Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated buddy-comedy adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by John Lasseter, Toy Story was the first feature-length computer-animated film and the first theatrical film produced by Pixar. Toy Story follows a group of anthropomorphic toys who pretend to be lifeless whenever humans are present, and focuses on the relationship between Woody, a pullstring cowboy doll (voiced by Tom Hanks), and Buzz Lightyear, an astronaut action figure (voiced by Tim Allen). The film was written by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow, and Joss Whedon, and featured music by Randy Newman. Its executive producers were Steve Jobs and Edwin Catmull.

Pixar, which produced short animated films to promote their computers, was approached by Disney to produce a computer-animated feature after the success of the short film, Tin Toy (1988), which is told from a small toy's perspective. Lasseter, Stanton, and Pete Docter wrote early story treatments which were thrown out by Disney, who pushed for a more edgy film. After disastrous story reels, production was halted and the script was re-written, better reflecting the tone and theme Pixar desired: that "toys deeply want children to play with them, and that this desire drives their hopes, fears, and actions."  The studio, then consisting of a relatively small number of employees, produced the film under minor financial constraints.

The top-grossing film on its opening weekend, Toy Story went on to earn over $361 million worldwide.[3] Reviews were universally positive, praising both the animation's technical innovation and the screenplay's wit and sophistication, and it is now widely considered by many critics to be one of the best animated films ever made. The film received three Academy Award nominations including Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song for "You've Got a Friend in Me", as well as winning a Special Achievement Academy Award. In addition to home media releases and theatrical re-releases, Toy Story-inspired material has run the gamut from toys, video games, theme park attractions, spin-offs, merchandise, and two sequels—Toy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story 3 (2010)—both of which also garnered massive commercial success and critical acclaim. Toy Story was inducted into the National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" in 2005, its first year of eligibility.

Plot

Woody is a pullstring cowboy toy (Tom Hanks) and the leader of a group of toys owned by a boy named Andy Davis (John Morris). With his family moving away one week before his birthday, Andy is given a week-early party to spend with his friends, while the toys stage a reconnaissance mission to discover Andy's new presents. Andy receives a spaceman action figure named Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), whose impressive features see him replacing Woody as Andy's favorite toy. Woody becomes resentful, especially as Buzz also gets attention from the other toys. However, Buzz believes himself to be a real space ranger on a mission to return to his home planet while Woody tries to convince Buzz that Buzz is only a toy.

As Andy prepares for a family outing at Pizza Planet, his mother allows him to bring only one toy along. Fearing Andy will choose Buzz, Woody tries to trap Buzz behind a desk, but the plan backfires when he accidentally knocks Buzz out the window, resulting in the other toys rebelling against Woody by accusing him of eliminating Buzz out of jealousy. With Buzz missing, Andy reluctantly takes Woody to Pizza Planet, but Buzz climbs into the car, confronting Woody when they stop at a gas station. As they argue, they fall out of the van, which drives off and leaves them behind. With Buzz still believing he is a real space ranger, Woody spots a Pizza Planet delivery truck and convinces Buzz it can take him to a space port. As Woody looks for Andy at Pizza Planet, Buzz sees a rocket-shaped skill game and jumps inside, thinking it is a real spaceship. Woody follows Buzz into the machine, but are interrupted when Andy's toy-abusing neighbor, Sid Phillips, (Erik Von Detten) arrives and operates the machine. Sid maneuvers the claw to snag Buzz, but as Woody tries holding onto Buzz, they are both collected and taken to Sid's house.

At Sid's house, the duo attempts to escape before Andy's moving day, encountering Sid's abused toy creations and his vicious bull terrier, Scud. During one attempt, Buzz sees a commercial for Buzz Lightyear action figures, and realizes that he actually is a toy himself. Disbelieving, he attempts to prove he can fly, but instead crashes down the stairs, and his left arm breaks off. Depressed, Buzz is unable to cooperate with Woody. After Sid's toys repair Buzz's arm, much to Woody's surprise, Sid appears with plans to attach Buzz to a rocket, but a thunderstorm delays the plan. That night, Woody convinces Buzz that he can bring joy to Andy as a toy, which helps Buzz regain his spirit. The next morning, with the help of Sid's toys, Woody rescues Buzz and scares Sid into no longer vandalizing toys. Woody and Buzz then leave Sid's house just as Andy's mother drives away toward their new house.

They manage to climb onto the moving truck, but Scud chases after them. As Scud tries to pull Woody off the truck, Buzz tackles Scud, leaving himself behind. Woody attempts to rescue Buzz with Andy's RC car, but the other toys, who still think Woody is eliminating fellow toys, ambush Woody and toss him off onto the road. Woody drives RC back to pick up Buzz and as they return, the other toys realize their mistake and try to help them get in the truck. However, RC's batteries become depleted, stranding them. Woody ignites the rocket on Buzz's back and manages to throw RC into the moving truck before they soar into the air. Buzz opens his wings to free himself from the rocket before it explodes, gliding with Woody to land safely into a box in the van, right next to Andy.


On Christmas Day, at their new house, Woody and Buzz stage another reconnaissance mission to prepare for the new toy arrivals. As Woody jokingly asks what might be worse than Buzz, the two share a worried smile as they discover Andy's new gift is a puppy.