"Toy Story" Movie Review
About.com Rating
There's little doubt that Toy Story remains a landmark in animation history solely by virtue of its place as the first fully computer-generated feature film, yet it's just as clear that the movie holds up just as well today as it did back in 1995 (and, one could argue, it fares better than the majority of animated cartoons flooding contemporary multiplexes).
And while the novelty of its digital origins may have played a role in its initial success, Toy Story possesses all of the touchstones that one has come to expect from Pixar Animation Studios – including vivid, three-dimensional characters, a surprising and heartwarming narrative, and an overall atmosphere of pleasant escapism.
First-time director John Lasseter does a superb job of balancing Toy Story’s myriad of disparate attributes, although the movie does suffer from a sporadically uneven atmosphere that inevitably wreaks havoc on its momentum. The film’s less-than-consistent nature is ultimately not as problematic as one might’ve suspected, however, as the screenplay has smartly been infused with elements designed to appeal to adults and children alike – a vibe that’s perpetuated by the impressive roster of performers lending their voices (including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Don Rickles).
The Story
Andy is a typical little boy who loves playing with his toys, including a piggy bank named Hamm (voiced by John Ratzenberger), a dinosaur called Rex (Wallace Shawn), and, his favorite, a pull-string cowboy named Woody (Hanks). Woody has long enjoyed dominion over the various playthings within Andy’s room, so it’s not surprising that the personable cowpoke feels threatened by the arrival of a fancy new toy named Buzz Lightyear (Allen).
After Andy makes it abundantly clear that he now prefers Buzz over Woody, Woody concocts a plan to temporarily cast the newcomer aside in order to regain his place by the youngster’s side. The scheme backfires, however, and Woody, accused of murder, finds himself cast out by the other toys and forced to prove his innocence.
Buzz, meanwhile, is keen to exact some payback of his own, although he must put aside his differences with Woody after the two are captured by neighborhood bully Sid (Erik von Detten). The action-packed finale, which comes after both Buzz and Woody learn valuable lessons about themselves and about friendship, follows the duo as they team up with a gang of deformed toys to defeat Sid, although, as teased in the movie’s final shot, the battle for Andy’s attention takes on a whole new level following an unexpected surprise at Christmas…
The Cast
It ultimately goes without saying that a large part of Toy Story’s success is due to the uniformly stellar efforts of the voice cast, as the folks at Pixar have brilliantly managed each character to the ideal performer. Leading the charge is Hanks’ effortlessly charismatic work as Woody; the actor does a mesmerizing job of ensuring that his personable persona comes through using only his voice, and it’s certainly fair to say that many of Toy Story’s funniest bits are courtesy of his line readings. (Only an actor of Hanks’ caliber could wring laughs out of a line like “Tuesday night's plastic corrosion awareness meeting was, I think, a big success.”)
This is not to say Allen’s turn as the stoic Buzz Lightyear is any less deserving of kudos, as the actor deftly ensures that Buzz never quite becomes the humorless automaton he may have been on paper. The irresistible chemistry between Woody and Buzz undoubtedly remains a highlight within the proceedings (and indeed within the series), with the two characters’ love/hate dynamic effectively setting the movie apart from its similarly-themed animated brethren. And then there is, of course, the wonderfully eclectic supporting cast, with the stellar work from folks like Jim Varney, Laurie Metcalf, and R. Lee Ermey ensuring that Toy Story boasts as memorable a group of characters as one could’ve hoped for.
The Bottom Line
The film that kicked off the computer-generated animation revolution remains one of the best examples of the genre, with the impressive level of quality on virtually every level assuring its place within the pantheon of all-time great animated movies. The infancy of the digital movement hardly proves an obstacle for Lasseter and company, and it’s worth noting that the visuals within the film still look pretty darn impressive today (despite the rather stick-figure-like quality of the human characters). A true achievement and a classic bit of family-friendly entertainment.
Grade: B+
Toy Story was directed by John Lasseter and is rated G.
