Toy Story (1995)

There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces--we smile at the spell it puts us into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys reawaken the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney.

The 10th anniversary edition of the landmark film repackages most of the extras found in the original Ultimate Toy Box set plus a few more. Two keen retrospectives are new, one with an assortment of talents including Roy Disney and Peter Jackson chiming in on the film's impact. The other is a roundtable with Lasseter and three of the creators simply talking about the experiences without--thankfully--any cutaways to noisy film clips. There's a load of other extras since the Ultimate Toy Box was one of the first and best DVD sets. Missing (besides the second film, which will be released separately) is the effects- and music-only tracks. Added is a whopping DTS soundtrack along with a remixed Dolby 5.1 track. The DVD has a higher transfer bit rate for a better picture, but only high-end enthusiasts will notice it. Since the film is a digital-to-digital transfer, both versions are eye-popping. A must-have set unless you have the Ultimate Toy Box.

Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though--he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great. --Doug Thomas

The Pixar Feature Films

Toy Story, 1995 A Bug's Life, 1998 Toy Story 2, 1999

Monsters, Inc., 2001 Finding Nemo, 2003 The Incredibles, 2004

Amazon.com Essential DVD

Toy Story

Excellent movie! A classic! Watched over and over and VHS well worn over the years so decided to update to DVD...great not to have to constantly rewind now too! Whole family enjoys watching, not just for the little kids...adults love it too! This movie and Monsters, Inc. are the ONLY movies my 2 1/2 year old will sit through. January 1, 2009

Great Movie!

This is a fantastic movie. Kids will love it, and even adults will enjoy watching. It's loaded with great characters, adventure, and a fun story line. If you enjoy animated movies, this one can't miss. December 19, 2008

a classic movie

all i have to say is that its a classic and if you have never seen it do yourself a favor and buy the DVD December 15, 2008

Toy Story

I purchased this DVD for a Christmas present so my review is strictly surrounding the prompt delivery of the item. I will assume it's in perfect condition but won't know until Christmas.

Thank you.
December 13, 2008

Quality

My little boy, Finn, who is 3, has taken to waking up in the middle of the night and the only thing that will get him down again is Toy Story, so I have seen this every night for the last 6 months, and I still love it, in fact as an adult, I went to the cinema to see it without kids! Of course, there are many plotting inaccuracies. How come the Toys have never been caught moving? Their early warning system seems a little hap-hazard to say the least. And when Scud the dog is pulling Woody off the back of the removal truck, the loading ramp would have to be about 5 feet off the ground making Scud the size of a Shetland pony! And when they light the rocket, it is unlikely that Woody would be able to steer RC because of the small size of the wheels compared to the thrust applied, and when Woody falls limp in the petrol station as the big tanker arrives, the wheel that nudges up against him is not the front wheel, but one of the rear wheels on the tractor unit, he would have been crushed by that stage. And why didn't the truck driver or the car drivers at the end see the toys and report it to the press? And surely RC would have been thrown away by Andy as Woody drops the remote control in the road when the battery runs out, and RC would be no-good without a remote. And how come some toys speak and some don't, and how does Lenny speak, he has no mouth? And how come Mr Potatohead never loses any of his parts that drop off all of the time? And anyone who has ever played the drop and grab games that Buzz and Woody are "won" by Sid in know that the air displaced by a cruising jetliners 36,000 feet overhead will displace anything you manage to pick up, so Woody would have been able to pull Buzz free easily. And when Sid's toys pop out the light housing in the porch to lower Duckie to ring the bell, the hole is too small to get the fitting back in again. And when Buzz falls out of the window, why doesn't he just stand in the drive and wave up saying he is ok? And what happens to the paratroopers that drop off the landing at the start, when the other troops abseil down the skipping rope, they have gone. And why should Woody have a Laser? He is a cowboy!
Some people ("Johnny One-Stars", I call them) will believe the above comments are serious.

As you can see, I have seen this film too many times, and seriously, I love it. Suitable for kids from 2 to 102. Mind you, my granny is 103 and I couldn't recommend it for her since I persuaded her that the Nirvana lyric, "can you feel my love buzz" was been sung by Woody and it ruined it for her. I fear she sees Woody and Buzz in a remake of Brokeback Mountain and that's just too much!
December 12, 2008

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