User reviews

I am a big fan of the animated movies coming from the Pixar Studios. They are always looking for the newest technological possibilities to use in their movies, creating movies that are more than just worth a watch, even when they were made a decade ago.

The movie is about toys that come to life when their owner is asleep or not in the same room. When the young boy's birthday is coming up, all the toys are nervous. They don't want to be ignored when the new one arrives. Woody the cowboy is their "leader" because he's the most popular one of them all. He's the only one that hasn't got to be afraid, but than a new favorite arrives ... Buzz Lightyear. He hates him and tries everything possible to get rid of him, but as the time passes by they learn to appreciate each other...

When you see Toy Story, you may think that the different human like characters (Woody the cowboy for instance) aren't always as perfect as we are used to see in todays animated movies. Perhaps that's true, but if you keep in mind that all this was done in 1995, when computers weren't yet as strong and the technology for creating such movies was almost unknown, than you can only have a lot of respect for what the creators did. I loved the story and liked the animations a lot. I give it an 8.5/10.

Y'know, I always suspected that my toys were coming to life when I wasn't looking!

In Andy's Room, his toys lead lives of noisy desperation come every birthday and Christmas - no one wants to be one-upped by a new addition to the toy box. Nominally led by Cowboy Woody (there's a Brokeback joke in there just waiting to happen), Mr. Potato Head, Rex the Dinosaur, Ham the piggybank, Bo Peep, Slinky the dog and a smattering of other playthings go about their toy business of playing checkers, hanging with the hometoys and "plastic corrosion awareness meetings," until Andy's birthday party, when they gather expectantly around a transistor radio, listening to the reports of their toy soldier troops "in the field" (downstairs watching Andy's gift-opening), hoping that no gift will be exciting enough to cause Andy to neglect *them.* There is. His name is Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger.

Directed by Pixar mainstay John Lasseter, with the voice talents of Tom Hanks (as Woody), Don Rickles, John Ratzenberger (forever Cliff from *Cheers*), R. Lee Ermey, Annie Potts, Jim Varney and Tim Allen (as Buzz), *Toy Story* is that *rara avis* that succeeds on all levels – in its animation, storyline, character development, its messages of friendship and self-realization and, most importantly, its entertainment value. The fact that this is a cartoon (or animated feature – just what DO we call this new wave of computer-generated movies?) is incidental. Which makes the slightly dodgy animation (of the "real people") irrelevant - it gets the point across with or without the technological finesse.

The "Disney Movie" has become synonymous with maudlin messages, redneck fundamentalism, anachronistic family values, boneheaded parents, smart-mouthing youngsters, too-hip-to-be-smart teens and insufferable pets. Though Disney's tyrannical umbrella overarches this film's production studio, Pixar Animation, *Toy Story* somehow avoided all trace of Disney's craven hand, which is doubly surprising, considering this is Pixar's first feature length film, after years of experimentation. Right outa the gate and right outa the field.

Sure, there are "messages," but they are heartfelt, rather than maudlin (Woody tells Buzz during Buzz's greatest depression that it matters not what Buzz thinks of himself, what makes him important is what his owner, Andy, thinks of him); there are emotional segments, which are truly heartbreaking, rather than cheesy (when Buzz's escape attempt lands him with a broken arm, proving he is Not A Flying Toy, the lyric, "Clearly I will go sailing no more," launches a thousand hankies); and the portrayal of Andy's family was Pixar's triumphal achievement. Boldly contravening Disney's *idée fixe* of the 1950's nuclear family and Norman Rockwell fantasies, one of the many incarnations of a modern-day family is presented: a single mother with two kids, who are neither geniuses nor monsters, just normal children; happy to visit Pizza Planet and disappointed when favorite toys are lost.

