Review 24: Toy Story

Toy Story is a  amazing animated film childhood favourite of mine.  and you know what else? Wit. That’s the most surprising thing about this film: As well as being made in a computer, would turn out to have an intelligent sense of humour about itself. 

A kid called Andy has a group of toys who look lifeless but come to life when no ones around, Andy's favorite toy is a cowboy doll named Woody (Tom Hanks).
On Andy's birthday he gets a space ranger action figure named Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) who actually believes hes a space ranger and doesn't realise hes a toy and quickly becomes Andys new favorite toy. This makes Woody jealous and he accidentally knocks Buzz out the window which causes all the other toys to get mad at him. But Woody is taken by Andy to an space-themed restaurant called Pizza Planet and Buzz (having surviving the fall) follows.
When Buzz finds Woody the two fight and get left behind at a petrol station and then end up at Andy's next door neighbor Sid (Erik von Detten) who likes to torture toys. Woody and Buzz must escape from Sid and along the way a friendship builds between them.

This is an animated film made by children at heart. Every child imagines there toys are actually alive, so for those kids in the audience, this will be a fantasy come to life. They will also enjoy its fun story, colourful cast of characters, has an intelligent sense of humour and overall, it’s exciting to watch.

Adults will be equally, if not, more involved because Toy Story was the first fully computer animated film. Up until Toy Story, animated films were traditionally hand drawn but with this new technique, there is a new chance for freedom and movement rarely afforded in other  This is one of those films were the more you learn about how it was made, the more respect and admiration you gain for it.

At its core, Toy Story is a simple but effectively touching story about friendship: A friend in need is a friend indeed. It’s also a buddy film, in genre. Toy Story is more than just an animated film, it was a glimpse into the future 

Director John Lasseter's animation direction is beautiful fluid throughout the film, the animation is astonishing, things like the movement of toy soldiers, the lighting  the scratches on Sid’s desk, the shinny aluminium surface of air ducts and rogue texture of the road, It’s this kind of detail that John Lasseter and his team live for. the Character Design is sensational, they design so many toys of all different sizes and shapes, I've got to ask how many kids actually went to shops and bought them as actual toys?
The production design is breathtaking, creating so many small spaces and the toys community, the humor is memorable and quotable, there are great moments of intensity as well as some imense action set pieces, the score and songs by Randy Newman are masterful and memorable and the ending is hilarious.

The voice acting was excellent as well especially from Tom Hanks and Tim Allen who voice there characters of Woody and Buzz impeccably well. The pairing of Woody and Buzz is an inspired one, a combination of the Old West and the New Frontier.

Woody is an old soul which is understandable given that he's a 50's pull string doll. He's been Andy's favourite toy since Kindergarten according to Mr. Potato Head and has grown just as attached to Andy as Andy has to Woody and he wouldn't want it any other way which makes his jealousy of Buzz feel completely natural as he feels threatened by Buzz's cool factor and that he’ll take his place as the top toy. "Why would Andy want to play with me when he's got you." Woody confesses to Buzz. 

Buzz represents that toy we all wanted as kids but most of us weren't lucky enough to get: The ultimate action figure of the ultimate hero. What makes Buzz such an endearing character is that he's not in on the joke. He genuinely believes that he is a real space ranger, marooned on a distant planet during an important for the Galactic Alliance. So he sets to work to repair his damaged spaceship - which is the cardboard box he came in. He has the courage of his convictions and believes every heroic thing he says which ironically makes him a funny character. He's in Andy's bedroom believing he's stuck behind enemy lies. 

They were born to play their roles, Erik von Detten was a scary villain and you've got an excellent supporting cast: Don Rickles as Mr Potato Head, Jim Varney as Slinky Dog, Wallace Shawn as Rex, John Ratzenberger as Ham, Annie Potts as Bo Peep and John Morris as Andy. Hamm sits up on the shelf and looks out the window all day so he’s something of a Mr. Know-it-all. Rex is a gentle giant at heart, despite his hyperactive and excitable nature. 

Because we are now so use to CG animated film being released from multiple animation studios, it’s easy to forget just how groundbreaking Toy Story was for the time it came out.  which is precisely what makes the film so funny. Woody is the straight man while Buzz is busy being deluded, 5/5.

The Anonymous Critic