote for Civil War. I hear the show is quite good, but man, that movie sucked.

(2) The Empire Strikes Back vs. (15) Solo: A Star Wars Story: This isn’t a fight. It’s an execution. Empire.

Day 7

(1) Black Panther vs. (16) Thor: The Dark World: See above. Black Panther.

(8) Avengers: Endgame vs. (9) Avengers: Infinity War: Frankly, I’m not a huge fan of either of these movies. (I realize this makes me seem like a grouch, but whatever.) That said, I am voting for the film that actually had an ending, not the one that simply teased one. Endgame.

(5) Iron Man vs. (12) Doctor Strange: Two different arrogant heroes, but I’m sticking with Tony Stark, in no small part because of Benedict Cumberbatch’s unpleasant accent work.

(4) Guardians of the Galaxy vs. (13) Captain Marvel: I’ll take the 80s pastiche over the 90s pastiche, thank you.

Day 8

(6) Thor: Ragnarok vs. (11) Thor: My favorite Marvel movies — of which there are not a ton, I must tell you — are those that get to be a little looser than the stiff, starchy style evinced by earlier MCU titles. So, Ragnarok for the win.

(3) Iron Man 3 vs. (14) Iron Man 2: I know some folks out there will argue that the second Iron Man is secretly very good. I am not one of those people. 3 > 2.

(7) Captain America: The First Avenger vs. (10) Captain America: The Winter Soldier: As a diehard Rocketeer fan, I will be voting for the movie that best exemplifies its charm. The 2011 entry all the way.

(2) The Avengers vs. (15) Avengers: Age of Ultron: Of all the MCU movies, Ultron may be the most forgettable. (Maybe. I can’t remember some of the others either.) The 2012 film takes the cake here.