TOY STORY
A film review by Michael John Legeros
Copyright 1995 Michael John Legeros
(Disney)
Directed by John Lasseter
Written by Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, and Alec
Sokolow, based on an original story by Lasseter,
Stanton, Pete Docter, and Joe Ranft
Cast The voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles,
Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Jim Varney, Annie
Potts, R. Lee Ermey
MPAA Rating "G"
Running Time 81 minutes
Reviewed at General Cinemas at Pleasant Valley, Raleigh (22NOV95)
==
"You are a cool toy."
- Tom Hanks to Tim Allen
Before the Ninja Turtles, the Transformers, and the Masters of the Universe; before the Micronauts, the five-inch G.I. Joe's, and the STAR WARS-action figures; before Sega, Nintendo, and Atari, there existed a world of stranger, simpler things such as Slinky, Mr. Potato Head, and Etch-a-Sketch. Mostly plastic, sometimes with a battery or two, these were the *real* toys, the toys of our youth, and the toys "brought to life" by Pixar Animation (in conjunction with Disney) in the appropriately titled TOY STORY. Both jaw- dropping and heart-warming, the first fully computer-animated feature film is *the* holiday movie to see.
The animation is nothing short of stunning. Plastic has never looked so good, nor seemed as real. *More* surprising are the story dynamics, which raise the film above the level of a novelty piece, or just another children's picture. You know, for kids. The charming premise is that, when nobody's around, toys have lives all their own. They fight, they frolic, and even suffer the occasional identity crisis, especially when they think they *are* the action-figure that they've been molded in the likeness of. Like Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen), the gleaming spaceman with an impressive wingspan and a chin to rival Jay Leno's.
He's the new arrival in Andy's bedroom; a birthday gift that has cloth-cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) worried about losing the much-coveted position of Andy's Favorite Toy. So they bicker and feud, and through a very amusing set of circumstances, end up *outside* and lost in the "real world." I won't say much more, except that a portion of the plot involves a vicious next-door neighbor who tortures toys. Deceptively simple and straight- forward, yet as adult as any of the issues in CASINO or THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT. There's also plenty of activity on the fringe. Small jokes pepper the film, such as a box of "Binford Tools" that falls on Woody. Just pay attention.
Given the dubious moral messages that season the season's seasonal releases, many may find themselves disarmed by the purity of essence (POE?) in TOY STORY. The tale is told from the viewpoint of someone who loves toys. Before the tie-in's were discussed; before the marketing could be mustered; even before the ace casting was completed, the gang at Pixar were creating the code that built the art that brought their favorite toys to life. The result is a such an overwhelmingly fun movie, both so bold and so harmless, that it deserves praise in any circles. Even Bob Dole (and Baby Newt) could enjoy this one.
Grade: A
-- Michael J. Legeros - Raleigh, NC legeros@nando.net (h) - legeros@unx.sas.com (w) Check triangle.movies for weekly reviews from MOVIE HELL
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