Toy Story was the first computer-animated feature film, and the crowning achievement of Pixar Animation Studios. It has become a classic among children and adults, and is one of Pixars' best films. It is one of those films that, even after more than twenty years, reminds you what it is like to be a kid.
Toy Story is the story of how a cowboy doll and a spaceman figure compete for the affection of a young boy. I have always loved that this is not an origin story of how the toys are able to come alive. Within the first few minutes of the movie, it is understood that they have come alive for a long time, possibly even before Andy owned them. I also love the fact that, for a majority of the film, Buzz Lightyear thinks that he is real. Woody is always attempting to convince him that he is a toy, but Buzz always dismisses him, which makes Buzzs' realization later in the film that he actually is a toy so much more heartbreaking. This also begs the question: Did Woody and all of the other toys have a moment like this as well, or did they always know they were toys? I also like the fact that this movie does not look down upon children owning toys. There is a moment in the film where Woody is telling Buzz how awesome it is to be a toy that is owned by a child. I love this moment so much because it puts emphasis on how special and important toys are to children. Toy Story was a landmark in the history of film and, in my opinion, it is cinematic perfection.
John Lasseter is the director of Toy Story. The key aspect of the movie is the fact that this is a family/comedy film. When you hear about a film where the toys come alive, you automatically think that it is going to be a horror film. However, thanks to Lasseters' directing and shaping of the tone, we see that the toys function as any normal family would. They laugh together, fight together and even have romantic relationships. As a matter of fact, these romantic relationships are actually part of a laundry list of adult-themed jokes throughout the film. I have always praised the Pixar films for having adult themes in them. These themes and jokes happen throughout this, and the other, Pixar films, and are vague enough for children not to understand them, but they always get a good laugh from the adult viewers. I also love the fact that Andy feels conflicted about his toys once Buzz Lightyear enters the picture. He does not know who to spend more time with: Woody or Buzz. This is how all children feel when they get a new toy. The new toy is shiny, has blinking lights and electronic sounds. The older toy has fabric that is frayed and the pull-string is worn out. It always makes me smile that Andy realizes that both Woody and Buzz are important to him, just in different ways. Every toy is special to a child, and I am glad Lasseter included this aspect in the film. As a child and as an adult, I have always loved the character of Sid. His bedroom is the stuff of childrens' nightmares because he blows them apart, and then puts them back together in twisted new ways. This comes back to haunt him forever when the toys come alive in his backyard. I also feel like Lasseter put the character of Sid in the movie in order to represent what would happen if a toy actually came alive in front a persons' eyes. It is horrifying, yes, but I also love that it is treated in a humorous way in this film. This entire film showcases the brilliance in John Lasseter as a director.
Toy Story is such a magical film that is filled with great characters and a wonderful story. It is also the first film in what would become a long line of computer-animated films that would make Pixar the gold standard of storytelling. If you have not seen the original Toy Story film, I cannot recommend it highly enough.
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