The Pixar Story

From collider,

The Pixar that the world knows and loves today is a powerhouse animation machine, churning out hit after hit with a rigid story template that grows more powerful with each passing year. What aren't as widely reported are the company's humble origins; its start as a haven for ambition and imagination, struggling mightily to find its place in the industry. "The Pixar Story" is a documentary by Leslie Iwerks (granddaughter of the famed Ub Iwerks) itching to look inside the famous oasis of computer animation and discover just how the home that Woody and Buzz built came to be.

To be honest, "Pixar Story" is a bit of a whitewashed viewing experience. The Pixar portrayed here is a bottomless pit of wonder and respect; a literal magic dispenser that dollops cinemas with a creamy sugary snack every year or so, created by professionals presumably made up entirely of smiles and foresight. Iwerks doesn't dare probe too deeply into the personalities of company founders Steve Jobs and John Lasseter, preferring to address the struggles of the production team and Pixar itself with a casualness that does a great disservice to the true toil of the company as it wrestled with Disney over the years for financial dominance and artistic lucidity. Heck, even Walt had a dark side, and he's still beloved.

Go here to read the rest.