How prescient that the first Pixar picture had the word story in the title. The studio’s computer-animated visuals would go on to be increasingly dazzling, yet the hallmark of its work has always been ingenious, original storytelling – storytelling aimed, first and foremost, at adults. As it focuses on a roomful of playthings who go into a panic when their owner falls for new space toy Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen in his best screen performance), the movie lovingly touches on such grownup concerns as nostalgia and the loss of childhood. Of course kids love it too – “So this is what happens when we leave the play room,” their wide eyes seem to say. And did I mention that it’s consistently hilarious? All together, Toy Story is a treasure that ushered in another golden age of animation. When Woody (Tom Hanks) perks up in the opening scene, it’s not only the toy cowboy who comes alive – we’re watching the rebirth of an art form.
