Pioneering in every way, and remains a great film in its own right

Rating: 9/10 (15 November 2018)

"Toy Story" came out when I was in third grade and it remains the most revolutionary film of my lifetime. Outside of Pixar's offices, who would've predicted that in 1995, at the at the height of Disney's 2D animated musical resurgence, that the course of animated family films had just been changed forever.
And it wasn't just the technology. "Toy Story" undoubtedly deserves to be heralded until the end of time for being the first computer-animated feature film, but so many other forces contributed to it becoming the year's box-office champion, chief among them - story.
Pixar's first concept exemplifies all the incredible storytelling they've done in the last 20-plus years: What do our toys do when no one is watching? Children's imaginations have infused their toys with life ever since there were toys, and "Toy Story" plays out that fantasy for kids while evoking profound nostalgia for the parents.
This "hidden world" notion, with stories that explore little universes hiding in plain sight, has been Pixar's secret story sauce. Just take a look at the movie's credits to see how that concept influenced future classics: Pixar father (and the film's director) John Lasseter ("A Bug's Life," "Cars"), Pete Docter ("Monsters Inc.," "Up," "Inside Out") and Andrew Stanton ("Finding Nemo," "WALL-E").
But even a brilliant concept needs anchoring in real, universal human themes, and that's the real reason Pixar has been the cream of the crop ever since November 22, 1995. In "Toy Story," that boils down to the characters of Woody and Buzz. There's Woody, who has the whole being a toy thing figured out and enjoys his cozy little "spot" as Andy's favorite. Then there's Buzz Lightyear, the shiny new novelty who hasn't had the existential realization that he's not a space ranger yet. It's a storyline for these two leads born out of something that happens all the time: kids' tastes change and they're always moving on to the next cool toy. Woody's jealousy and Buzz's naivete are relatable to kids and adults alike.
That takes us to the crowning touch on "Toy Story" - the voice acting (no, not Randy Newman, but he's crucial to the film's complete aesthetic). Only with the casting of Robin Williams as the Genie in "Aladdin" a couple years earlier had there even existed the notion of casting big-name actors in animated films. Even then, like Williams, the name parts were given to comedians in the comic relief roles. Getting Tom Hanks to play the lead role was a total coup, and when "Toy Story" made bank, animation studios immediately began putting together cast lists of name actors that could barely fit on a movie poster.
Hanks' Woody still deserves to rank as one of the best voice-acting performances. He's the emotional signpost keeping young viewers in tune with how they should feel at each moment (though Buzz's botched flight attempt is the emotional apex of the movie to be sure). Hanks isn't merely lending his voice to the film, he's playing the role of Woody, and it makes all the difference.
During my many childhood viewings, "Toy Story" always felt like an exhaustive multi-chapter journey, especially once Woody and Buzz leave the confines of Andy's room, so on this revisit it's funny to realize that the film remains Pixar's shortest. That's how much dimension Lasseter and team pack into this movie and a large part of why it endures. Any notion that "Toy Story" was a "cute" first attempt by a studio that would go on to vastly improve upon it is missing the point. Yes, Pixar would get more visually advanced, build even more intricate worlds and tell even more emotionally deeper stories (and all in the "Toy Story" series alone), but all those elements in this film still stand strong on their own. It's a classic, and one that set the bar upon which all those films were left with no choice but to strive for.
~Steven C
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