Munir's Pixar Retrospective #1 - Toy Story (1995): 20 Years Later

Make Sure You've Read: Pixar Retrospective - An Introduction. 

To talk about Toy Story is a daunting task. After all, since the film's release almost 20 years ago, there have been countless articles, reviews, discussions and more of a film that completely changed the animation industry and put its studio on the map. Toy Story is the modern Snow White, a film that revolutionized the medium, infused it with fresh energy and opened the door to a new technology that has become the standard tool to make American animated films.

Pixar Announce Toy Story 4! John Lasseter Directing, Rashida Jones Writing, Out 2017

Well damn. I genuinely did not see this one coming. Yesterday, Pixar shook the entire Internet with the surprise announcement that they will be releasing a fourth film in the Toy Story series! Toy Story 4 (not, as some have suggested, called Toy Story: The Fours Awakens, sadly...) in June 2017 - meaning the film has presumably been in the works for a few years. More on this, who's involved, the general reaction - and ours - below.

Animation Turnaround #3: Toy Story (1995)

If there's a film that deserves the title of "Turnaround," it's Toy Story. The film completely and single-handedly changed the animation industry and its repercussions are still felt today. Just as Snow White introduced the animated feature film in 1937, Toy Story introduced a new way of making these films and now most mainstream animated films are done that way. CG animation was almost non-existent before Toy Story, mostly relegated to backgrounds, environments or creatures (for example, the stampede scene in The Lion King or the ballroom scene in Beauty and the Beast), but a fully CG animated film was thought an impossible task. Not only did Toy Story prove that notion wrong, but it also launched Pixar Animation Studios, one of the most highly regarded studios in the world. Toy Story came as a breath of fresh air for audiences and was a direct answer to Disney's Broadway formula, which by that time was starting to show signs of exhaustion.

Check Out This Awesome Comic-Con Poster for Pixar's Toy Story That Time Forgot!

Back in January, Pixar announced that - although they may not be releasing a feature film this year - they will be releasing their second Toy Story TV special this holiday season. Toy Story That Time Forgot is making an appearance at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, and this immense poster - which will be given out to attendees of Pixar's panel at SDCC - has just popped up online!

New Toy Story TV Special To Air This Christmas!

Credit: Bitten by the Travel Bug

Pixar might not be putting out a feature film this year, but they're not resting on their laurels. The studio will release a Monsters U short film with Muppets Most Wanted in March, and just announced a Toy Story holiday special for this Christmas: Toy Story That Time Forgot!

90 Years, An Infinite Legacy: Disney Turns 90 Today

90 years ago today, on 16th October, 1923, Walt and Roy Disney founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. From that day onwards, the landscape of animation changed forever. Alice Comedies, Mickey Mouse, Snow White, all the way through to Toy Story, Tangled and modern greats like that; join us in a look back at the unparalleled legacy of The Walt Disney Company.

New Toy Story of Terror! Sneak Peek, Plus Soundtrack Details!

Pixar’s first television special is just around the corner and ABC just released a one-minute sneak peek to get us all excited (as if we weren't already) about the upcoming Halloween special featuring our favourite toys. Check the new hilariously horrific teaser below:

Six New Images From Toy Story of Terror! Show Off Combat Carl

We may not be getting a film from them in 2014, but Pixar are treating us this year. Last week we got a great trailer for the studio's first TV special, the spooky Toy Story of Terror! (Disney stylise it as Toy Story of TERROR!), and this week we got six great new stills, showing off the half-hour special's array of characters old and new.

Watch: First Trailer for Pixar's Toy Story of Terror!

Not all Pixar news is bad. Fresh off the announcement that Pixar won't release a film next year anymore, the studio softened the blow with a fun new trailer for the Halloween TV special, Toy Story of Terror! It's fun, it's funny, it's a little bit spooky, and, amidst all this kinda glum release date news, it's nice to be reminded just why we love Pixar so much in the first place.

We'll be reunited with the Toy Story gang this Halloween; the special airs in America on ABC on 16th October at 8pm. It'll air some point thereafter in the UK on Sky Movies | Disney.

Via Collider.

New Sky Broadband Ad Advertises Toy Story of Terror

This rather shameless new ad for Sky Fibre Broadband also sorta serves as our first promo for Pixar's Halloween special, Toy Story of Terror. No word on when the special (which airs in America on ABC on 16th October) will show in the UK yet, but I'd imagine it'll be before or on Halloween, and it will show on Sky Movies | Disney.

Be sure to check out the new poster we got earlier in the week too.

UPDATE - 07/09/2013, 21:29 (GMT): Some readers said they couldn't view the video from their country, so we've uploaded it to our channel; you should be able to check it out now.

Via Bleeding Cool

New Poster for Pixar's Toy Story of Terror TV Special

Pixar are voyaging into the realm of TV specials for the first time this Halloween, with the spooky Toy Story of Terror! (Ironic, of course, given that Toy Story itself started off as a planned half hour TV special continuation of their Tin Toy short film.) Entertainment Weekly have got a new poster for the special, which is set to premiere on ABC just before Halloween, on 16th October, at 8pm ET. Angus MacLane is directing.

"Heading to the small screen before Halloween, Toy Story of Terror features the gang taking a road trip to Bonnie’s grandmother’s house before everything takes an unexpected turn. On a detour leading them to a roadside motel, one of the toys goes missing, and the others find themselves caught in an eerie turn of events that must be stopped before they suffer the same fate," says EW's synopsis.

How are you feeling for Toy Story of Terror? Excited? Cautious? A little bit spooked?

