Classic Tale Full of Imagination

Rating: Null/10 (22 December 2010)

Toy Story (1995)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
A kid's toy room is split after his former favorite toy Woody (Tom Hanks) gets replaced with the newest sensation Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). The gunslinger Woody can't except the fact that he's no longer the kid's favorite so he and Buzz end up outside of the house and must try and find a way back. The Pixar form of animation has become the standard today so I'm sure many people watching these films forget how groundbreaking this movie was when it was first released. I was only fifteen at the time but giving it a second viewing after all these years just reminds me at why this thing became a hit. Not only is the animation beautiful and extremely life like but we also got a terrific screenplay that certainly brings these characters to life and really makes them something special. The idea of a film being centered on toys that come to life when no one is looking is something so simple yet so genius that you can't help but wonder why it took someone so long to do a film. The screenplay is without question one of the best ever written for an animation movie as all of the characters, from Woody and Buzz to Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles) and Slinky Dog (Jim Varney) are perfectly brought to life. The child-like nature of the story has so much energy that you can't help but smile at each journey that the toys find themselves on. The amount of imagination in the screenplay is what makes it so special because it really does seem like something a kid would come up with while playing alone in his room with the toys. Everyone can remember what it was like being a kid and playing with these toys and bringing them to life in our minds so to see that played out on the screen is certainly something special. The film has terrific laughs but also a nice message. The voice work is terrific with Hanks and Allen clearly leading the way but that Southern draw of Varney is special as well. TOY STORY was ground breaking when originally released and it comes as no shock that the film hasn't lost any of its impact. The screenplay with its great characters and story is guaranteed to be enjoyed for decades to come.