Toy Story: 10th Anniversary Edition

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 favourite 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. Bright and cheerful, Toy Story is much more than a 90-minute commercial for the inevitable bonanza of Woody and Buzz toys. 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

Additional Features
This special edition contains a short feature on the making of the film, a music video of the Randy Newman/Lyle Lovett song "You've Got a Friend in Me," and Pixar's Oscar-winning short Tin Toy.

Amazon.com essential video
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 on the cover of Toy Story looks intriguing, reawakening the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter's shorts (namely Knickknack and Tin Toy, which can be found on the Pixar video Tiny Toy Stories) illustrate not only a technical brilliance but also a great sense of humor--one in which the pun is always intended. Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney.

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. Bright and cheerful, Toy Story is much more than a 90-minute commercial for the inevitable bonanza of Woody and Buzz toys. 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

Now on to "the vaults". Disney is trying to squeeze every last penny out of the cash cow, and have the two Toy Story films under lock and key, no doubt so they can sell millions of "Special Editions" in five years. Once again, Disney appalls me with their unmatched corperate greed. In conclusion, Toy Story is an excellent film and a true must-see.


Original and fun for the whole family!   May 19, 2004
Distant Voyageur (Io)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

This movie took me by storm when I saw it back in the summer of 1995 at the theatres and let me tell you, this movie is still one of the best computer animated movies of all time. In fact this movie shattered new grounds back in 1995 by not using drawing cel animation and instead this movie is the first of an unbroken chain of computer generated animated movies that has continued to date with "Finding Nemo".

The plot is absolutely joyful and stunningly original. The story revolves around the quiet family home of a quiet town where a boy owns numerous toys with his toddler sister. The toys however, are almost like beings of their own and are 'living' as well but stop 'moving' when the boy comes back into his room. However, a cowboy named Tim is the most popular 'toy' in the boys bedroom and is kept by the pillow almost every night until on his birthday, he gets a fancy astronaut toy named Buzz Lightyear who has many 'gizmos' and in time takes over the toy cowboys place as the most popular toy and Tim gets enormously jealous of this. However, after a botched attempt to remove Buzz, the cowboy himself along with Buzz end up in the hands of a punk teenager who takes joy in blowing up toys with firecrackers and or other means like burning, breaking, or smashing them and/or even taking them apart and re-assembling their parts to create 'mutant' toys and now the clock is ticking for Tim and Buzz to escape from the boys house before they end up being blown to molecules.

This movie is absolutely fun and original even by 1995 standards. The computer generated special effects are innovative and unbelievable especially considereing the fact that this movie came out nearly a whole decade ago. The whole tone of the movie is just fun and charming and is for the entire family. Not only that but this was what put the then newcomers Pixas right into the front seat of movie animation and would be the start of an unbroken streak of excellent movies from this dynamite team.


Computer animation wow. 16th april 2004.   April 16, 2004
Kathryn Pointon (Staffordshire(England))
The toys are great, the graphics and scenery is too. The collectables are boys mostly but the film is ace for anyone. The 3D toys look real, the colors are excellent[like finding nemo]. The talking toys are all friends, and they live with their owner andy.


Hit Me With Another One!   April 9, 2004
Stevie Rich (Atl)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

Give me another Toy Story and while your at it lets go for a 5th. Wow lets see...Tom Hanks and Tim Alan...Pixar and Disney...Go get it or miss out!


"This isn't flying, this is falling with style."   March 4, 2004
Steven Y. (Marvel Universe 616)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

Animation took a bold step forward with John Lasseter's "Toy Story." For the first time in cinematic history, a feature-length animated film was completely generated by computer - and the results were spectacular. Thanks to the fertile imagination of the Pixar animators, Woody and Buzz have become beloved staples in the pop culture landscape.

Andy's birthday arrives and he receives a number of gifts. One toy in particular becomes the center of attention in the household - a doll of a space ranger named Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen). Buzz's arrival upsets the social order of Andy's other toys as he displaces a cowboy doll named Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) as Andy's favorite toy. Jealous of his new rival, Woody schemes to get back into his owner's good graces but matters get out of hand when he causes Buzz to fall into the clutches of a sadistic neighbor. Trying to make amends for his error in judgment, Woody attempts to rescue Buzz before Andy and his family leave for their new home.

"Toy Story" is dazzling to look at. The level of detail in every frame of this film is nothing short of astonishing. Yet, what makes "Toy Story" truly special is its clever script. The dialogue is sharp from start to finish and the situations the characters find themselves in are wonderfully amusing. The voice work is also strong across the board as Allen, Hanks, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, and Annie Potts all distinguish themselves. The greatest triumph of "Toy Story" though is its ability to appeal both to youngsters and adults. The characters will keep the kids smiling while the nostalgia generated by the Andy's affection for his beloved toys will remind grown-ups of the similar love they held toward their own playthings. Kudos to Pixar for putting together such an important and entertaining film.