Toy Story (1995)

User Review

• 

  Barneyonmovies

  8 / 10

  WHAT I LIKED: Who knew a film about some talking toys could be so great? Well it seems strange to imagine a world without the continuous innovative brilliance of Pixar now, but when 'Toy Story' graced our screens back in 1995 it was a real surprise to see such a successful high-concept animated feature that worked so well for both adults and children alike. Yes in fact its universal family appeal here largely comes from that very concept, as - much like in any great fantasy story - the whole thing is born from something a little more meaningful. Woody and the other left-behind toys vs the new ones very directly deal with the journey of growing up that we're all so heartbroken and nostalgic about, and the fact that the script isn't shy of delving into that as well as the way its themes make for such relatable and engaging animated characters means it becomes a genuinely proper adult movie experience. But that's equally not to say it's all super serious, as everyone knows that Toy Story is really a buddy-comedy - a film that's fully in touch with its silliness and not only has a lot of fun with its concept and its characters, but also brings along plenty of family-friendly humour with its thoroughly snappy and amusing script.
  WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Once the concept is established and the meaningful rivalry between old and new toys dissipates, the adventure plot to return the toys to Andy occasionally feels a little obligatory.
  VERDICT: Great fantasy and comedy are windows to many universal themes, and 'Toy Story,' definitely shows that, but not really in a way that we'd ever seen before. That's what makes it so genuinely brilliant and why it truly kick-started this golden age of animation.

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