Via Hypable

Do All Pixar Films Exist in the Same Universe? Well, No, But this Theory's Magnificent.

I'd say it's extremely unlikely that you haven't thought about the possibility that the talking fish of Finding Nemo exist in the same universe as the talking rats of Ratatouille or the talking insects of A Bug's Life. In fact, a lot of Pixar's filmography could well be interlinked. Well, Cars kinda scuppers all of that... But nonetheless, I doubt you've thought about in as much detail or as cripplingly hilarious a fashion as Jon Negroni.

According to Negroni's "Pixar Theory", which is making the rounds online, A Bug's Life is post-apocalyptic, Monsters, Inc. is set in the distant future and the witch from Brave is actually a time-travelling Boo looking for Sulley through time and scattering Easter eggs to help him find her. Oh, and "Wall-E is basically Robot Jesus". The theory is so massively extensive, at least some of it has to be true... right?

Check out the hilariously ridiculous and ridiculously hilarious theory in all its extensive glory here.

Michael Giacchino to Score Toy Story of Terror

Randy Newman has been the definitive Toy Story composer since the original feature film in 1995, but all of the Toy Story Toons have been scored by others: Mark Mothersbaugh scored Hawaiian Vacation; Henry Jackman, Small Fry; electronic artist BT, Partysaurus Rex; now, Film Music Reporter says, Pixar veteran Michael Giacchino is to score the upcoming Halloween TV special, Toy Story of Terror.

Next Toy Story Toon to be Called Mythic Rock?

Animated Views have discovered what might well be the name of the next Toy Story Toon! While perusing LinkedIn, the site found, on the profile of producer Pixar Kim Jorgensen Adams - credited as the producer of Partysaurus Rex and Small Fry - was listing another Toy Story Toon, called Mythic Rock, as her current project. All mentions of that appear to have vanished from Kim's profile, but it's interesting nonetheless.

What exactly could Mythic Rock entail? A family vacation to somewhere with a tourism trade surrounding enchanted rocks? Something more space-y? Among all the speculation, one thing's for sure: we won't find out any time soon. Composer BT let slip that he was working on Partysaurus Rex months and months before we heard anything official, so don't get too excited just yet.

[UPDATED] First Look: Toy Story of Terror

In October of last year, Animation World Network announced that Pixar were working on a Toy Story Halloween TV special, Toy Story of Terror, that was due this October. Since then, we haven't heard a peep about the project. Until now.

Video of the Day: The Walking Dead Opening - Toy Story Style

The Walking Dead/Toy Story memes are clearly very in right now. A couple of weeks ago, we shared with you some bizarrely accurate reasoning as to why AMC's hit zombie-drama and Pixar's anthropomorphic trilogy are essentially the same. Today, some witty so-and-so has recreated The Walking Dead's opening with Toy Story characters and iconography.

I wonder if Toy Story of Terror! may end up looking a bit like this... Check it out above.

Related posts: "I Am the D'ohnger": Breaking Bad Meets The Simpsons in New Couch Gag

Watch: Siskel & Ebert Review Toy Story -- RIP, Roger Ebert

A113Animation is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of the world's finest, best-known and most respected movie reviewer, the irreplaceable Roger Ebert. Known and celebrated as a champion of the great and a sardonic derider of the mediocre, Ebert had been reviewing movies for The Chicago Sun-Times for 46 years.

He was also well known for his reviewing partnership with Gene Siskel. From said partnership, check out Siskel & Ebert's TV review of Toy Story, from way-back-when in 1995. It speaks to how knowing both men were, that they correctly predicted that this rather groundbreaking CG flick would change everything for animation.

In a sadly ironic manner, the critic announced a "leave of presence" only two days ago, due to the re-emergence of his cancer and latent health problems. Today, The Chicago Sun-Times announced his passing, at the age of 70 - alas, cancer takes another great human being. Rest in peace, Mr. Ebert, in the knowledge that, for us here at least, you've forever changed how we watch a movie.

Our thoughts and condolences to the Ebert family, as we leave you with this apt quote from the Sun-Times:

"Roger Ebert loved movies.

Except for those he hated."

Pictures of the Day: Why Toy Story and The Walking Dead Are Basically The Same

File this one under 'things you don't hear everyday'; Chris Hardwick tweeted a link to a rather interesting post, one which boasts "Undeniable Proof That "The Walking Dead" And "Toy Story" Have The Exact Same Plot". I'm not sure quite how "Undeniable" it is, but the pictures are certainly funny - particularly the Governor/Lotso and Hershel/Stinky Pete ones - and as mash-ups go, it's up there with Breaking Bad meets Dexter's Lab.

All this does, though, is hammer home just how badly Toy Story is lacking a crossbow-wielding badass. Check out a smattering of the evidence below, or head here to see them all.

Rumour Overload: Toy Story 4 Confirmed For 2015? [UPDATED: No, it's not.]

Treat this one as a rumour until strongly indicated otherwise: some Colombian news outlets are reporting that Disney and Pixar have officially announced the long rumoured Toy Story 4 for 2015!

Watch: Super-Awesome Live Action Toy Story

I'm a massive Toy Story fan, but I don't think I've got a patch on these guys. Some crazily cool guys have been working away for a while now on creating (or rather, recreating) Toy Story entirely in live-action, using real toys and real people. The full version was completed and uploaded a couple of days ago, and boy, it's really caught on! Everyone from /Film to MSN to The Huffington Post has covered the story, check out why and watch the great full film above.

Congrats to Jonason Pauley, Jesse Perrotta and the great crew for creating such a labour of fan-love and for getting such great recognition for it. Facebook here, Twitter here.