Buzz – who believes he is a real life space ranger on a mission to save the universe - become Andy's favorite toy over Woody. The funny thing is: though Buzz believes he is real, he still adheres to toy protocol of "playing inert" when humans are in the area. (Maybe it's instinct?) When he mentions saving a toy from Sid, the vicious boy next door, how does he propose to do it if he is to adhere to the inert protocol? Buzz's ingenuousness regarding his role as a toy infuriates Woody to the point of attempted toy-assassination. Through a concatenation of accidents, both he and Buzz become lost and must use teamwork, trust and ingenuity to beat their path back to Andy, which finds them ensconced in scorchingly funny vignettes (Buzz fastening himself in an over-sized seatbelt; both falling in with green, three-eyed aliens; Buzz hyperventilating as "Mrs. Nesbitt"). During a climactic rocket ride, the callback line, "This is not flying - this is falling with style," simply seals this movie's greatness.

At least I now have a plausible explanation as to why my toys always got lost: after going about their toy business, they would just go inert anywhere they happened to be, instead of paying attention to their master's infallible toy filing system….

Though I am not a big fan of computer animation,I have to give the folks at Pixar credit.This brand of animation is nothing short of brilliant.The attention to detail,such as eye and body movement is quite remarkable.Computers allow them to make their characters as close to human like as possible,something we have never seen in traditional hand drawn animation,though the latter will always be the closest to my heart.Combine this excellence with a genuinely good story idea and a top notch voice cast and the result is good family entertainment.It's obvious that the people at Pixar are not only caring perfectionists when it comes to film making,but they care about our kids,something rarely seen today.Highly recommended for any home library.

Andy's toys live a reasonable life of fun and peace, their only worries are birthdays and Christmases, when new toys could easily replace those already there. One such birthday Andy's top toy, Woody the cowboy, finds himself in direct competition with Andy's new Buzz Lightyear doll. When rivalries boil over Woody tries to hide Buzz down the side of the bed but accidentally pushes him out the window, the other tops expel Woody, and he leaves with no choice but to find Buzz and return him to the house. But with only two days before Andy moves house, time is of the essence.

Given how often the same mix of animation, wit, jokes and kids humour has been used since Toy Story (Ice Age, Monsters Inc, Bugs Life) it is easy to forget how refreshing it was when it first came out. I have just watched it again and it is dating a little in comparison to more recent twists on the formula. It seems each one has to be sharper and have more references etc in the background. However it is still very funny and deserves praise for being the first of a successful formula.

The plot is simple but effective and actually has genuine drama and excitement to it. The main story is fun but the degree of character development is what really shores it up. The conflict between Buzz and Woody is taken deeper than this and, when confronted by the truth of his status as a toy, Buzz's turmoil is very real as opposed to him being a cartoon character and nothing more. Despite the two strong leads there is a real depth in the support cast. They may not actually have that many lines, but they have all the funniest lines. Most of the `adult' wit comes from the Potato Head, dinosaur, the pig and slinky dog. They are funny and are very well used. In fact the majority of this humour and plot will go right over kids heads.

Looking back on it, I do feel a cynical edge on it in so much as this film must really have helped sales of the toy companies in the film. It's hard not to see the marketing department standing behind this film rubbing their hands. However the actual product is so wonderfully fun that I forgot this quickly. The voice work is excellent and the characters match the actors. Hanks is good as Woody and Allen has a good B-movie type voice for Buzz. Varney, Ratzenberger, Ermey (doing his usual), Rickles and others are all really good in the support roles and, probably, come out as the favourite characters for adults.

Overall this is a classic film that will appeal to adults as much as to kids (if not more). A good plot and a really sharp script make the already short running time fly by. The only downside is that your kids will want you to go out and buy the damn things!

This is a very clever animated story that was a big hit, and justifiably so. It had a terrific sequel and if a third film came out, that would probably be a hit, too.

When this came out, computer technology just was beginning to strut its stuff. Man, this looked awesome. Now, it's routine because animation, which took a giant leap with this movie, has made a lot more giant strides.

The humor in here, however, is what made this so popular. There are tons of funny lines, issued by characters voiced by Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Jim Varney, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn and John Ratzenberger, among others. As good as Hanks is as "Woody" and Allen as "Buzz Armstrong," I think the supporting characters just about stole the show: Mr. Potato Head, Slinky, Rex the dinosaur, etc.

