Review of Toy Story (1995) by Writefilmlive21 — 06 Dec 2012

Where to begin? "Toy Story" is a film beyond infinity. It launched the now mega-popular CGI film genre, Pixar as a groundbreaking studio, and it made movie history as the first computer-animated movie ever made. I personally cannot say enough good things about Pixar - they are the smartest and most creative movie studio out there today. And every bit of genius that makes them who they are shows up here in their debut classic.

"Toy Story" follows a host of toys owned and loved by a kid named Andy, and they are nervous about them becoming replaced since his birthday party is around the corner. Woody, Andy's favorite toy, assures confidence, but in fact he's replaced himself by the all-new Buzz Lightyear space action figure. His competition against the disillusioned newcomer, who believes himself to be a real space ranger, accidentally separates them from Andy, and thus follows a hilarious buddy misadventure.

Pixar's genius here, and in all of their movies, is that they don't talk down to kids. Their movies handle serious issues everyone can relate to, and "Toy Story" is no exception. Underneath the colorful animation and lighthearted humor, we have two solid and genuine characters - one of which goes through a disheartening identity crisis before discovering the value in who they really are, and one who deep down is confronting a fear of being forgotten in the wave of new and flashy. It's a fantastic metaphor, and a beautifully-done film, and should live on for decades to come as a true milestone in cinema.