More than 25 years ago when Disney and Pixar debuted Toy Story in theaters nationwide, the companies forever changed the face of animation. In the nearly 30 years since that movie’s debut, the Toy Story franchise has also gone on to become a favorite among audiences of all ages through its movies and shorts alike. Given, the franchise’s third movie should have been the finale, but that is a discussion for another time. Fast forward to this year and the debut of the franchise’s new spinoff, Lightyear. The movie made its digital home debut Wednesday and will make its physical home debut Sept. 13. The movie was met with mixed reviews when it made its theatrical debut and has since struggled since then, with critics giving the movie a score of 75% on Rotten Tomatoes and audiences giving it an only slightly higher score, at 84%. With the movie out now on digital platforms and soon on physical platforms, it will be interesting to see what happens with those scores. One thing that is certain about the movie at this point is that it does deserve to be seen at least once. That is due in part to its very approach, which will be discussed shortly. The story within the movie also plays into the overall presentation and will be examined a little later. The cast’s work rounds out its most important elements and will also be discussed later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the movie. All things considered they make Lightyear a movie that audiences will find worth watching at least once.
Lightyear, the latest addition to Disney and Pixar’s already extensive Toy Story franchise, is another interesting addition to that universe. It is a presentation that is worth watching at least once. That is due in part to the movie’s general presentation. What is interesting about the presentation is that it is a movie within a movie. Right as the movie opens, audiences are presented with the message that the movie is the same movie that Andy (from the original Toy Story movies) watched and that got him interested in Buzz Lightyear in the first place. So the fact that audiences are treated to a movie that is composed of a movie is a unique approach. On a related note, IMDB lists as one of Lightyear’s goofs as being that Andy never had interest in Buzz Lightyear in the first place in the original Toy Story movie until his mom surprised him with the Buzz Lightyear toy. It adds that in the second movie, Buzz as a toy wasn’t even based on a movie. How does the person who wrote about Andy having no interest in Buzz Lightyear prior to getting the toy know for a fact that this is the case? As excited as Andy was to get his Buzz Lightyear toy, one would imagine Andy had to have had some knowledge of the movie. Even today in the real world, toy companies market toys based on movies to children all the time and children get excited. Taking that into account, even if Andy hadn’t seen a Buzz Lightyear movie, he still could have been excited about the toy. To that end, that goof posted to IMDB holds no water. Getting back to the matter of the alleged goof in Toy Story 2, who is to say that was not just one of the characters saying Buzz wasn’t based on a movie just to make Buzz angry? Now keeping everything noted in mind there, the very presentation of the Buzz Lightyear movie as a movie for audiences essentially makes this movie its own presentation. Yes, it is essentially a spinoff from the Toy Story franchise, but it is still its own standalone presentation that is a valid presentation.
Going a little bit deeper, the story that is presented within the movie makes for its own interest. The story is an all too familiar tale of personal growth. Buzz’s growth comes as he has to learn about accepting help and the consequences of letting one’s self be consumed by one’s own personal drive and desire. From causing his ship to crash on the planet in the first place because he had to put everything on himself to being so obsessed with reaching hyperspeed in his attempt to find a way off of the planet, Buzz thought he had to do it all. He did not want anyone’s help, and that caused him to lose his first partner and almost lose others along the way including that first partner’s granddaughter and her friends.
On a secondary note, audiences learn about the battle between Buzz and Emperor Zurg. Out of respect for those who have yet to watch this movie, this critic will be careful in discussing the pair’s conflict. However, audiences who are familiar with the story of how Buck Rogers came to be in the 25th century will find a clear influence there (whether intentional or not). The conflict between the pair plays into the whole matter of the fabric of space and time and certain paradoxes (again not to give away too much). Now this conflict between Buzz and Zurg also goes into another so-called good that IMDB has posted about the movie. It is known that in Toy Story 2, Zurg said that he was Buzz’s father, and that negated the situation in Lightyear. That little statement was meant wholly as a tongue-in-cheek spoof of Star Wars. It was not meant to be serious, so again, whatever IMDB employee pointed out this continuity “issue” took that moment far too seriously. To that end, audiences need to go into this movie’s story completely discounting the so-called goofs that IMDB has listed if they intend to have any appreciation for the story. As long as they keep that in mind, audiences will find themselves surprisingly able to enjoy the story just as much as the movie’s very unique presentation style.
As much as the movie’s presentation style and story do to make the movie engaging and entertaining, they are just part of what makes the movie worth watching. The cast’s work is also of note. Chris Evans (Captain America: The First Avenger, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, etc.) leads the way, bringing Buzz to life on screen this time out. He is clearly well-versed in the role of the hero, considering his time working with Marvel Studios. His performance is entertaining but does not necessarily break a lot of ground for a character such as Buzz. If anyone really stands out in terms of the cast, it is Peter Sohn (Ratatouille, Monsters University, The Good Dinosaur) as he voices Sox, the robot cat. The subtle way in which he brings Sox to life is a prime example of less is more. That deadpan delivery that he gives is just so entertaining throughout and really makes him the unsuspecting star of the cast. Taika Waititi (Boy, What We Do in the Shadows, Jojo Rabbit) and Dale Soules (Orange is the New Black, The Messenger, Prism) bring their own comic touch to the movie as they bring life to Mo and Darcy. Marcy’s initial declaration about not wanting to hold a gun because it would be a violation of her parole makes for such a great comedic moment putting Soules’ talents on display. At the same time, that the writers would keep bringing up her criminal past makes the joke get old quick. Thankfully Soules makes the best of it doing the best she can to try to keep the joke funny. Waititi’s delivery as Mo makes Mo such an endearing character because he is so innocent. He can’t help that he is such a clutz, and that constant uncertainty that Mo displays is another great part of how Waititi brings him to life. They really do so much, as does Sohn and even Evans all things considered. To that end, the work put in by the cast does its own share to make Lightyear engaging and entertaining, too. When their work is considered along with the story and even the movie’s general presentation, the whole makes Lightyear a surprisingly engaging and entertaining new offering from Disney and Pixar. It is not the companies’ best work ever. That honor still belongs (at least to this critic) to Up. That aside, it is still a movie that even being a spinoff from the initial Toy Story universe, is still worth watching.
Lightyear, Disney and Pixar’s new Toy Story spinoff, is an interesting addition to that universe. The movie proves itself so intriguing in part because of its general presentation. The general presentation is a double presentation of sorts. It is a movie within a movie that is its own presentation within the bigger Toy Story universe. That is a unique approach. The movie’s story is relatively accessible, as it presents Buzz as a central character on a journey of personal growth. That familiarity is certain to engage and entertain audiences throughout the movie. The work of the movie’s cast rounds out its most important elements. From familiar style acting from Evans to more comedic and heartfelt performances from his cast mates, the cast’s work does its own share to engage and entertain audiences. Each item examined is important in its own way to the presentation that is Lightyear. All things considered, they make Lightyear a surprisingly welcome addition to Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story universe that is actually worth watching at least once.
Lightyear is available on all digital platforms now. It is scheduled for release on DVD and Blu-ray 13 through Disney and Pixar. More information on this and other titles from Disney and Pixar is available at:
Website: https://www.pixar.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pixar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pixar
To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.
philspicks 