Thirty years ago, a struggling computer effects company released its largest project to date: its first full-length animated feature. While the team had previously made commercials, short films, and educational segments for Sesame Street, this project was something completely different—it would be the first fully computer-animated film in history. The company had been losing money ever since they spun off from Lucasfilm in 1984, and while they had survived a decade thanks to investments by Apple founder Steve Jobs and the Walt Disney Company, the company wouldn’t survive if their film was a box office bomb.
Fortunately, their film was a hit, grossing $244.6 million worldwide (around $518.6 million when adjusted for inflation)—the company became the largest IPO on the NASDAQ the week after their film opened, and their filmmaking techniques became what is now the industry standard.
That company was Pixar; the film, Toy Story.
Toy Story is now back in theaters for its 30-year anniversary. While the movie can just as easily be streamed on Disney+, the magic of Toy Story really comes to life on the big screen. It’s worth the price of a ticket to see, but don’t be surprised if the animation isn’t as awesome as it seemed when you were a little kid.
Toy Story follows the life of a cowboy doll named Woody and his adventures of being a toy. Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is Andy’s favorite toy, and he usually gets the most attention. However, when Andy gets a new sci-fi space ranger Buzz Lightyear toy for his birthday (voiced by Tim Allen), the cowboy finds that Andy likes Buzz more. Woody decides he has to get rid of Buzz—who doesn’t think he’s a toy—which puts his own friendships with the other toys and place in Andy’s toy chest at risk.
What started as a single film became a franchise of five (soon six) films that really developed Woody, Buzz, and their world. The second movie tests the loyalties of the characters when Woody gets kidnapped by an old toy collector and Buzz has to save him. Toy Story 3 explored what happens to sentient toys when their owner grows up and gets too old to play with them. Toy Story 4 sees Woody once again being replaced as the favorite toy of his new owner Bonnie—this time by a plastic fork with googly eyes—and looks at what “retirement” would mean for a toy. There was a Buzz Lightyear film in 2022 that was not about Buzz the toy but instead was the sci-fi film Andy saw as a kid that inspired the toy, and Toy Story 5 is slated to come out on June 19 next year (this time, the toys will try to fight for attention against a tablet).
The most notable difference between the first Toy Story and its sequels is the animation quality—the characters and backgrounds aren’t as detailed, and the visuals sometimes feel flat and 2D rather than 3D. This version of Toy Story has had some enhancements and rerendering done, mostly so they can show the film in 4DX, but it’s easy to tell that this is an older animated movie. While the smooth and plasticky toys still look pretty much the same as in the other films (which is something Pixar considered when choosing the subject of their first film), the human characters look very unrealistic compared to the later movies. Nothing really looks bad, but nothing looks amazing either.
Luckily, the graphics are a minor distraction in what is still a great movie about childhood, jealousy, and friendship. The pacing is a little slower than most modern animated features, but it never feels like it drags. The characters, especially Buzz and Woody, seem a little off in their personalities, but that’s just because I’ve already experienced the other movies and know how they grow and change. The movie is just as enjoyable now as I’m sure it was in 1995 and truly earns its title as a classic.
Are there more interesting animated films than Toy Story? I think so. Are there more beautifully animated films? Definitely. But none of that makes Toy Story a bad film, and given its importance to animation and its timeless plot, Toy Story is a must-see no matter how old you get or how many newer films come out. It’s just that good.