Of the three animated films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, Toy Story 3 ranks first for the emotional payoff of its long-running story; Up is second for its striking shift from intimate loss to comic adventure; and Beauty and the Beast is third in this comparison, despite its landmark place in Academy history. This ranking weighs emotional impact, story cohesion, craft and rewatch value—not Academy preference. Put historical significance first, and Beauty and the Beast takes the top spot.
Which animated films were nominated for Best Picture?
The three films are Beauty and the Beast, Up and Toy Story 3. They reached the Best Picture field in different eras: Beauty and the Beast was nominated before the Academy introduced its Best Animated Feature category, while Up and Toy Story 3 were nominated during the expanded Best Picture era and also received animated-feature recognition. Disney identifies Beauty and the Beast as the first animated feature nominated for Best Picture, and gives its nomination year as 1991 (Disney Movies).
1. Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3 earns the top position because it turns an established ensemble into a story about growing up, letting go and the changing place of childhood companions. Its central emotional stakes draw on the audience’s familiarity with the toys and their bond with Andy; that history makes the film feel like a culmination rather than simply another adventure.
That dependence on earlier films is also the main qualification. Its strongest effect comes from the accumulated relationship with these characters, so it is less self-contained than Up. But on emotional completion and the way it makes a familiar group newly vulnerable, it is the most affecting film in this ranking. The Academy’s Toy Story collection page credits the original Toy Story as the first computer-animated feature; that distinction belongs to the first film, not Toy Story 3.
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2. Up
Up has a distinctive narrative shape: it moves from an intimate story of loss into a colorful, comic adventure. The contrast gives the film both emotional weight and momentum, allowing its broad fantasy premise to carry personal stakes.
Its more self-contained structure can make it the strongest choice for viewers who value a complete story over the payoff of a multi-film arc. It ranks behind Toy Story 3 here because the latter’s culmination gives its emotional turns more accumulated weight—not because Up’s quieter, more concentrated approach is a flaw.
Rank #2
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3. Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast is an accomplished musical fantasy, with songs and staging shaping the story rather than serving as decoration. Its place in this ranking reflects the chosen comparison—emotional culmination, story cohesion and rewatch value—not a claim that it lacks craft or importance.
Historically, it stands apart from the other two: it became the first animated feature nominated for Best Picture, before the Academy had a separate Best Animated Feature category. That distinction makes it the clear first-place choice if the ranking is based on animation’s recognition by the Academy rather than this article’s broader storytelling criteria.
Rank #3
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How the ranking changes with your criteria
| Film | What stands out | Best fit for viewers who value |
|---|---|---|
| Toy Story 3 | A character story that pays off across earlier films | Emotional culmination and familiarity with the toys |
| Up | A sharp movement from intimate loss to comic adventure | A more self-contained story and a distinctive tonal shift |
| Beauty and the Beast | Musical storytelling and a landmark Best Picture nomination | Musical fantasy or animation’s Academy history |
The ranking is a critical judgment, not a measured audience result or a statement about Academy preference. The Academy’s animation activities guide historically lists all three films among features available on DVD; it does not establish current stock or which editions are available today (Academy animation activities guide).
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