The Pixar/Marvel/Lucasfilm Bracket, Round 2

Now that we’ve gotten through the first wave of 64 seeds, things are going to be really interesting in the Pixar/Marvel/Lucasfilm bracket. You know the drill: herein, you can find my personal picks for each of the ensuing matchups.

Shall we?

Day 1

(1) Toy Story vs. (8) Incredibles II: This is no contest. Brad Bird is an excellent filmmaker, some of the action in his 2018 sequel is pretty great, the animation is better, but…this is one case where being first means being best. Toy Story.

(5) Monsters, Inc. vs. (4) The Incredibles: This one is…well, not “no contest”. The original Monsters, Inc. strongly benefitted from Billy Crystal and John Goodman recording in the same booth; they have an ineffable chemistry that translates beyond what’s in the written word of the script. You could argue that as a duo, Mike and Sulley are far better than, say, Sheriff Woody and Buzz.

But I cannot help but acknowledge that The Incredibles felt like the beginning of a true sea change at Pixar. Unlike previous films from the studio, there’s no sitcommy sense of “it’s the human world, but with non-humans” at the core of the premise. This movie is proudly about humans, and has a weighty idea or two it’s trying to explore. I wouldn’t call this Brad Bird’s best, but I do think its blend of a thoughtful middle-aged character study and whiz-bang action is just a bit better. I vote for the Parr family.

(6) Cars vs. (3) Ratatouille: We’re back in “no contest” land. Ratatouille is Brad Bird’s best film, and some days, I think it’s Pixar’s best. This one goes to the rat.

(7) Toy Story 4 vs. (2) WALL-E: Again. No contest. It’s WALL-E all the way.

Day 2

(1) Toy Story 2 vs. (8) Sanjay’s Super Team: I do really like Sanjay’s Super Team, which had the misfortune of playing in theaters with The Good Dinosaur. If you haven’t seen it, you really should. The animation is bright and richly detailed, the story is compelling and distinctive, and it represents a side of Pixar you rarely see. But…yeah. Toy Story 2 is Toy Story 2. Sorry, Sanjay.

(5) Coco vs. (4) Inside Out: This is a toughie, because these are the two best Pixar films of the last decade, in my estimation. Both of them are wonderfully rendered and visualized, both feature the now-standard mismatched buddies, and both are achingly emotional in their third acts. I am giving this to Inside Out, in no small part because I will argue to my last breath that Amy Poehler’s giving not just the performance of her career, but the best performance in a Pixar film. But I won’t be sad if Coco wins.

(6) Toy Story 3 vs. (3) Finding Nemo: Two very good films about parental loss (when I was a kid, I did not appreciate that Sheriff Woody is, or appears to be, a stand-in for Andy’s absent, never-mentioned father), but I give this to Nemo. Next to the original Toy Story, there may not be a better-written film in Pixar’s filmography.

(10) Bao vs. (2) Up: As much as I like Bao, I didn’t even pick it to survive the first round. Up, it is, without question.

Day 3

(1) Star Wars vs. (9) Ant-Man and the Wasp: A surprising number of people took umbrage at my seeding Rogue One at 16, in the same way that they also argued Rogue One is the best film in the entire franchise. Which…uh…hmm. Anyway. Star Wars wins this one. Come on.

(5) The Force Awakens vs. (4) Return of the Jedi: This one’s tough for me. Both of these films had the weight of pre-existing expectations from fans. Both have memorable action sequences, too. But I am going to give it (just barely) to The Force Awakens. JJ Abrams is not great at endings. He is great at beginnings, and he’s great at casting. Boyega, Ridley, Driver, and Isaac are just so much fun to watch here, and the way he builds within that first hour is so tantalizing as to make the third film a huge letdown, but that’s a separate discussion. Force Awakens.

(6) Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 vs. (3) The Last Jedi: I was pleasantly surprised that The Last Jedi won without any doubt in its first-round matchup. I imagine this will be closer, but it’s the better film.

(7) Captain America: Civil War vs. (2) The Empire Strikes Back: Sorry, Cap. It’s Empire all the way.

Day 4

(1) Black Panther vs. (8) Avengers: Endgame: I have a funny feeling that Black Panther is going to have an easy go of things for a while. It wins here, for sure.

(5) Iron Man vs. (4) Guardians of the Galaxy: I’m going with the first Guardians, which managed to feel almost entirely distinct from the rest of the MCU back in 2014. Oh, those heady days.

(6) Thor: Ragnarok vs. (3) Iron Man 3: The last two matchups are the most challenging. This one, because both of these third entries upend the stakes for their heroes and they’re also delightfully unexpected. I’m sticking with Tony because Ben Kingsley’s big reveal as the fake Mandarin is my single favorite scene in an MCU movie.

(10) Captain America: The Winter Soldier vs. (2) The Avengers: This challenge will be difficult for me because I’ve seen neither of these films in years, and they both kinda blur together. The first Whedon film was snappy-ish and funny enough to get by, so I guess it gets my vote. Why not.