For me, there are really only two films that stand head and shoulders above the rest of the Pixar output, showcases of thematic and storytelling power that transcend the perceived limitations of animation and make the case for their classifications as films first, animated films second. The first is the studio’s eighth feature, one that admittedly took me a couple of viewings to warm to. Via one heck of a captivating narrative that puts a tremendous amount of focus on character, Brad Bird’s spin on "be yourself" took flight in the summer of 2007 as the most critically acclaimed film of the year.