Content Warning: This article contains discussions of bereavement and trauma.

Pixar's movies are well-known for their emotional weight, with stories that appeal to those of all ages. But not every moment of the feature films carries the same impact for children that it does for adults, with some depicted experiences going beyond what most kids will have been through at their age.

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Although there are parts of Pixar's stories that are universally relatable, certain aspects of their plots and character dynamics are only fully realized by adults, whether because of a character's age, a theme's subtlety, or a narrative that is unique to the adult experience.

Updated on May 3, 2022 by Stacie Rook: With their most recent release Turning Red, Pixar continued to show why their studio has dominated the animation industry over the past twenty years, putting forth a many-layered story packed with scenes that struck a chord with viewers of all ages. Watching Pixar films is a viewing experience with something for everyone, though adults can perhaps appreciate points of nuance more fully.

Loss Of Family - Finding Nemo (2003)

Marlin and Nemo swim together in Finding Nemo

Finding Nemo is a movie that's ultimately about the bond between father and son, as Marlin sets out to find his missing child Nemo after he's been captured by divers. While this heartfelt dynamic is itself an emotional one, the film's opening scene is even more harrowing.

It shows a great barracuda attack on Marlin's home, which leads to the death of his wife and all of the pair's eggs bar one, which grows to become Nemo. This scene explains Marlin's later protectiveness of his son and shows how such a significant loss affects an individual's subsequent life.

Generational Trauma - Turning Red (2022)

Mei with her mom and grandma in the forest in Turning red

In addition to Turning Red's many relatable moments around puberty, the movie also explored family pressures and generational trauma, as shown through the ways that Mei's relatives handled their experiences with their inner red pandas.

Mei's decision to embrace the panda rather than pushing it away is a marked change from the women who came before her, and through her journey, her mother Ming must confront her own connection to their supposed curse, and how she was raised to see it.

Career Struggles - Ratatouille (2007)

Image Of Linguini And Remy Smiling At Each Other In The New Loft In Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a charming story about two individuals achieving their dreams, even though one of them happens to be a rat. However, more generally this is a film about career struggles and societal expectations.

Even though Remy has exceptional talent when it comes to food, his circumstances block the path to achieving his goals, while in contrast, Linguini has access to the culinary world, but his low station and clumsiness stop him from advancing. In this way, the duo's professional ambitions are easily identifiable to many adults who've been in similar positions.

Carl And Ellie's Story - Up (2009)

Carl and Ellie paint a mailbox in Pixar Up

Featuring two of the best human characters in Pixar movies, Carl and Ellie of Up have a relationship that spans decades, shown in the movie's opening montage. It carries viewers from their childhood through to Ellie's heartbreaking death, with Carl's subsequent grief later becoming a driving factor of the story.

While children can have experiences with grief, the longevity of Carl and Ellie's relationship and the way their time together is condensed into the movie's setup is filled with a richness of emotion and an awareness of time that kids are yet to have become fully aware of.

Jessie's Fears - Toy Story 2 (1999)

Jessie and Woody sitting on the window ledge in Toy Story 2

The first of Pixar's sequels, Toy Story 2 had a lot riding on its shoulders. The movie more than lived up to expectations, with a plot that takes the titular toys through a range of new experiences. One of the most notable is the introduction of Jessie and her backstory about Emily, the kid she once loved.

After Emily had grown out of playing with her toys, Jessie was put into storage for years and now carries with her a fear of being in dark and enclosed spaces (that affects her actions in Toy Story 2). While it's not central to the movie's plot, moments in which she is confronted with her phobias have a real intensity to them that are not so apparent to younger audiences.

Remember Me - Coco (2017)

Miguel on Guitar in Pixar's Coco

An incredibly touching movie for many reasons, Coco is notable for its explorations of life and death through the Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead. Protagonist Miguel's elderly great-grandmother Coco, whose memory has slowly begun to decline, plays a pivotal role in the story.

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Having found Coco's father, Héctor, in the Land of the Dead, Miguel returns home and plays one of his songs, "Remember Me," to Coco, who is able to sing alongside him (with the song prompting memories of her father). The reconnection elderly Coco makes with his father is highly emotional, creating a cathartic moment for those who lost a parent long ago.

