Pixar is undoubtedly the crème de la crème of American CGI animation. They have gained this reputation not just due to their incredible animation and character designs, but due to their quirky and distinctive storytelling.

Anybody who's ever seen a Pixar film knows that each theatrical release of their films tends to start with an animated short film that is usually produced between the creation of their feature films. For the first time on DVD, every Pixar short film released to this point has been compiled into a new collection called Pixar Short Films Collection: Volume 1.

Prior to Pixar's formation, the company existed as the computer division of Lucasfilm which made their first big splash in 1984 with the incredibly innovative The Adventures Of Andre And Wally B., about a quirky character named Andre chasing a bee named Wally B. Two years later, Pixar made their animated debut in 1986 with the Oscar-nominated short film Luxo Jr., which features a father lamp watching his son, which would soon become the studio's famous animated logo, playing with a ball.

1987 made way for the poignant Red's Dream, which tells of a lonely unicycle who wants to perform with a clown named Lumpy. Next is 1988's Oscar-winning short Tin Toy, about said toy dreading being "played" with by a rambunctious baby.

1989's Knick Knack is about a snowman in a snow globe being lured by a buxom Sunny Miami figurine. 1997's Oscar-winning Geri's Game deals with an old man playing chess against his own self.

2000's Oscar-winning For The Birds, deals with a group of little blue birds on a telephone wire who insult a dopier, much bigger bird. 2002's Oscar-nominated Mike's New Car, the first Pixar short to be an offshoot of an existing feature film, namely Monsters, Inc., features Mike and Sulley's disastrous experience with the former's new car.

2003's Oscar-nominated Boundin' is the fable of a frolicking jackalope who renews the faith of a sheep. 2005's Incredibles offshoot Jack-Jack Attack deals with a disastrous incident of babysitting the baby Incredible.

2005's Oscar-nominated One Man Band is set in medieval times and deals with musicians who competes for the gold coin of a peasant boy. 2006's Cars offshoot Mater And The Ghostlight deals with mischievous tow truck Mater's encounter with a haunting figure of urban legend in the town. Rounding it off is 2006's Oscar-nominated Lifted, a clever twist of a driver's instruction-like training a la alien invasion.

While some of the animation is a bit primitive here, particularly the 1980's films, the Pixar shorts have held up fairly well due to their quirky and often hilarious storytelling. The short medium Pixar has always provided great and creative storytelling through the most minutia of everyday life and shows the flashes of brilliance that would soon emerge into their feature films, which continues even to their most recent