Top 10 Things Only Adults Notice in Pixar Movies
#10: A113 Various
While it’s possible that children do notice the A113 in Pixar movies, we’re gonna bet they won’t get the reference. The truth is, many adults probably didn’t either. The letter/number combo is actually a reference to the graphic design and animation classroom at the California Institute of the Arts. It’s a room which saw many of the great Pixar animators pass through its doors, including John Lasseter and Brad Bird, to name a couple. And speaking of Bird, he’s been quoted as saying he has put A113 in “every single one of my films.”
#9: “Jonny Quest” “Incredibles 2” (2018)
The first “Incredibles” film has a few cheeky references, including a shout out to director Brad Bird’s first film, 1999’s “Iron Giant”, when Elastigirl identifies her plane as IG 99. There’s also Syndrome’s remark about Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, ahem, family life. But for this entry we had to go with a scene in the sequel, when Mr. Incredible wakes up to find his son watching TV next to him. While the kids in the audience might assume that the show he’s watching is made up, adults might recognize it as the animated series “Jonny Quest” from the mid 1960s. It was director Brad Bird's favorite childhood show. He even credited it as one of the inspirations for him to make “The Incredibles”.
#8: College Isn’t the Only Choice “Monsters University” (2013)
From a young age, many of us are told that we must go to college to be successful. Movies have generally supported that theory, especially movies geared towards children. While we would never deny the importance of an education, we can’t forget that one of Pixar’s founding fathers, Steve Jobs himself, dropped out of college after one semester. And he ended up being pretty successful. “Monsters University” seems to echo that message by having Mike and Sulley get expelled from University. The pair go on to get low level jobs at Monster’s Inc, and the setback becomes an opportunity. As we all know, they eventually worked their way up to be the top monsters in the company.
#7: "Seven Samurai" References "A Bug's Life" (1998)
Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 masterpiece “Seven Samurai” has inspired many movies, including the western remake “The Magnificent Seven” and Pixar’s hit “A Bug’s Life.” Each film follows a community that hires a group of warriors to fight off bandits. Of course, there are a few differences in “A Bug’s Life”, such as, well, all the characters being bugs. There’s also the twist that the “warriors” turn out to be circus performers. Even so, the similarities are striking. Although considered by many to be one of the greatest movies ever made, “Seven Samurai” is probably not one that most kids are familiar with.
#6: Mia & Tia “Cars” (2006)
Lightning McQueen is the hottest racer on four wheels, and he’s the object of all kinds of adoring attention. So kids might just see Mia and Tia as two “girls” excited to see a famous sports star. However, what adults see are groupies, who not only gush over McQueen, but flash their headlights at him. It’s a not so subtle car-version of another type of flashing. McQueen’s reaction to this behavior might seem cute to kids, but it has a bit of a sleazy factor that, as adults, we can’t ignore.
#5: Periods “Turning Red” (2022)
Being a normal teen means going through a lot of changes, but one morning Mei wakes up to an especially big transformation. It’s an understandably traumatic moment for her, and unfortunately it only gets more awkward. When her frightened screams bring her mother to check on her, Ming assumes Mei has hit another big milestone. Springing into action, she bursts into the bathroom with an arsenal of painkillers and pads. While younger viewers might be naive to the undercurrent, it’s a scene that many mothers and daughters can relate to - except for the actual turning into a panda part of course.
#4: The Hooker “Toy Story” (1995)
Lots of kids like to break their toys, but few get as much joy out of destroying them and creating scary new Frankenstein versions as Sid in “Toy Story.” When he captures Buzz and Woody and takes them back to his room, we bear witness to his many mutant creations. They include one that brings together a green fishing pole with a pair of doll legs in high heels. It sounds like an inappropriate dad joke, but Sid has made a ‘hooker’. We can’t talk about the “Toy Story” franchise without also mentioning Buzz’s, let's call it ‘excited’, reaction to Jessie’s impressive stunt in the sequel. Awkward!
#3: Depression in “Inside Out” “Inside Out” (2015)
In “Inside Out”, we follow an 11-year-old girl named Riley and the personified emotions inside her: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust. Children, of course, will relate to the basic idea of these feelings. However, adults will notice the more subtle and intricate references to depression as Riley deals with ups and downs. After moving from Minnesota to San Francisco, she struggles to come to terms with her new life. Eventually however, Joy and Sadness find a way to work together inside of her.
#2: Disabilities Are Represented with Respect “Finding Nemo” (2003)
From Nemo’s small fin to Dory’s short-term memory loss, there are a number of characters in “Finding Nemo” with disabilities of one kind or another. Rather than turning these characters into outcasts, the film treats their conditions with respect and in a normalizing way. These things are just what make the characters special and unique. Speaking of unique, adults, especially parents, will notice the different parenting styles on display in the film. Marlin, the overprotective, helicopter dad, is contrasted with the relaxed, more hands-off sea turtle parents. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. A Tiny... Little…, “Ratatouille” (2007) Colette’s Eyes Do a Quick Glance Down All Those Balloons, “Up” (2009) Realistically, It Would Take 100,000 Balloons to Lift the House. How Did Carl Do It? The Name Tags, “Soul” (2020) They Include Johnny Cash & Albert Einstein The Lemon Party, “Cars 2” (2011) A Reference to a Shock Site That’s Definitely NOT for Kids The Poo-Poo Platter, “A Bug’s Life” (1998) Kids Will Laugh at Poo, Adults Will Also Get the Reference to the American Chinese Dish
#1: "The Shining" References Various
Lee Unkrich has worked as an editor on a number of Pixar movies and has directed some as well. He’s also a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror film, “The Shining.” As a result, numerous references to Kubrick’s films have made their ways into various Pixar movies. For example, there’s the carpet in Sid’s house in “Toy Story” that matches the carpet from the Overlook Hotel. You can also spot the ax from “The Shining” in “Coco”, as well as a red metal drum - a nod to “REDRUM”. Perhaps the most obvious though is from “Finding Nemo”, with a direct reference to Jack Nicholson’s famous line [“Here’s Brucey!”]