 ***PLEASE NOTE: A Blu-ray 3D disc is only compatible with 3D Blu-ray players.*** --- The Complete 3D Toy Story Collection --- (All 3-3D-Movies in the 3-Disc Collector's Set) Tagline: Some of the best from Disney (Pixar) in unforgettable 3D. Immerse yourself in a whole new dimension of Toy Story fun as you bring the 3D experience home in astonishign Disney Blu-ray 3D! Enjoy all three Toy Story movies like never before in this 3-disc Collector's Set! Storyline: A little boy named Andy loves to be in his room, playing with his toys, especially his doll named "Woody". But, what do the toys do when Andy is not with them, they come to life. Woody believes that he has life (as a toy) good. However, he must worry about Andy's family moving, and what Woody does not know is about Andy's birthday party. Woody does not realize that Andy's mother gave him an action figure known as Buzz Lightyear, who does not believe that he is a toy, and quickly becomes Andy's new favorite toy. Woody, who is now consumed with jealousy, tries to get rid of Buzz. Then, both Woody and Buzz are now lost. They must find a way to get back to Andy before he moves without them, but they will have to pass through a ruthless toy killer, Sid Phillips. Written by John Wiggins Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Kenneth Brown on March 20, 2010 -- It's difficult to convey how drastically and substantially Pixar Studios and filmmaker John Lasseter have altered the landscape of animation. As the '80s slowly sank into the sands of time and the '90s began promising new strides in technology, CG animation was little more than an intriguing gimmick; a gangly gambit that didn't seem destined for any sort of greatness, much less the sort of cinematic coup that was brewing in Lasseter's brain. But that was before 1995; before Toy Story invaded thousands of theaters, took international audiences by storm, and inspired an artistic revolution that continues to rage some fifteen years after its first battle was forged. Animation enthusiasts can bicker for days on end as to whether a hand-drawn wonder or a CG marvel offers the best animated experience, but no amount of debate can rob Pixar or its best films of their incalculable value. And Toy Story? More than just the first of its kind, it remains one of the studio's finest, and the first of a thriving breed of new Disney classics -- among them beloved favorites Up, Wall-E, Finding Nemo, Toy Story 2, and Monsters, Inc. -- that have steadily established a hold over filmfans of all ages. Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is living the life. Pull-string cowboy dolls don't usually have it so good, but as his owner Andy's favorite toy, Woody rules the playroom. His friends love and respect him -- matter-of-fact piggie bank Hamm (John Ratzenberger), the cantankerous Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), ever-loyal right hand man Slinky Dog (Jim Varney), anxiety-stricken plastic dinosaur Rex (Wallace Shawn), the lovely Bo Peep (Annie Potts), and the dutiful sergeant of Andy's Green Army Men (R. Lee Ermey) -- and his owner has scribbled his name on the bottom of Woody's boot, an enviable honor in the toy world. The rules are simple: never let Andy know that toys merely play possum when children come near, and keep the boy as happy as possible. But that all changes at Andy's birthday party when his mother buys him the hottest new action figure on the market, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). Earning instant affection, Buzz makes Woody jealous, especially when the lanky cowboy realizes the space ranger has no idea he's actually just a child's plaything. As Andy prepares to choose one toy to bring on a long trip, Woody tries to knock Buzz out of the running, only to accidentally knock him out of the window. Now, with his friends convinced that he tried to kill the new guy, Woody begrudgingly sets out to retrieve Buzz and restore peace and order to Andy's room. Toy Story's boundless, dare I say timeless charm traces back to its voice actors' passionate, pitch-perfect performances, Pixar's remarkably smart and funny script (penned by Lasseter, Up director Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, and affable "heart and soul" of the studio, Joe Ranft), and the entire animation team's utter devotion to storytelling and character development. Though essentially a riff on the buddy cop films of the '80s and '90s, Lasseter's