Toy Story

Rating: 5/5

Toy Story is Pixar's feature film that started it all, and unlike Andy, it will never grow old.

Woody (Tom Hanks) has been Andy's favorite toy for ages, and he's pretty confident it will stay that way. When Andy isn't in the room, Woody takes charge of the toys and makes sure everyone is prepared for whatever new challenge or adventure may present itself in Andy's room.

On Andy's birthday, Woody is leading the gang in being prepared for moving day and also what to do if Andy receives any new toys at his party. At the end of the gift opening, it seems they are in the clear, and that Andy did not receive any new toys that could be a threat. Just when they've all sighed in relief, a surprise present is brought out and Andy opens a Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). Now, Woody doesn't know what his future in Andy's room will be like and whether or not he will lose his spot as favorite toy.

Whenever I go back and watch Toy Story, it never ceases to shock me just how much Pixar's animation has progressed since it's first full length film. Don't get me wrong, Toy Story still looks fantastic, but when you compare it to any of Pixar's more recent endeavors, you can really see the difference. As viewers, we sometimes forget how spoiled we are with modern animation and effects and how easy it is to judge what we don't understand, so it is nice to revisit classics like this to remind us how much work and skill must go into making these movies. Though the transitions and textures may not be as smooth as the look of Toy Story 4, it is still highly impressive.

My favorite aspects to Toy Story are the colors and background details, and every time I watch it, I always find something new that I hadn't noticed before. This is a very common trend in Pixar films, which is a huge reason why they are so easily rewatchable. There's no doubting how real and tangible everything in Andy's room feels. Toy Story is able to effortlessly capture the look and imagination one would find in their childhood bedroom. This is a movie where I can't clearly recall the critic feedback and buzz that came out for it upon its initial release, because I was too young, and I wish I had been older when this film came out, because I would have loved to been able to witness and really remember such a groundbreaking form of animation make its big screen debut.

I've said it before, and I'll likely say it many more times in the future, but other than the animation, the key to any film like this being a success is in the voice acting. Toy Story pretty much hit the jackpot when it came to their cast in this film. There's few voices as easily recognizable as Tom Hanks', and it is his highly expressive tone that brings Woody to life. He is able to make the character seem like an authority figure the other toys would respect, but also add the right inflections to really show the character's vulnerabilities when it comes to his worries of being replaced. Even though Hanks has a massive career covering just about every genre, when I hear his voice, no matter what the role, I always have a hard time not instantly picturing Sheriff Woody.

When you watch Toy Story it is near to impossible to find a fault within it. It's action packed, heartwarming, and very comical. It's really everything you could ever want in an animated film. There's definitely a reason it has been one of the most cherished children's films of all time, and I doubt it will ever lose that reputation.

1996 Winner Special Achievement Award-John Lasseter