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Some movies are game-changers, Snow White for instance which was the first feature length animated movie and paved the way for many more after that and more recently Avatar which introduced the world to a 3D experience never seen before. Toy Story was the first feature length completely computer animated movie. Now there’s one released every 3 months or so even by really small companies but back then this was something unique, something nobody saw before. It even took about three years before two other movies were released; A Bug’s Life and Antz. But it all started in 1995 when we were just getting used to seeing live action movies suddenly getting the cutting edge special FX which even improved every year. 1995 was the year we went to infinity and beyond…
Toy Story is about a couple of toys which belong to young kid Andy. When Andy isn’t around the toys lead a life of their own, forming some society together which is led by Cowboy doll Woody (Tom Hanks) mostly because he has been Andy’s favorite toy since kindergarten. Some of the toys get nervous when Andy’s birthday approaches just because they have the feeling that they could be replaced which is exactly what seems to happen to Woody when his position as favorite toy is crumbling down when Andy’s newest toys is a Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) toy. Funny enough Buzz doesn’t seem to understand he is a toy but thinks he is the real deal; a protector of the galaxy, capable of flying and equipped with deadly weapons.
A rivalry develops between Buzz and Woody resulting in Buzz falling out of the window. When Woody also gets lost the two rivals have to work together to get back home before Andy and his family are moving.
Next to some ground breaking techniques Pixar has used a decent story to show the world what they’re capable of. The movie is filled with fleshed out characters that all have their own specific character. All of them memorable and by now known all over the world. I found especially Rex to be very funny, but they all have a certain charm. Toy Story is filled with small jokes adding to the good story that is present here. The movie doesn’t shy away from a dark side as well as Sid is one of the most horrific characters to ever grace the screen. Just take a look at his dental work. The scene where the toys give him a lesson of their own is pure gold.
There’s one thing that I kept asking myself; If Buzz isn’t aware he is a toy then why doesn’t he also move around humans like the other toys do? The toys go to their best preventing humans to find out that they are alive, yet Buzz simply goes with it even when he’s showing off what he can do.
Now after fifteen years the movie still looks great although you can tell it isn’t up to par with recent releases but that’s just normal and to be expected. It’s like complaining they used a less cartoony style with Snow White than they did with The Lion King. At some point a felt that the creators were learning and improving during the making of the movie as I saw the quality and technical details improve over the course of the movie.
Toy Story is a land-mark movie and an instant classic. It brought the world Pixar and after that it really became a better place.
