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Thursday, December 4, 2008

From Infinity to Your Home: Toy Story

By Fabian Toulouse

Originally released in 1995, TOY STORY is the brainchild of John Lasseter, the executive producer of such beloved Pixar and Disney films as THE INCREDIBLES, MONSTERS INC, and RATATOUILLE. In many ways, TOY STORY set the mark for all the features that would follow. Indeed, audience response to the film was phenomenal, earning over $192 million domestically and $358 million worldwide.

The plot of the film centers on Woody, the old fashioned cowboy and former favorite of Andy's. When Andy received the present of a new Buzz Lightyear, Woody becomes distraught. Buzz becomes Andy's new favorite and Woody only wishes to have the status returned to him. Buzz actually thinks he really is a space ranger and finds Woody to be an interference while he tries to complete his mission. Woody challenges Buzz to fly with his wings and Buzz gets stuck on a toy airplane and thinks he has succeeded.

Woody, out of his senses, decides to scheme against Buzz and through a series of accidental bumps, Buzz ends up dropped through the window. Woody attempts to rescue him, only to end up in a heated wrestling match that sees them hitching a ride with the pizza delivery boy. The two toys make their way to Pizza Planet where Buzz mistakes the spaceship shaped claw machine as his own. He ends up in the hands of evil neighbor Sid Phillips and in Sid's home where they meet mutant toys, all deformed by Sid. While hiding at Sid's, Buzz sees a commercial for toys like himself and becomes severely heartbroken to find that he really is a toy; that all his features are fake. Woody admits to Buzz that he is a cool, after all, and with the help of the mutant toys, they both escape Sid's sinister home.

Arriving at Andy's home, they are only in time to see him drive away. Through another little adventure Woody and Buzz, with the help of Andy's other toys, manage to embark upon the moving van, make it into the car with Andy and all three are reunited in joy and love. Now best friends, Buzz and Woody make it through the year until Christmas where they, with all the other toys, discuss the new arrivals, to see if there are any new threats especially with the new puppy.

TOY STORY is a remake of a 1990 Pixar short entitled TIN TOY. The original toys were brought back and new ones created to form the cast of the 1995 blockbuster. This Disney Classic had a sequel released in 1999 and the third installment is in pre-production as of 2008. Both Tom Hanks (Woody) and Tim Allen (Buzz) are said to reprise their signature roles. TOY STORY won several awards, including the top position out of 100 Best Movies of All Time by Online Film Critics Society. This is a definite must-have for any family collection.

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