Toy Story (1995)

Disregarding the fact that Pixar is pretty much a juggernaut nowadays (even though they are back under Disney's wing), no one could have ever predicted that back in 1995 they would have a hot and an instant classic on their hands with an animated feature about toys. Not only that, but a fully CG rendered animated film at a time when people still were unsure if CG was the way to go.

Well, we've come a long way, seeing as now hand drawn animation is the exception. 

Let's not get into a discussion which is better: they both have their merits and it boils down to artictic choice. You can set Pixar against Studio Ghibli and come out undecided. It doesn't matter. What matters is that this one is a rightful classic, for good reasons.

The setup is simple yet brilliant: unbeknownst to any of us, toys are alive. They live their lives as soon as they are alone. Enter Andy's room, where the toys are organized under the watchful eyes of sheriff Woody. When Andy's birthday comes along, the toys get a little nervous, because there's always the question whether a new toy will supplant them. Woody, having been Andy's favourite for years, isn't in the least concerned. But when it turns out that a Buzz Lightyear action figure now becomes Andy's favourite, his jealousy gets the better of him and he schemes to get Buzz out of the way. That plan backfires though and now Woody and Buzz have to work together to get back home, braving both the outside world and the clutches of slightly disturbed neighbouring kid Sid. 

Yes, at its core this is a story of rivals becoming friends through hardships and ordeals. Let's be honest, that's something that usually feels good. Heck, that is one of the reasons why the third Rocky-film is so good: seeing Rocky and former opponent Apollo become friends. The same principle works here. What makes it extra funny, is that Buzz for the most part is completely convinced he is the real Space Ranger and not a toy. It works so well because the voice acting is top notch. For a deadpan delivery, you needed someone like Tim Allen to pull it off and his cocky demeanor works so well for Buzz. That being said, Tom Hanks as Woody is another inspired choice, as his emotional investment in the character makes for a compelling guy. You don't necessarily agree with Woody's steps to get rid off Buzz, but you can understand where he is coming from. The rest of the cast is also excellent, but I have to give extra props to Wallace Shawn as Rex, who is so memorable and adorable, it's almost criminal. You almost want to him to cry out: "Inconceivable!" at one point.

If you understood that reference, you are clearly a friend of mine. And you have excellent taste in films. 

Not only does the buddy dynamic work really well, the adventure they're going on is full of tension and fun. The trip to Pizza Planet? Gorgeous. The imprisonment at Sid's place? Truly horrifying. The final chase after the truck? Exhilarating. That is thanks to great directing but also thanks to a spotless animation. Really, it all looks great and colourful. Pixar went with toys first, because they were afraid that anything non-plastic would not look as good on screen (yet). But even the human characters look pretty darn good. 

Randy Newman's music also is fitting for the story, and it's hard to imagine a Toy Story-film without his typical mannerisms and tunes. That is not the same as when Disney asked Phil Collins to score nearly everything for a while. That just felt weird and often out of place. But the whimsical nature of Randy Newman fits this franchise like a glove. 

What can I say? This is one of those films that will stand the test of time and is a joy to watch every time again.