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Pixar is one of the most successful departments within the Disney umbrella. The most continuously successful Pixar franchises is the Toy Story franchise. The first film of the series may have been released in 1995, and most recently continued with the release of with the new movie Lightyear. With theme park attractions in various Disney resorts and the merchandise being a year-round constant in toy stores, it's clear that the Toy Story property is still loved and revered by parents and children to this day. So why is that? What makes Toy Story so special?
Update September 13, 2022: For Toy Story fans this list has been updated following the release of Lightyear, the latest entry in the Toy Story franchise.
Many would argue that it is the characters. The characters in the Toy Story movies remain special and important to those who have viewed the films; even though they are toys, the arcs the characters undergo are relatable to both children and adults. Children can appreciate the fun humor and colorful environments, but also the feeling of being small in a huge world. For adults the journey of Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang is very much a mirror of parenthood, watching a child grow up and accept there will be a time they move on without you, and dealing with the inevitability of time. The storylines of the movies are understandable for the children viewing them. In other words, the Toy Story franchise is probably the best for all ages of the many great Pixar movies. Here are all the Toy Story movies, ranked.
5 Lightyear
The most recent entry in the franchise, Lightyear might not be an official Toy Story film, but it is adjacent to the franchise, since it's the movie that exists in the Toy Story universe which Andy saw that made him want the Buzz Lightyear action figure.
Due to Lightyear being committed to its in-universe film within a film angle, it does not get the same benefits the other Toy Story films as many of the iconic characters or even the humor of seeing the world through a toy's eyes. Yet Lightyear still makes for a fun entertaining science fiction adventure that makes the viewer believe it would be a young child's favorite movie. Even though it is the lowest-rated entry in the franchise on Rotten Tomatoes with a 75% and is one of Pixar's biggest box office disappointments, Lightyear is still an enjoyable entry in a beloved franchise that offers something unique.
4 Toy Story 4
When it was first announced, many saw Toy Story 4 as an unnecessary film and risked undoing the powerful ending Toy Story 3 left the franchise on. However, Toy Story 4 won fans over with many saying Pixar created another masterpiece, and critics, who helped Toy Story 4 gain a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The addition of newly beloved characters like Forky was a big win for this film, and while the ending might be controversial to some viewers and the film favors the big emotional weight of the previous two films for a more breezy low-stakes conclusion, it offers a satisfying end to the story of these characters audiences have known for two decades.
Despite some faults, Toy Story 4 is still a great, beautifully made film. Even if it may not live up to the other films in the franchise, looking at only Toy Story 4, one can see how well-made it is with its improved animation. The largest problem with this film, however, is the story. The graphics and animation are gorgeous, but the plot feels a bit hard to follow for fans and goes a little too far from the original base of the franchise. At the end of the day, Toy Story 4 is a powerful epilogue to Toy Story 3 and the story of Woody and Buzz.
3 Toy Story 3
As anyone who has watched a Pixar film knows, they are first and foremost children's films. However, Toy Story 3 seems to have the most adult and even horror genre elements of any film in the franchise. Most people who have seen the film can agree that Lotso-Huggin Bear is a frightening antagonist. And that fiery trash compactor scene is both scary and emotionally devastating, even for the adults watching. So, many could consider Toy Story 3 the most intense of the franchise.
The movie still follows the Toy Story tradition of tugging at your heartstrings, and is this time almost a certified movie tearjerker, making you want to go home and dig out your childhood toys, just to check on them. It's also so sad to see the toys leave Andy's home (that may be the most traumatizing part of the film). It is important to teach children about letting go and moving on, however, this film does this using iconic characters that by this point audiences had grown to love over fifteen years. Toy Story 3 was the highest-grossing animated movie at the time. We should all make sure our toys (literally and metaphorically) have new recycled lives and can make someone else happy be a child, grandchildren, or a daycare.
2 Toy Story
The original Toy Story is still a groundbreaking masterpiece. The first film has stood the test of time; released 27 years ago, viewers continue to come back to the film and introduce it to others even to this day. This is because of how perfect the (toy) story is. While the animation may be just a bit outdated (but still beautiful), the story continues to be an original and fun blueprint for the animation which would follow in the 21st century.
It deals with friendship, alienation, and found family more than anything. The toys of the original Toy Story were all forced to live together; despite not always liking each other, they discovered how much they enjoyed and appreciated each other, and what solidarity really means. The story of comradery and working together is applicable to viewers of all ages and will never not be necessary to learn. Everyone needs to be reminded that the closest people in their lives are there to help them, not hurt them. Toy Story has remained ever-present in the pop culture lexicon and remains one of the best Disney movies ever made.
1 Toy Story 2
Fans all over the world can often agree that Toy Story 2 is the best of the franchise and one of the few times that the sequel was better than the original. The film perfectly introduced new and beloved characters Jessie and Bullseye. Giving the pair a backstory intertwined with Woody's allowed viewers to more easily relate to and love the new pair. The inclusion of Jessie's tragic loss of her "person" also gave viewers a new look at toys and what it means to outgrow them. The film featured a tearjerker of a story while keeping things perfectly light and fun in true Pixar fashion.
While parts of the film may not have aged well (with the Stinky Pete scene being cut in the wake of #MeToo) the film as a whole remains impactful and re-watchable nonetheless. The story is able to seamlessly include new characters and continuously develop the characters from the original film, taking what's best from the first Toy Story and elaborating and strengthening it. Anyone looking to make a sequel for a very successful film should look to Toy Story 2. Not only is it better than the original, but it is also perfect and well-written separate from the franchise. Toy Story 2 is just a perfect film.