Disney’s Toy Story Movies Ranked!
This coming June, Disney is releasing the next instalment in the “Toy Story” franchise in cinemas around the world. In “Toy Story 5”, a new character called Lilypad, a high-tech frog-shaped smart tablet, is introduced that makes Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the gang’s jobs exponentially harder when they have to go head-to-head with the all-new threat to playtime.
Just ahead of the release of the new film, I wanted to share my ranking of the “Toy Story” movies, all of which are available to stream now on Disney+.
Here is my list of “Toy Story” movies ranked:
5) Toy Story 4
In this new adventure, Woody, Buzz and the gang join Bonnie on a road trip with her new craft-project-turned-toy, Forky. The innocent little spork’s hilarious antics launch Woody on a wild quest filled with unexpected new characters—and one long-lost friend!
This adventure with Woody and Buzz introduced the wonderful Forky to the franchise, which was certainly entertaining, but sadly, this is my least favourite film in the franchise, as it just wasn’t able to top the amazing work the team did on the other films.
4) Lightyear
A sci-fi action adventure and the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the toy, “Lightyear” follows the legendary Space Ranger after he’s marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth alongside his commander and their crew. As Buzz tries to find a way back home through space and time, he’s joined by a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot companion cat, Sox. Complicating matters and threatening the mission is the arrival of Zurg, an imposing presence with an army of ruthless robots and a mysterious agenda.
So I know some people might not necessarily consider “Lightyear” to be a “Toy Story” movie, but I do. The origin story of Buzz Lightyear is an interesting take on the character, and while it didn’t click with many, there are some great elements to this movie that I enjoyed. I also love how Pixar took a risk on the idea of this movie; it’s just a shame the concept got a little lost on the general public, and had this come out at a different time, it might have been a bigger box office hit than it was. I really liked it, and hopefully, more people check it out on Disney+.
3) Toy Story 2
The toys are back in town and ready to play once again. This comedy-adventure picks up as Andy heads off to Cowboy Camp, leaving his toys to their own devices. Things shift into high gear when obsessive toy collector Al McWhiggin, owner of Al’s Toy Barn, kidnaps Woody. At Al’s apartment, Woody discovers that he’s a highly valued collectable from a 1950s TV show called “Woody’s Roundup” and meets other prized toys from that show: Jessie the cowgirl, Bullseye the horse and Stinky Pete the Prospector. Back at the scene of the crime, Buzz Lightyear and the gang from Andy’s room — Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Rex and Hamm — spring into action to rescue their pal from winding up as a museum piece. The toys get into one predicament after another in their daring race to get Woody home before Andy returns.
It’s hard to imagine that Disney originally had planned this movie to be a straight-to-video release, but it was considered too good to head straight to Blockbuster, and it’s a good thing to, because the story for the second film works so well and, much like the original, stands the test of time. The introduction of Jesse and Bulleye helped build out Woody’s character, with this feeling more like a Woody origin movie.
2) Toy Story 3
Jump back inside the toy box for a heartwarming and hilarious movie you’ll never forget. Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the toys return for an all-new adventure, along with a few new faces — some plastic, some plush — including Barbie’s counterpart Ken , thespian hedgehog Mr Pricklepants and strawberry-scented Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear. As Andy prepares to depart for college, Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of Andy’s faithful toys wonder what will become of them. But when a mix-up lands them at Sunnyside Daycare, they meet a host of new toys and soon discover a wild new adventure is just beginning.
Somehow, Pixar was able to take this franchise to another level, where it not only entertained kids but also made adults cry around the world. There are many fantastic moments in this film, but that one scene where they all grab each other’s hands as they accept they are about to be melted down will forever haunt Disney fans.
1) Toy Story
Set in a world where toys have a life of their own — when people are not present — Toy Story takes moviegoers on a fantastic, fun-filled journey, viewed mostly through the eyes of two rival toys: Woody, a pull-string talking cowboy, and Buzz Lightyear, a heroic space action-figure. The comically mismatched duo eventually learn to put aside their differences when they’re separated from their owner, Andy, and find themselves on a hilarious adventure-filled mission…where the only way they can survive is to form an uneasy alliance.
The original film continues to hold up against the new versions all these decades later, and that’s because, at its heart, the story powers over any technological advancements. One of the many reasons why the original film will likely always be my favourite in the franchise is that, fundamentally, it had a major impact on my life in many ways. I was 16 years old when it came out, so I never grew up with “Toy Story”, but I had always been a huge Disney fan, and more importantly, I was studying computing at college,e and this film was a technological breakthrough that I had to go to the cinema to see with my mates. The idea that a film could be made just from computer animation was inspiring on so many levels and sparked my interest in movie-making even further. In the years that have since passed, these characters have continued to spark that imagination within me, right through adulthood, especially while visiting the theme parks.
How would you rank the “Toy Story” movies? Let me know on social media!
