By Frank Paiva
Special to MSN Movies

On June 29, Pixar will release "Ratatouille," its eighth computer-animated feature, to multiplexes nationwide. The voice talent includes comedians Janeane Garofolo, Patton Oswalt and Brad Garrett, alongside mature acting greats such as Brian Dennehy, Peter O'Toole and Ian Holm. The plot follows a young rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a chef in Paris. Since rodents and fine dining make an undesirable combination for restaurant owners, Remy faces a difficult path to success.

Pixar's path to success has been just as unlikely. The company began as a computer hardware developer in 1979, selling imaging equipment to hospitals and researching innovative visual-effects techniques for movie studios. One of its main clients was Disney, which rescued the fledgling company in the early 1990s by ordering five computer-animated films for $26 million.

No one could've guessed that five movies and more than a decade later the two companies would own the most profitable family films in history. Pixar's initial $26 million quintet racked up an astounding $2.5 billion at the box office. Coupled with incessant merchandising, we're talking unheard-of money.

What's even more impressive is Pixar's commitment to quality filmmaking. In the past year, Disney has released direct to DVD a third "Cinderella" movie, a "Fox and the Hound" sequel, the sixth "Air Bud" spin-off, a follow-up to "Brother Bear" and a sequel to "Lady and the Tramp." In other words, Disney is willing to tarnish any childhood memory for a dollar. Meanwhile, Pixar's only direct-to-video project was "Toy Story 2." When Disney saw that it was actually good, it decided to release the film in theaters.

A few years ago, Disney and Pixar's rocky contract renegotiations provided constant fodder for entertainment news magazines. The disputes ended with Disney's full buyout of Pixar for $7.4 billion in early 2006. Despite the takeover, Pixar operates autonomously from Disney in Emeryville, Calif., its founding headquarters. John Lasseter, a longtime Pixar employee, oversees operations.

In celebration of the impending release (and likely success) of "Ratatouille," here's a look back at the amazing movies Pixar has offered audiences over the years:

"Toy Story" (1995)
The movie that started it all. The classic theme of "Out with the old, in with the new" gets a fresh treatment as cowboy Woody finds his position as favorite toy threatened by spaceman Buzz Lightyear. The two squabble for their owner's affections in a fantastic journey home from the pizza parlor. "Toy Story" established many Pixar traditions, including casting "Cheers" favorite John Ratzenberger in every film. Here he plays the wisecracking piggy bank Hamm. While Buzz's catchphrase, "To infinity ... and beyond!" became the movie's immortal line, surely Hamm's encouragement of Mr. Potato Head, "Way to go, Idaho!" remains a close second. Director John Lasseter received a special Academy Award for helming the first feature-length computer-animated movie.

"A Bug's Life" (1998)
Pixar's next film suffered one of those unintentional Hollywood hiccups where two different projects with similar subject matter come out around the same time. Think "Volcano" and "Dante's Peak" or "Mission to Mars" and "Red Planet." DreamWorks' "Antz," which follows Woody Allen as a neurotic ant trying to save the colony from a hostile takeover, saw release two months before "A Bug's Life." Despite this coincidence, Lasseter's movie, about an eccentric ant that unknowingly hires quirky circus performers to defend the village from evil grasshoppers, has its own merits. Among them is another terrific score by Randy Newman, who received an Oscar nomination for his work.

"Toy Story 2" (1999)
Every time that montage of cowgirl Jessie being abandoned by her owner pops up midway through the movie, a tear comes to my eye. Maybe it taps some deeply buried well of nostalgia. Most likely, it's the haunting, Oscar-nominated Sarah McLachlan song. Either way, "Toy Story 2" is arguably the most important Pixar film. Many insiders credit it with single-handedly creating the Best Animated Feature Oscar. When the movie won Best Picture at the Golden Globes and didn't receive a nomination from the Academy, there was a powerful movement to ensure such a mistake would never happen again. It established computer-animated cinema as a true art form, not just a pleasing technological diversion. It also spawned computer-animation divisions at every other major studio, leading to the glut of product in the marketplace today.

Next: More Pixar Magic