2020 is a big year for theToy Storyfranchise. It’s the 25th anniversary of the first film and the 10th anniversary ofToy Story 3. These are movies that reshaped not only the world of animation but the way that viewers watch and process computer-generated characters. Up untilToy Story, CGI had mainly been utilized for creatures of some kind – the metallic villain ofT2or the dinosaurs fromJurassic Park. Computer-generated images were used to inspire awe or terror. WithToy Story, you could actually understand what the computer-animated characters werefeeling. The computer, that cold and calculating machine, was utilized expressly for emotion. And that cannot be overstated. Anytime in the past 25 years that you’ve found yourself choking up at a Pixar movie, or any computer-animated feat, you can blame onToy Story.
So, it’s with this spirit of reflection and warm remembrance that we look back at the entireToy Storyuniverse. Not only will we rank and reflect on the fourToy Storyfeature films but also the spin-off animated pilot, the shorts, and the holiday specials. TheToy Storyuniverse is large and expansive — and we’re celebrating it all.
12. Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000)
If you’ve never heard ofBuzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins, that’s okay. It was a traditionally animated, direct-to-video feature that also served as the extended pilot to the short-lived animated seriesBuzz Lightyear of Star Command. While Pixar wasn’t involved in the television series, aside from creating the wordless, 30-second intro, they were much more present for the movie/pilot. They created a nearly three-minute opening sequence, featuringTim Allen(who reprises his role for the rest of the movie),R. Lee Ermey,Wallace Shawn, andJoe Ranft(as Wheezy). Weirdly,Finding NemodirectorAndrew Stantonvoices Hamm and Mr. Potato Head doesn’t appear due to a dispute at the time with Hasbro. (Tom Hanks’brother,Jim, voices Woody.) Pixar also animated the logo and a graphics-heavy introduction of the film’s characters. The rest of the movie isn’tbad, exactly. It’s directed byTad Stones, the guiding force of the early days of Walt Disney Television Animation and the creator ofDarkwing Duck, so the story is competently told. But it’s more of an oddball piece ofToy Storymiscellanea, than an actual compelling piece of the larger story.
11. “Lamp Life” (2020)
Originally intended as a bonus feature for the home video release ofToy Story 4, “Lamp Life” got some additional buzz when it became a Disney+ exclusive. Unfortunately, the short itself is pretty lackluster. “Lamp Life” was written and directed byValerie LaPointe, a story artist onToy Story 4who was involved with the (re) development of the Bo character (voiced here once again byAnnie Potts), so it’s understandable as to why she would want to make a short film detailing the time between when Bo left the gang and when she and Woody reconnected. But there isn’t a lot of story there; it isn’t all that funny or interesting and feels like the equivalent ofToy Storyfan fiction. There are definitely some cute moments, like a montage of Bo’s environments over the years, and it’s great to be back inToy Story 4’s irresistible carnival setting at the beginning and end of the short, but this short is kind of a drag. And havingTom Hanks’ brotherJimfill in for him as Woody (as he often does on theme park attractions, videogames and toys) doesn’t help anything either.
10. “Partysaurus Rex” (2012)
“What up fishes?” The concept for “Partysaurus Rex,” a short film that accompanied the 3D theatrical re-release ofFinding Nemo(remember when they were doingthat?), is pretty simple: the other toys label Rex (Wallace Shawn) a buzzkill after he literally bursts a giant bubble. Dubbed “Partypooper Rex” by Potato Head, he heads off to the bathtub with Bonnie and when she gets out, is coerced by the other bathtub toys to turn the water back on and get the party going. Thus, Partypooper Rex is transformed into Partysaurus Rex. The short, written and directed by longtime Pixar artistMark Walsh, is really, really funny and the way that Rex transforms a suburban bathtub into a debauched rave is spellbinding, with some of the most extreme and vibrant lighting that Pixar has ever done and some killer dance tunes courtesy of American electronic artistBT. But it’s ultimately pretty one-note and Rex’s decision to ultimately flood the bathtub seems questionable. “Partysaurus Rex” is notable for being primarily animated at the now shuttered Pixar Canada campus, for being the final “Toy Story Toon” (for now) and for inspiring an after-hours hard-ticket event at Walt Disney World’s water park Typhoon Lagoon.
