If it had been nothing but a major breakthrough in the world of computer animation, Toy Story would still stand today as a monumental achievement, but what we got was so much more. In the hands of an early Pixar Animation dream team, this simple tale of two toys vying for bedroom superiority and becoming best friends in the process soared. Toy Story was Pixar’s first film, and it immediately established the company as the world’s new go-to for emotional, family-friendly entertainment.
It’s hard to overstate just how groundbreaking Toy Story was and continues to be, both in terms of technical achievement and storytelling. It was a kid’s film that didn’t feel juvenile, that wasn’t a slog for parents to sit through; it really did offer something for everyone, which many films claim to do but few can deliver on. It established themes that Pixar continues to revisit with each of its films, and the company keeps returning to them because they work. For so long, children’s entertainment pacified kids and occasionally taught lessons; Toy Story was one of the first times a film aimed at kids said, “I know how you feel, I know it’s hard, and you’re not alone.” In 1995, that was revolutionary, and you can still feel the effects of Toy Story’s novel approach to storytelling in films that are being produced today. [Matthew Jackson]