Mr. Incredible Struggles As An At-Home Parent - The Incredibles 2 (2018)

Mr Incredible reading to Jack Jack in Incredibles 2

The Parr family continues to deconstruct the superhero genre in The Incredibles 2where Bob has become a stay-at-home dad to Dash, Violet, and Jack-Jack, while his wife, Helen, is given the opportunity to go on missions again as Elastigirl.

Although they are comedic, the scenes showing Bob struggling to adapt to life as a stay-at-home parent have a poignant undertone to them. Some fans are able to resonate with parents who have made the same adjustment, while the movie also comments on the societal expectations of each family member.

Woody Becomes A Lost Toy - Toy Story 4 (2019)

Woody and Bo Peep as lost toys in Toy Story 4.

Though the Toy Story crew could cameo in Lightyear, they are last seen in Toy Story 4, where Woody finds it hard to fit in at Bonnie's house among her toys' established community. Bonnie's additional preference for Jessie does nothing to soothe his anxieties about feeling out of place.

By the end of the film, Woody makes the big decision to join Bo Peep and her new friends as a lost toy after sharing sentimental goodbyes with Buzz, Jessie, and the gang. This moment, where Woody chooses to make a major change in his life's direction, is one many adults have been through when starting a new chapter. It is also particularly impactful to those who were children when the first Toy Story movie was released.

Being A Dad To Your Brother - Onward (2020)

Ian and Barley Lightfoot sitting on a car in Onward

The relationship between brothers Ian and Barley is at the center of OnwardWhile much of the movie's plot is focused on the two trying to complete a visitation spell to allow their deceased father to visit them for a day, it becomes apparent that the brothers are the emotional heart of the film.

While younger brother Ian spends a lot of time thinking about all he missed out on without his dad, he comes to realize—in a very moving montage—that even without his father, he had his brother Barley to fulfill the role instead. With many siblings having to step up as parents for one reason or another, Onward captures a very real dynamic.

Joe's Existentialism - Soul (2020)

Joe looking up at the sky on a pretty day in Soul

A movie so concerned with the afterlife and finding answers to the biggest questions of the universe was always going to be more accessible to adults than to kids, and in Soulfollowing Joe's story meant a lesson in philosophy.

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With its emphasis on ideas of determinism and a person's purpose in life, the moments where Joe contemplates whether he lived a fulfilling life (and what that even means) is far more relatable to adults than to children.

Andy Gives Away His Toys - Toy Story 3 (2010)

Andy, looking at Woody and Buzz in Toy Story 3

The long-awaited Toy Story 3 showed Andy's toys dealing with the realization that Andy is no longer a child who needs them, as he prepares to go to college. Andy himself deals with the change by eventually passing on his toys to new kid Bonnie.

These actions are moving from the toys' perspectives but also for Andy himself, with his gift to Bonnie kickstarting a new phase of his life and signifying the change that every adult has gone through as they move beyond childhood.

Bing Bong's Sacrifice - Inside Out (2015)

An image of Bing Bong disappearing in Inside Out

Inside Out is a movie packed with small details, but one that viewers can't miss is when Riley's imaginary childhood best friend Bing Bong sacrifices himself in order to let Joy return to the Headquarters of Riley's brain.

While Inside Out does a great job of breaking down Riley's emotions in a way that's accessible to kids, the full implications of Bing Bong's sacrifice, letting go of parts of early childhood weighing down a person's present, can be hard for kids to grasp.

Examining Stereotypes - Luca (2021)

Alberto and Luca standing in the cave mouth in Luca

Luca followed Pixar's trend of making movies that contain messages relevant to both kids and adults. Telling the tale of sea monsters Luca and Alberto, who have the ability to take on a human form when they are out of the water, the movie explores the biases the boys face in a world that hasn't taken the time to understand them.

Although prejudice and stereotypes are issues that affect people of all ages, and kids do deal with them, Luca's focus on the prejudice against sea monsters is a metaphor slightly removed from real-life parallels, which may not be so obvious to children watching.

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