9. “Hawaiian Vacation” (2011)
The first “Toy Story Toon” short, released a year afterToy Story 3(and attached toCars 2), “Hawaiian Vacation” is a beautifully animated charmer. Set during Bonnie’s winter vacation, Ken (Michael Keaton) and Barbie (Jodi Benson) think that they’re going with her. When they open Bonnie’s backpack and discover they’re still at the house, the rest of the toys rally and attempt to give them their dream Hawaiian vacation. (Keep an eye out for a number of Barbie’s most iconic outfits, including her zebra-print bathing suit.) Keaton was one of the great additions to theToy Storyuniverse (his subsequent disappearance from the franchise is baffling), so to see him share center stage is a real treat, especially in a short that is so warm and loving. DirectorGary Rydstrom, a Pixar alum (he directed the short film “Lifted” and was supposed to makeNewt) and Oscar-winning sound designer, knows exactly what makes these characters so special and, after the traumatic conclusion ofToy Story 3, gently reminds us that the characters will still be around, for as long as kids need them. The short is notable for being the second Pixar production to feature live-action photography (afterWALL•E), this time of fish and sharks, and for the return of Buzz’s Spanish mode, first introduced inToy Story 3.
8. Toy Story of Terror! (2013)
Pixar’s first half-hourToy Storyholiday special is a whimsical ode to classic horror films.Toy Story of Terror!, written and directed by Pixar greatAngus MacLane, follows the toys as they spend the rain-soaked night in a creepy roadside motel. (Bonnie’s mom has a flat tire.) As the night progresses, the toys get picked off one-by-one by some unseen force. For a Halloween special, it’s reasonably scary (apparently MacLane’s original pitch was too intense forJohn Lasseter), with the animators getting a lot of mileage out of Buzz’s glow-in-the-dark paneling as they skitter through crawlspaces, accompanied byMichael Giacchino’s moody score. And it was lovely they chose to give Jesse (Joan Cusack) the spotlight here. She’s got a surprisingly emotional arc involving her claustrophobia that gives all the Halloween-time fun a welcome psychological dimension. The special is important for giving Combat Carl, the G.I. Joe-style toy destroyed by Sid in the first Toy Story, a voice (it’sCarl Weathers!) and his diminutive counterpart, Combat Carl Jr. Even an overly familiar villain plot (shades ofToy Story 2) can’t dampen the fun, especially when it’s introducing oddball new characters (we love the Transformers-ish Transitron), makingToy Story of Terrora new, not-so-spooky Halloween classic for the entire family.
7. Toy Story 2 (1999)
Originally envisioned as a cheap, direct-to-video sequel,Toy Story 2was rescued from potential bargain bin obscurity by Disney executives, who bumped the runtime from an hour to 90 minutes and scheduled a splashy theatrical debut. But less than a year before it was scheduled to hit theaters (just after the release ofA Bug’s Life), the sequel was rescued and dramatically reworked by original directorJohn Lasseter. The resulting film was the rare sequel that many consider superior to the original. And it’s true –Toy Story 2is really astounding, from its more sophisticated visuals (human characters are still, at this point, a nightmare) to a truly devastating emotional undercurrent, exemplified by Jesse’s song (sung bySarah McLaughlin) about being left behind. The sequel showcases just how unwilling Pixar was to simply repeat the formula that made the original film so great, splitting up the characters in interesting ways, giving Woody a complicated and tragic backstory, and introducing atonof brand-new characters (some, like Barbie, would prove essential). Woody’s physiology is even changed, as early on his arm is torn and he ends the movie with a bit of extra fluff in his bicep. It also established that, while the first movie was about the joy of being loved by a child, the franchise’s chief concerns were much more melancholic.
6. “Small Fry” (2011)
Another mini masterpiece by Angus MacLane, “Small Fry,” which played theatrically in front ofThe Muppets, follows what happens when Buzz (Tim Allen) is replaced by a kids meal version of himself (Teddy Newton) while Bonnie visits a chicken fast-food joint called Poultry Palace. Buzz then finds himself as part of a self-help group with a bunch of other discarded kids meal toys, including such lovable oddballs as DJ Blue Jay, Lizard Wizard, and a toy based on failed 1981 live-action Disney movieCondorman. “Small Fry” is clever and snappy, animated by the Pixar Canada team with a lot of enthusiasm and attention to detail (like the cheap molding on the kids toys), but more importantly, the short is so important because it showcases a different, previously unseen corner of theToy Storyworld: the lonely life of fast-food toys. They’re sometimes just as rabidly collected as regular toys, but they’re much smaller and easier to discard (and forget about). Melancholic and hilarious in a way that only somethingToy Story-related can be, “Small Fry” is the very best of the “Toy Story Toons” and a testament to just how much elasticity the core concept has. Pixar would be smart to assign the next feature-lengthToy Storyjoint to MacLane. His work on the short and holiday special prove there’s nobody better suited for the job.