Theatrical release: November 22, 1995
There's little doubt that Toy Story remains a landmark in animation history solely by virtue of its place as the first fully computer-generated feature film, yet it's just as clear that the movie holds up just as well today as it did back in 1995 (and, one could argue, it fares better than the majority of animated cartoons flooding contemporary multiplexes).
And while the novelty of its digital origins may have played a role in its initial success, Toy Story possesses all of the touchstones that one has come to expect from Pixar Animation Studios – including vivid, three-dimensional characters, a surprising and heartwarming narrative, and an overall atmosphere of pleasant escapism.
First-time director John Lasseter does a superb job of balancing Toy Story’s myriad of disparate attributes, although the movie does suffer from a sporadically uneven atmosphere that inevitably wreaks havoc on its momentum. The film’s less-than-consistent nature is ultimately not as problematic as one might’ve suspected, however, as the screenplay has smartly been infused with elements designed to appeal to adults and children alike – a vibe that’s perpetuated by the impressive roster of performers lending their voices (including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Don Rickles).
The Story
Andy is a typical little boy who loves playing with his toys, including a piggy bank named Hamm (voiced by John Ratzenberger), a dinosaur called Rex (Wallace Shawn), and, his favorite, a pull-string cowboy named Woody (Hanks). Woody has long enjoyed dominion over the various playthings within Andy’s room, so it’s not surprising that the personable cowpoke feels threatened by the arrival of a fancy new toy named Buzz Lightyear (Allen).
After Andy makes it abundantly clear that he now prefers Buzz over Woody, Woody concocts a plan to temporarily cast the newcomer aside in order to regain his place by the youngster’s side. The scheme backfires, however, and Woody, accused of murder, finds himself cast out by the other toys and forced to prove his innocence.
Buzz, meanwhile, is keen to exact some payback of his own, although he must put aside his differences with Woody after the two are captured by neighborhood bully Sid (Erik von Detten). The action-packed finale, which comes after both Buzz and Woody learn valuable lessons about themselves and about friendship, follows the duo as they team up with a gang of deformed toys to defeat Sid, although, as teased in the movie’s final shot, the battle for Andy’s attention takes on a whole new level following an unexpected surprise at Christmas…
The Cast
It ultimately goes without saying that a large part of Toy Story’s success is due to the uniformly stellar efforts of the voice cast, as the folks at Pixar have brilliantly managed each character to the ideal performer. Leading the charge is Hanks’ effortlessly charismatic work as Woody; the actor does a mesmerizing job of ensuring that his personable persona comes through using only his voice, and it’s certainly fair to say that many of Toy Story’s funniest bits are courtesy of his line readings. (Only an actor of Hanks’ caliber could wring laughs out of a line like “Tuesday night's plastic corrosion awareness meeting was, I think, a big success.”)
This is not to say Allen’s turn as the stoic Buzz Lightyear is any less deserving of kudos, as the actor deftly ensures that Buzz never quite becomes the humorless automaton he may have been on paper. The irresistible chemistry between Woody and Buzz undoubtedly remains a highlight within the proceedings (and indeed within the series), with the two characters’ love/hate dynamic effectively setting the movie apart from its similarly-themed animated brethren. And then there is, of course, the wonderfully eclectic supporting cast, with the stellar work from folks like Jim Varney, Laurie Metcalf, and R. Lee Ermey ensuring that Toy Story boasts as memorable a group of characters as one could’ve hoped for.
The Bottom Line
The film that kicked off the computer-generated animation revolution remains one of the best examples of the genre, with the impressive level of quality on virtually every level assuring its place within the pantheon of all-time great animated movies. The infancy of the digital movement hardly proves an obstacle for Lasseter and company, and it’s worth noting that the visuals within the film still look pretty darn impressive today (despite the rather stick-figure-like quality of the human characters). A true achievement and a classic bit of family-friendly entertainment.
Grade: B+
Toy Story was directed by John Lasseter and is rated G.
Theatrical release: November 22, 1995
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