99. Toy Story

Directed by John Lasseter
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen
MPAA Rating: G
Released: November 22, 1995
Running Time: 81 minutes
Budget: $30 million
Gross Revenue: $362 million
Academy Awards:

• Best Music -- Original Song (Nominated)
• Best Music -- Original Musical or Comedy Score (Nominated)
• Best Writing -- Screenplay Written for the Screen (Nominated)

The Basic Plot in 100 Words or Less

It’s Andy’s birthday and new presents mean possible replacements for the toys.  Everyone’s freaked but Woody the cowboy.  But it’s Woody at risk of replacement by Buzz Lightyear the Space Ranger.  Buzz is the cool new toy and Woody’s left with “Laser Envy.”  Bad goes to worse when Woody tries to get rid of Buzz.  Everyone hates him and he and Buzz end up at Demon-Spawn-Neighbor’s house.  The two toys realize they must depend on each other to escape and finally catch up with Andy as he and his family drive the moving truck to their new place.

Buy It, Rent It, Don't Even Bother

If you have children, you've probably already bought this one.  And if you don't have kids, you'll buy it someday.  This was the first full length computer animated film.  A pioneer, if you will.  That alone makes it an amazing movie.  The characters are mostly toys, but they are more believable than many movies starring real people.  The story is sweet and there's plenty of humor throughout.  And the quotes.  So many familiar quotes: "You. Are. A. Tooooyyyyyy!!!" / "I'm Woody.  Howdy, howdy, howdy!" / "You are a sad, strange little man." / "That wasn't flying.  That was.... falling with style."  It's a great movie.  If you don't own it already, then your life is missing something.

Trivia

Andy's last name is Davis. Although this is never stated in the film, during the end credits, Laurie Metcalf (who voices Andy's mom) is credited as voicing "Mrs. Davis". (Andy's last name is also revealed in Toy Story 3 (2010).)

The toolbox on top of the milk crate that Woody is trapped in is a Binford, the same type of tool that Tim Allen used on his television show "Home Improvement" (1991).

Tom Hanks recorded his dialog during the breaks of Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and A League of Their Own (1992). He didn't want to record his dialog during the breaks of Philadelphia (1993) or Forrest Gump (1994) because he felt he shouldn't do comedic roles in between minutes of playing serious roles.

Billy Crystal was originally offered the chance to voice Buzz Lightyear, but declined. After seeing the finished film, he said the decision was the biggest mistake of his career. Upon learning this, Pixar offered Crystal the role of Mike in Monsters, Inc. (2001), which he readily accepted.

For more trivia go to IMDb.com.