5. Forky Asks a Question (2019 – 2020)
This series of shorts, which debuted along with the rest of Disney+ in November 2019, saw the breakout star ofToy Story 4, Forky (Tony Hale) ask a series of important questions – everything from “What Is Love?” to “What Is Ready?” ButForky Asks a Question, styled like an educational program from the 1980s (but without any actual educational value), saw the character digging into deeply philosophical territory along the way. The result was arguably the silliest and, at the same time, most profound short-formToy Storymaterial that Pixar had ever produced. Written and directed by Pixar legendBob Peterson, the installments managed to bring together comedy legendsMel Brooks,Carol Burnett,Carl ReinerandBetty Whitein a soap opera-worthy melodrama (“What Is Love?”), pay tribute to British syntax (“What is Computer?”), and even introduce a character cut fromToy Story 4(detective Rib Tickles, voiced byAloma Wright) in “What is a Pet?” By the end of the final installment (“What is Reading?”), the entire series of shorts took on an even wilder, more metatextual dimension. An undeniable highlight of the franchise (and of the still young Disney+ platform), with any luck we’ll be getting new episodes ofForky Asks a Questionvery soon.
4. Toy Story That Time Forgot (2014)
Pixar’s second and, as of now, lastToy Storyholiday special,Toy Story That Time Forgot, is not a typical Christmas-themed half hour. Set right after Christmas, when Bonnie goes on a playdate with her friend Mason. Bonnie brings her toys, of course, including Trixie (Kristen Schaal) who is tired of never being cast as a dinosaur when Bonnie plays. The gang meets up with a band of dinosaur warrior action figures that Mason got for Christmas, and things getveryweird. Originally envisioned as a short film,John Lasseterliked the idea so much that he upgraded it to a half-hour special. With nods toPlanet of the Apesand classicStar Trek, the world ofToy Story That Time Forgotis wholly unique; the battle dinosaurs have a rich mythology perfectly suitable for a 1980s action figure line and their designs are, like the special itself, streamlined and muscular (particularly Reptillus Maximus, voiced byKevin McKidd). Written and directed byBraveco-directorSteve Purcell, whose sense of dynamic action set pieces is admirable (particularly a gladiatorial match Woody and Buzz are thrown into). Purcell fearlessly pushes the animation and the storytelling to new places, while maintaining that trademarkToy Storysweetness (there’s a great message about the power of imagination and the need to unplug). After watching you will want your own army of battle-saurs.
3. Toy Story 3 (2010)
Please keep in mind that at one point,Toy Story 3wasn’t even a Pixar movie. With discussions between Pixar’sSteve Jobsand Disney’sMichael Eisnerbreaking down, Disney quietly set about designing sequels to beloved Pixar classics without Pixar’s involvement. Circle 7 Animation was established, with the express purpose of producing these sequels, with work on aMonsters, Inc.follow-up (Lost in Scaradise) andToy Story 3officially underway. AfterBob Igerassumed control of Disney, he quickly made a deal to buy Pixar, shut down Circle 7 and canceled this off-brandToy Story 3.
Shortly thereafter, he announced thatToy Story 3would be produced at Pixar, with longtime editorLee Unkrichmaking his directorial debut and Oscar-winning screenwriterMichael Arndtwriting the screenplay. And the results were nothing short of incredible. The third installment saw Andy leaving for college and the gang winding up in a daycare ruled over by an evil teddy bear that smells like strawberries (Ned Beatty).Toy Story 3was tonally unlike anything that came before it, feeling more like a hardened prison break movie (for the first time there isn’t aRandy Newmanditty until the credits) and introducing a number of new characters who would become hugely important to the franchise, most notably Bonnie Anderson, who would become the new owners of the toys. The final act, combining the harrowing incinerator sequence and the moment when Andy gives his toys to Bonnie, were some of the most emotionally draining moments in any Pixar film. And the results were huge. It was the highest grossing animated movie of all time at the time, and was only the third animated film to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. Damn right.