comedy is a far more nuanced endeavor; one that has plenty to offer both children and adults. Wide-eyed tykes will soak up the building-block sights and Pizza-Planet whimsy, clapping and laughing as Buzz and Woody battle for their owner's affection. But thirty and forty-something parents will be drawn into Andy's world as well, engrossed by a cowboy doll's insecurity and desperation, an action figure's delusions of grandeur and eventual triumph, a dinosaur's perpetual fear and sudden panic attacks and, of course, just how easily Pixar transforms these mounds of plastic and stitched cloth into characters that are so decidedly human. It helps that Hanks, Allen, Ratzenberger, and nearly every voice actor that graces the proceedings has connected to the material so intensely, and has rooted themselves so deeply in the world Lasseter and company are creating. Their performances lend the film legitimate momentum, imbue each toy with spirit and purpose, and make every joke funnier and every theme more powerful. It's something genre filmmakers still fail to achieve some two decades after Pixar mastered the process. Just sample any number of recent animated misfires -- Astroboy, Planet 51, Igor, and many others -- and you'll hear what Toy Story could have been filled with: wooden acting, uninspired voice work, and disconnected deliveries that undermine everything their films' animators have toiled to accomplish. Pixar's commitment to every aspect of their productions is obvious, and the very thing that allows Toy Story, aging animation and all, to rocket into the stratosphere of the imagination in 2010 as readily as it did in 1995. Toys have never seemed so alive, vending machines have never been home to such hilarious alien cultures, cobbled monstrosities have never been so captivating, sinister toy-nabbing miscreants have never been so terrifying, adventure has never hurtled down a road on the back of an RC car with such abandon, and your childhood playthings have never taken on such a life of their own. (At least until Toy Story 2, but that's another review.) Has it stood the test of time? Dozens of viewings and my five-year old son's couch-bouncing reaction to Buzz and Woody's shenanigans certainly seem to suggest so. Have its jokes grown stale? Not if my family's laughter is any indication. Has the tale lost its hold? Without any misguided pop culture references or cheap humor lurking in the shadows, Pixar's storytelling is as breezy and effortless as it was when the film first hit theaters. Is its animation too outdated to lure in newcomers? Hardly. It may show its age, but antiquated animation hasn't stopped Snow White, Cinderella, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and countless others from winning over the masses, young and old alike. Just like those indelible greats, Toy Story's memorable personalities, expressive faces, absorbing story, and amazing adventure will keep its heart beating for years to come. Between its endearing characters, smartly penned story, flawless voice performances, and timeless humor, Toy Story isn't just Pixar's first feature-length film, it's one of the studio's finest. While the sequel miraculously managed to best the original (for me anyway), Lasseter's opening volley changed the way audiences viewed animation and redefined the boundaries of animated family films. To my relief, Disney's Blu-ray release doesn't skip a beat, delivering a stunning video transfer, an unexpectedly powerful DTS-HD Master Audio track, and hours of special features, new and old alike. Animation enthusiasts, Disney fans, and cinephiles of all ages will be enamored with the results. Cast Notes: Tom Hanks (Sheriff Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear of Star Command), Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head), Jim Varney (Slinky Dog), Wallace Shawn (Rex; the green Dinosaur), John Ratzenberger (Hamm the Piggy Bank), Annie Potts (Bo Peep), John Morris [III] (Andy Davis), Erik von Detten (Sid Phillips), Laurie Metcalf (Mrs. Davis [Andy's Mom]), R. Lee Ermey (Sarge), Sarah Freeman (Hannah Phillips), Penn Jillette (T.V. Announcer), Jack Angel [I] (Additional Voices), Spencer Aste (Additional Voices). IMDb Rating (07/25/14): 8.4/10 from 377,655 users Top 250: #66 IMDb Rating (07/25/14): 8.3/10 from 433,754 users Top 250: #108 IMDb Rating (12/16/11): 8.2/10 from 216,748 users Top 250: #132
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