Multiple viewings don't diminish the entertainment, either. There are so many things to catch, audibly and visually, that you always seem to discover something new. The colors in here are beautiful, too. This is a guaranteed "winner" as is the sequel.

This is as close to perfection as any animated film has come, entertained parents on a equal plane with their children, and set the bar to the top of the animation film industry. No film has yet come close to Toy Story in legitimizing animation as a film art on the level of movies with live actors. Great comedies are hard to come by - Toy Story strikes gold on that basis alone, but is so much more. One of the Top 100 Greatest Films of All Time, and currently resides on my "Top 10 Greatest Comedy Films (1960-Present)" list.

Toy Story is a sheer delight to view on the screen. The characters are well done, the plot is exceptional, and the best thing of all, the film is entirely produced on the computer. The animation is extraordinary in it's ability to bring such great entertainment to the screen. The film also teaches some good lessons for the kids like friendship (mainly between Woody and Buzz Light-year). Spectacular entertainment all around and one of the best films Disney has come with.

Rollicking, entertaining adventure. Good fun, with some great humour, exciting action and some decent drama and emotional content.

Great CGI. Nothing to fault about the special effects and animation.

Voices are spot-on. Great casting.

Toy Story is not only the best Disney film because it has the best story and the best animation, but also because of the excellent actors chosen to provide the voices of the animals. The casting was perfect from top to bottom, and the movie provides an excellent adventure story about friendship and loyalty that keeps you engrossed until the nail-biting climax.

Tom Hanks and Tim Allen provided excellent voices for Woody and Buzz Lightyear -their performances alone are one of the biggest things that made this such a spectacular movie. Besides that, though, you have the excellent story that is not only noteworthy because it has never really been told from this perspective before, but also because it was just told so well. All of the characters in the film are very well developed and all have appropriate and effective actors chosen to provide their voices.

And of course, who could forget the revolutionary animation! The computer animation used for this movie not only made it startlingly realistic but also opened up tons of possibilities, and thankfully the filmmakers chose to explore these possibilities. There are dozens of things that are hidden in the woodwork throughout the film, as well as in the songs – note, for example, the subtle playing of the Indiana Jones theme song in the scene where Woody knocks Buzz out the window with the desk lamp.

Toy Story is by far the best Disney film ever made, it's pretty much perfect. It's adventurous, it's exciting, it's entertaining, it's good for the whole family, it's got great characters, story, and plot, and above all, it's fun.

With the ever increasing proximity of Toy Story 3, I decided it was about time for me to revisit the original and its first sequel to refresh my memory. Having been among the original target audience, it's a real trip back to childhood.

The longtime favourite toy of young Andy, Woody is disgruntled to be pushed aside in favour of a new space-ranger action figure in the form of Buzz Lightyear. Admired by child and fellow toys alike, Buzz threatens Woody's territory, prompting an effort to remove him which results in the two being left many miles from home, with little time to get back before the family's move.

Now regarded fondly as one of the best kids' movies of all time, Toy Story was the catalyst which allowed Pixar to rapidly ascend to the throne of animation where they dominantly remain to this day. Certainly it wowed me when I first saw it, almost fifteen years ago now. Indulging every child's fantasy that their toys come to life when they're not looking, we find ourselves instantly aligned with the host of strange characters. The quality of the animation, revolutionary for its time, is seen instantly, proudly boasted in the movements of the soldiers as they march downstairs. Everything looks completely realistic and, most importantly, believable. Whilst amusing beforehand, the laughs only really start to build up when Buzz arrives and we are treated to his interactions with Woody, the disagreements between the two and their petty arguments forming the basis of the film's funny factor. The added maturity of years affords the understanding of some of the film's more adult jokes, adding a little something extra to the experience for returning viewers. The action-adventure side of the plot keeps up the drama, tension, and sense of doom, keeping us wondering whether or not the reluctant duo will ever make it back in time. The scenes in Sid's house are the film's best, in terms of keeping up suspense. Their oddness is stand-out and ever memorable, the stranger toys therein encountered doubtlessly having haunted many little 'uns over the years. Certainly still enjoyable, Toy Story remains an inherently good film, though for me it stands less high than the likes of Wall-E, lacking the considerable emotional impact of that later Pixar effort.

