Toy Story (1995)

Toy Story (1995)

Written by Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, & Alec Sokolow

Directed by John Lasseter

Accompanying Short: The Adventures of André & Wally B.

Written & Directed by Alvy Ray Smith

So, to start with, I suppose this list shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. I mean, I already did the Disney Animated Films, so why not Pixar, too? For me, the most appealing thing about this list is, not only have I seen nearly all of them already, but I also have been alive for all of them, so I can recall each of the film’s releases. There is nothing major to be gleaned from that, but for me, it’s a personal interest.

I also decided with this list to watch the accompanying short that was attached to each film for its theatrical release. In this case, while most prints got a Roger Rabbit short, some got The Adventures of André & Wally B., which I elected to use here for one very simple reason: André is the first completely computer animated short, while Toy Story is the first fully computer animated feature. What a pairing!

Out of historical context, André doesn’t offer much: at a mere one-minute long, its plot is very basic (boy meets bee, bee stings boy, boy hits bee with a hat). What makes the short important IS its historical value. The animation is rudimentary, of course, but it has the same appeal that Steamboat Willie does: it’s a breakthrough in the animation medium, unlike anything done before it.

Wally B. & André

Which, I suppose, could be said of Toy Story, as well. I recall, even at the young age of 10, what excitement was surrounding this film and the fact that it was completely computer generated. I suppose what was so exciting for the general public was that, until two years earlier with the release of Jurassic Park, computer animation (or, more accurately, what it could do) wasn’t really well known to the general public. To go from those groundbreaking effects to a feature length film in the span of two years really is mind-boggling.

And the fact that the movie is really great doesn’t hurt, either.

In his first meeting with Woody, Buzz attacks him with his “laser”, which…well, that's one way to create a perception about you

If you don’t know the plot of Toy Story, please, come out from under your rock, but suffice it to say, the dynamic between Woody and Buzz has always been the best thing about this film. Seeing the secret life of toys is really ingenious (after all, what child hasn’t wondered what their toys do when they aren’t around?), but watching Woody’s utter frustration (and later, desperation) as this new toy not only refuses to accept (or understand) that he is a toy but also takes Woody’s place as Andy’s Favorite Toy (TM) is humorous and relatable (haven’t we all had that friend that ditched us to go hang with someone cooler? No? Just me?). The idea of Buzz not realizing that he is a toy is such a brilliant idea that I would gladly pay to see even more scenes of Buzz being baffled by the world that he now exists in (I will point out, like many others, that there is a small plot hole that is created though: why does Buzz freeze when in the presence of humans? Is there a sort of magic that ensures this? And, if that is the case, why are Woody and the rest of Sid’s toys able to come to life in front of him? And, most importantly, am I overanalyzing this kid’s movie?).

Probably my favorite moment from the entire film

If I had to find a fault, it’s the god-awful presence of RANDY NEWMAN. If you enjoy multiple songs that are sung by a sickly animal caught in a blender, then do I have the soundtrack for you. Yes, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” is pretty iconic, but his songs just go on and on. The song after Buzz learns the truth has ALWAYS been awful to listen to, and for me it just sucks any emotion out of the scene because instead of focusing on Buzz’s emotional journey, I’m stuck listening to the “I Love L.A.” guy sing the most un-subtle lyrics I might have ever heard. Like seriously, I’m knocking this film down an entire half-grade, THAT’S how bad his songs are.

Me holding back the masses, swarming me for daring to insult the music of this film (artist rendering)

It has been a very long time since I’ve seen this film, so I will admit that I was shocked, not by how bad the animation quality is, but more about how much computer animation has progressed in 25 years. There were obvious animated moments that don’t quite stand up anymore, but I feel like I can’t fault it. It’s hard to pioneer something AND make it look perfect at the time. Even with its faults, however, Toy Story still holds up, telling a fantastical story full of humor and heart. It is a great way to kick off this list of films, films that I am so excited to share the brilliance of with all of you.

SHORT GRADE: B

FILM GRADE: A-