"The Amazing Birth of Pixar"
The Nutcracker Prince, Pooh, the Velveteen Rabbit: Toys, as every kid knows, come to life when you're not looking. It is a fundamental of childhood, a notion that is sent up and oh-so-joyously celebrated in the irreverent, ingenious "Toy Story."
Though computer-animated rather than hand-drawn, this wry, rippingly paced buddy movie is as delightful in its own way as any of Walt Disney's traditional fairy tales. In fact, it's a nice change of pace to see the studio draw magic from this modern tale about ordinary 20th-century kid Andy and his eager-to-please playthings.
Conceived and directed by John Lasseter (a pioneer of compu-tooning), the picture offers an eye-popping parade of 3-D-seeming anthropomorphs, but it also has enormous humanity and heart. Lasseter, who brought a baby lamp uncannily to life in the 1986 short "Luxo Jr.," here even more convincingly awakens hambone piggy banks and sly slinky toys.
Of course, all the digital gimmickry would count for nothing were it not for the zany and zealous vocal cast, headlined by Tom Hanks as Woody, a traditional pull-string talking cowboy whose position as 6-year-old Andy's favorite toy is threatened by the arrival of a space action figure, Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen).
Written by a quartet that includes Joss Whedon of "Speed," "Toy Story" has more in common with "Lethal Weapon" than classics like "Bambi," though kids who have been bumped from center stage by new siblings will readily identify with Woody's guilt and fears. They'll probably even relate when Woody accidentally knocks the studly Buzz out Andy's bedroom window.
The other toys-even Woody's pliant sidekick, Slinky Dog (voiced by Jim Varney)-suspect foul play. When Mr. Potato Head (voiced by Don Rickles), the spud who overheard the thud, flat-out accuses Woody of plasticide, the gangly cowpoke must redeem himself by bringing Buzz back home. This would be easier if the bull-headed action guy weren't suffering from the delusion that he really is an astronaut sent to save the world from the evil Emperor Zurg. Nevertheless, the boy toys bond as they make their way through a series of scary adventures.
The simple story is enlivened by the distinctive personalities of the toys, especially the irascible tater head, the supportive Bo Peep lamp (voiced by Annie Potts) and a neurotic plastic dinosaur (voiced by Wallace Shawn): "I'm going for fearsome here, but I don't feel it," worries the timorous T-Rex. "I'm worried it just comes off as annoying."
When it comes to Andy's toys, failure is not an option, for they think of themselves as entertainment professionals. They even have regular staff meetings with flow charts and inspirational speeches. This mind-set and a multitude of cheeky inside jokes-no bad words in front of preschool toys-will keep adults entertained while the dazzling derring-do of the toy toons will keep the youngsters enchanted. Toyland was never like this.
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Nice review.