Carrying a vast legacy, Toy Story stands the test of time well, still as enjoyable as ever it was. Having paved the way for films which, as you would hope, took what it did and did them better, it is enduring, endearing, and thoroughly entertaining.

I found this amusing for about no minutes whatsoever.

The movie has "franchise" written all over it. Are we ready for the dolls? The Burger King cups? Heck, yes, obviously - let's reduce all imagination to cheap commodities, sell our children on an open market and let business ethics only apply.

The "story" is soporific, the dialog cliché, the characters banal, the message simpering wimpy crap only suited for a sado-masochist on a hangover.

Gaudy bit of CGI fluff pretending to be a "children's classic" - only in the dreams of the cynical and the dead.

Toy Story is the film that started Pixar Animated Studios into its long string of never ending success. What Pixar does is not just absorb the younger demographic and keep the older ones mildly entertained. It completely absorbs everyone watching no matter the age or the level of maturity, films of Pixar, starting from Toy Story, have kept a certain magical touch around it with an unexpected amount of depth. Everyone as a child imagines their toys will come alive and go on their own adventures. One of the great things Pixar does is that it does not attract audiences with its overloaded superstar casts but rather with its material. The only superstar here is Tom Hanks and Tim Allen is the next most aforementioned voice over. Unlike what most people think their is an actually a method to casting for animated films as there is to a live-action one. As a result of this Pixar stays faithful to its material and creates a great genuine and warm feeling around the film and its characters.

Toy Story is one of my favourite animated films! Even as an adult I can still watch it and be entertained. This film is not only nostalgic but is relatable, emotional and a lot of fun!

I'm 19, going on 20 in six days. I don't need to tell you that "Toy Story" is a movie tailor-made for the kiddies, but there's a special reservation for adults too. I should know, as should anyone who views it with an open mind. We've all had our favorite toys. For guys, like me, there's a 90% chance you played with either Transformers or G.I. Joe or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or all three when you were six, seven, eight, or nine years-old. For me, it was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Godzilla action figures. I'd always imagine living out wild fantasy adventures in my room or basement; ah, the joy of being a kid again. But that's part of "Toy Story's" fun appeal. It gives you a chance to relive your childhood again. Today I saw for the first time in about eight years and it's still just as fresh and inventive as Pixar, probably the best film studio in computer animation, conceived it back in 1995. In the room of young Andy, the toys are alive - when he's not present of course, and cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is the boy's favorite item. But all that changes on Andy's birthday and a new toy given to him on that day captures the boy's heart - Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen). Of course, any replacement of this sort inspires jealousy, and pretty soon Buzz is the new "it" item of the bedroom. Andy's given into everything Buzz Lightyear, even new bedsheets - bedsheets! - leaving poor Woody on the short end of the stick. But the thing is, Buzz has trouble believing he's just a simple toy and nothing more, as he thinks he's actually BUZZ LIGHTYEAR! It also seems this couldn't have come at a worse time for the toys, as Andy and his mother are moving away, which is causing all sorts of chaos as Woody tries to get everything organized so nobody is left behind, and that's exactly what happens with rivals Woody and Buzz, who are misplaced and must find their beloved Andy before they move. Not only that, they must also battle Sid, the serial killer in-training kid that lives next door and tortures toys. As directed by John Lasseter and his army of screenwriters including himself, Andrew Stanton (who would co-direct Pixar's future hit "Finding Nemo" in 2003) and Joel Cohen, "Toy Story" is true imaginative fantasy realized in superb animation. It more than brings the kid in you to the surface, it makes you want to be a kid again, as many toys have cameos including Army Men (including the Sergeant who's voiced by R. Lee Ermey) and Mr. Potato Head (voiced by Don Rickles). I love "Toy Story," and I think anyone who views it thoughtfully will love it too.

10/10

Just in case you were also wondering what happened to all the toys that went missing when you were a kid, the answer is clear: They escaped.

