Toy Story is inherently an abstract concept. You can get hung up on the fact that the experience of being a toy is not something any living human being can relate to. What the Toy Story movies have done so touchingly for decades now is project themes of childhood and friendship onto inanimate objects. This is while engaging audiences by bestowing the toys with some more human storylines. 2025 marks the 30-year anniversary of Toy Story, the feature that overturned the animation industry, telling the story of two toys, iconically played by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, as they process jealousy, identity, and responsibility. I still get chills watching the euphoric scene where Woody and Buzz “fly,” with the exquisite callbacks of “falling with style” and “to infinity and beyond.” Toy Story is an overall joyous movie about imagination, and what we see at that moment is Woody himself taking part in the same adventurous Buzz Lightyear mythology that a child is so captivated by.
Toy Story Still Hits Home Every Time, With A Lively Cast & Groundbreaking Animation That Remains Charming

From minute one, Andy’s (John Morris) room is filled with colorful characters you can’t help but love. Of course, this is made possible by all the comedy icons in the Toy Story cast, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as Rex. Considering how unlikable Woody is for the first half hour, it’s no small feat that Tom Hanks makes him charismatic. Hanks really gets going in Woody’s more dramatic moments — his performance is all about exaggerated variation, of screaming, shouting, quaking in terror. He also nails that pivotal scene of making Buzz realize the joy he can create, and it’s clear that Woody believes in Buzz as much as he does everything else. With Buzz, Tim Allen always maintains his stoic delivery and transitions it so smoothly as Buzz’s worldview changes. When the movie is so old, fans may take for granted how great the two leads really are in these roles, delivering passionate and lively performances grounded in the magnetism of their opposing personalities. Meanwhile, we may hold up images from the first installment and Toy Story 4 to show how far the animation has come, but the renderings from 1995 still hold up pretty well. While they are clearly avoiding showing the human characters’ faces as much as possible, the cinematography is one of its most impressive aspects, emphasizing the toys’ perspective.
Randy Newman’s Score Is Instrumental To Toy Story’s Vibes That Make It So Timeless

Woody lying on the floor in Toy Story
Pixar

Upon this rewatch of Toy Story, I pondered how strong the score is — the musical accompaniment that underlines the moments of tension, danger, and adventure is stunning, making that million-dollar flying moment a reality as much as the animation (FYI, this was nominated for the Oscar for Best Original Score). The score and the traditional songs are the original compositions of Randy Newman, and his voice really helped create Pixar’s initial overall tone. “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” (nominated for Best Original Song) and “Strange Things” have an incredibly classic feel, drawing upon elements of jazz, pop, and country. A crucial component is that Newman’s voice, as well as Hanks’ and Allen’s, is not young. That these adults enact this story so earnestly helps bring the youthful themes into focus for all ages. Toy Story is a blend of classic hit-sounding songs, as well as retro Old West and space aesthetics, creating something deeply nostalgic, though the characters were once new.
In Retrospect, Toy Story Was Still Finding Its Identity In Its First Outing

An ariel view of the toys in Andy’s bedroom in Toy Story

With all these technical and story accomplishments, it’s almost shocking that the second Toy Story movie still became the best. But the franchise won’t really hit its stride thematically until the sophomore installment, when Jessie (Joan Cusack) comes on board and the toys earnestly start to contemplate Andy growing up. And some things in the first outing’s story are grating. For one, the initial conflict between Woody and Buzz, and the way the other toys spectate (and make lewd comments that kids won’t understand), comes off as a bloated demonstration of toxic masculinity. At its core, Toy Story isn’t all that complicated — it’s about some toys reprioritizing their child over their own egos. But concerning the precise way that the franchise has the toys act as vehicles for human fears about reaching adulthood or being abandoned, the first installment is primarily about how imagination allows a toy to be your best friend. The tentpole emotional component of the story doesn’t really solidify until Woody’s humble speech. The adventures will get bigger and the themes sharper with the sequels, but Toy Story remains a cultural touchstone with its own complex musings on identity and friendship woven into a straightforward, sweet story.

Release Date

October 30, 1995

Runtime

81 minutes

Director

John Lasseter

Producers

Bonnie Arnold, Edwin Catmull, Ralph Guggenheim

Tim Allen

Buzz Lightyear (voice)

Pros & Cons

Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and the rest of the cast give A-list voice performances that are exaggerated yet grounded
The writers effectively project themes of childhood, friendship, and imagination onto the toys, who should not be so relatable
Randy Newman?s classic songs and stunning score make the movie?s timeless vibes accessible to all ages
The animation still holds up well, demonstrating strong cinematography and lighting, even if the surfaces are a little outdated

The themes are thinner in the first outing and the characters? toxic traits can be overwhelming