What Pixar film has the best style and look to it? The environment and character designs, as well as subtle things like lighting, have a lot to do with how the actual content of the film is delivered.
My answer is the original Toy Story. It had a charm that hasn’t yet been matched, possibly exemplified by the primitive software of the time. What I see in Toy Story more than any other movie (including the sequels) is a sense of realism. All of the Pixar movies take place in a fantasy world, but Toy Story is the only film that I can believe takes place in our own. Pixar’s trademark style hasn’t fully developed, and as a result, things come across as less cartoony. Environments are beautifully rendered, with every nick and scratch to sell the effect. Lighting is natural in most instances, but is also exaggerated to fit the mood; I immediately think of the black light in Sid’s room and the foreboding orange sunset in Andy’s room.
The larger than life sets are something both familiar and foreign at the same time. The gas station scene is one of many that really put you into the perspective of the real world as a toy (and I thought tankers seemed huge in real life!). The humans are another thing that was done right. Pixar could come darn close to making a realistic human, but it would still come off as fake. I applaud them for the caricature designs that they made. The people were expressive and detailed enough to tell the story, but not too realistic to appear tacky. That’s my take on why Toy Story is the best looking Pixar film.