Toy Story Changed Movies Forever | AFI #99

In 1995, a cowboy, a Space Ranger, and a group of living toys changed Hollywood forever. Toy Story wasn't just Pixar's first feature film—it was the first entirely computer-animated feature ever made, helping launch a new era of animation. But groundbreaking technology alone doesn't explain why the movie still works more than 30 years later. In this installment of The Confusing Middle's journey through AFI's 100 Greatest American Movies, we're looking at #99: Toy Story. We'll explore: • How Toy Story nearly fell apart during production • Why Woody originally wasn't such a likable character • The small details Pixar used to bring its toys to life • Buzz Lightyear's surprisingly emotional identity crisis • Why the Sid sequence remains one of the movie's best moments • How well the animation holds up today • Why I think #99 may be WAY too low Plus, I'll give Toy Story my own rating and recommend three movies to watch if you're looking for something with a similar spirit. My Rating: 9.5/10 Where would Toy Story rank on your list of the greatest American movies? Is #99 too low—or does AFI have it about right? Let me know in the comments! And if you enjoy movie retrospectives, pop-culture analysis, and unnecessarily detailed conversations about the things we love, subscribe to The Confusing Middle as we continue counting down AFI's 100 Greatest American Movies—all the way to #1.