"Toy Story" is the kind of children's movie adults can enjoy just as much, because it very cleverly mines deep deposits of nostalgia from the memory banks. That may be the reason the 1990s bedroom of young Andy is populated by playthings of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. If Andy was a real boy of his time, there would be a computer and a TV/Nintendo, and not much else.

The voicings of the various toys add to the enjoyability. Tom Hanks was the biggest star of the moment when "Toy Story" came out, and he works with that likeability by creating a stable center as Woody the cowboy doll. Don Rickles has the screen role of his career (not that "Kelly's Heroes" was Oscar material) as a prickly Mr. Potato Head, while Jim Varney and R. Lee Ermey are standouts in the supporting cast.

Tim Allen gives the movie's best performance, as a newfangled toy that takes Woody's place in Andy's heart but can't bring himself to accept that he's just a plastic plaything. It's the role of the story that gives him the best lines ("I don't believe that man has ever been to medical school"), but Allen delivers them with real panache. He more than holds his own, and you kind of see where he took off with that note-perfect William Shatner parody he perfected on screen in the underrated "Galaxy Quest."

While this movie's use of computer animation makes it a milestone, it neither represents the most innovative use of the technology or the cleverest Pixar-ated treatment of a story. "A Bug's Life" seems a more worthy apex; that story was funnier, worked better on its own merits, and used the animation to better effect. But given how novel all of this was in 1995, "Toy Story" could have been a lot less thought-through than it was, and still made gobs of money. The fact it is instead invested with real heart, and can be watched and enjoyed today just as easily as when it debuted nearly 10 years ago, is a tribute to the people behind it.

I like Randy Newman's music, just not here, and while the animation textures are surprisingly lifelike, there are places, especially with Scud the dog but also with the baby's drool, where it falls short. The story itself gets kind of rote with repeat viewings, though the transition to Sid's bedroom and its sad mutilated toys is a genius moment. So too are the vending machine aliens, who gape in rapt wonder at the judgment of "the claw." If it reached for pathos a little less often, "Toy Story" would be an undeniable classic.

As it is, it is very, very good, the kind of film that's only good for children, even (especially?) the inner ones.

What a wonderful integration of classic toys and a superb plot. It's a new height in animation (though things have gotten even more impressive long since). The voicings of Tim Allen as Buzz and Tom Hanks as Woody, with their inherent connection to their toy beings, with an incredible supporting cast, make this a romp to end all romps. There is a strain between the realities of the world and the fact that even though they are sentient beings, they are still toys. Buzz has lights that flash but he can't really fly. Woody has the ludicrous string on his back that allows him to deliver his catch phrases. Then there is the neighborhood villain, Sid, who is a maimer and destroyer of toys. There is the quest for the mishandled and lost. And a finale that is worthy of everything that has been set up. What really makes this work is the "humanity" of the characters. There is love and a true connection among them. If you have never seen this, it is worth every minute.

This first entirely computer animated film by Disney is a pretty good effort, but the film seems lacks that extra something, that makes it good. The action, which does not seem to stop is ‘only' pretty thrilling and the film overall is ‘only' kind of funny (I didn't burst out with laughter once). Therefore this film can not achieve the rating good (8 out of 10) by me, for a good film (in my opinion) is good on more than just one or two levels and it has to cover the entire film (preferably exceeding in more than one genre). Nonetheless this is (again) no disappointment by Disney.

7 out of 10 (an average rating for a Disney animated feature)

My toddler has been watching this film for about 3 months, and I'm not sick of it and neither is she. It doesn't scare her, and it's teaching her about imagination, friendship, and kindness. All the performances are top notch, and the script is phenomenal. Any movie that has "Wind the Frog!" as a line , has to be a classic. The virtual world that has been created is remarkable in itself, but is equally partnered with a wonderful script. The song's compliment and impart in-depth character and plot points and Woody's personal journey is a lesson for all.

I watched this when i was little but nice i watch it now its not the best i just, now know not to watch 'Toy Story 3' when it comes out.