Composing Greatness: #4.The Musical or Comedy Scores - "Toy Story" (1995)

"Toy Story 3" Remains Just as Emotional 10 Years Later

Between 2000 and 2010, Pixar had done an incredible job of defining the decade of family entertainment with an annual masterpiece. Not only were each of these films special, reflecting different ingenuity in storytelling that gave them an insurmountable presence in the culture, but they were all innovative in different ways with each being an original look into something new and exciting. In that time they did everything from exploring sea life (Finding Nemo) to superheroes (The Incredibles) to outer space (WALL-E). No place was off-limits, and the fact they were having a flawless record, racking up Oscar nominations along the way, it was easy to see Pixar as a legitimate threat. 

How did they choose to celebrate a 10-year track record that remains unmatched? By returning to the world of Toy Story with a third entry that itself was a big risk. As the first unoriginal property since, well, Toy Story 2 in 1999, it was a celebrated return that was also cautious, making many wonders what value there was to returning back to the world of sentient toys who had the power to create this emotional complexity inside us. In that respect, Toy Story 3 may have been their greatest hat trick ever: producing a sequel that not only expanded the franchise but brought with it a tale that's regarded as one of the studio's best, going into darker and more fragile places. In the process, they brought an end to an era, even if it wasn't intentional. It was a farewell of sorts to a great decade and the start of the studio's rockiest period to date. 

Review: "Toy Story 4" Finds Great Reasons to Exist

Scene from Toy Story 4

In spite of being one of the most beloved family franchises for 24 years, Toy Story 4 has been put in an interesting position. It's the first to be met with strong skepticism. Why does there need to be another entry when Toy Story 3 wrapped everything up in a critically acclaimed, Oscar-winning, billion-dollar grossing bow? It's a fair assessment, especially as Pixar has made plenty of sequels that audiences don't love that much over the past nine years. However, that's arguably the greatest piece of marketing that this film could have ever wished for. The latest film, which also features breath-taking animation, is all about the sense of reaching that point when all hope seems lost; when your use has been used up. In spite of being a film that feels inessential, it's actually one of the best fourth entries in a franchise since Mad Max: Fury Road as well as evidence that there's so much more to explore in the talking toys genre than we ever thought there could be.

Theory Thursday: "Toy Story 2" is Pixar's Best Movie

Scene from Toy Story 2

Welcome to a weekly column called Theory Thursdays, which will be released every Thursday and discuss my "controversial opinion" related to something relative to the week of release. Sometimes it will be birthdays while others is current events or a new film release. Whatever the case may be, this is a personal defense for why I disagree with the general opinion and hope to convince you of the same. While I don't expect you to be on my side, I do hope for a rational argument. After all, film is a subjective medium and this is merely just a theory that can be proven either way. 

At 20 Years, "Toy Story" is Still the Little Computer Animated Movie That Could

Scene from Toy Story

In the grand scheme of cinema, there are few animated movies that have had as much of an impact as that of director John Lasseter's Toy Story. While CG animation has become the norm, it is difficult to note just how much of a risk the film was in 1995. It was the first feature length release by Pixar about the unlikeliest of subjects: toys that come to life. Considering the success of Disney around the time with The Lion King and Pocahontas, it almost seems like a miracle that the studio came out of the gate strong. As the film celebrates its 20th anniversary today, it feels important to look back on the film's impact, and why it continues to resonate with audiences.