the Pixar film bombed at the box office, not even making back its budget, it's far from a bad movie. There's a lot of confusion surrounding the film and how it fits into the franchise given that none of the original fan-favorite characters made an appearance.
While it might be a while before the world gets any confirmation of whether it is part of the franchise or not, Lightyear would have an interesting place in the series when it comes to reception from general audiences. The animated movies are full of compelling stories that all ages can connect with, and Lightyear is no different. However, there's no knowing where the film would actually rank amongst its siblings if it wasn't review-bombed.
Lightyear (2022) - 5.3
There's no doubt that Lightyear doesn't quite match up to the other Toy Story movies. It's a hard concept for general audiences to get their heads around, there are surprisingly few references to the beloved franchise, and not everyone is on board with Chris Evans replacing Tim Allen as the space ranger. However, that isn't the reason why the new movie has such a low rating on IMDb. The Direct reports that the film was review-bombed by internet trolls, with many s criticizing the LGBTQ+ representation before the movie was even released.
The audience score on Rotten Tomatoes much better reflects to the overall general reception of the film, as it sits at 85%. Wall-E's and Sox being seen as an all-time great Pixar character.
Toy Story 4 (2019) - 7.7
A lot of fans of the franchise thought Toy Story 3 was such a perfect ending to the franchise. Not only was the series considered one of the best trilogies ever, but it was the most consistently great trilogy ever too. But while audiences may not have needed the movie, nobody needed to be concerned, as Toy Story 4 was another wonderful outing with the toys, and it has one of the most touching final acts in a Pixar movie when Buzz and Woody say goodbye.
Bo Peep as the lead was a pleasant surprise, and the movie introduces loads of hilarious new toys, such as Duke Caboom and Bunny and Duckie. It's clear that Pixar had the Toy Story 4 idea for a long time too, as the storyline was hinted at in Toy Story 3 when Woody brought up how Bo Peep was no longer with them but no explanation why was given. However, by introducing so many new characters, some older fan-favorite characters were forced to the sideline, and even Buzz has a surprisingly small amount of screentime.
Toy Story 2 (1999) - 7.9
Toy Story 2 is the only sequel that drastically changes in narrative from its predecessor, as every Toy Story follow-up has a similar format to the 1999 movie. The sequel naturally tells a grander and more ambitious story. Instead of taking place in and around one house, Toy Story 2 takes place all over the city, whether it's Andy's house, Al's Toy Barn, or the Airport. And instead of the antagonist being a moody teenager, it's a classic toy that wants to be revered and marveled at in a museum.
While the film doesn't quite reach the 8.0 benchmark, it is the most original sequel and the most influential movie in the series. The ing cast of Toys got a lot more screentime, Zurg went on to have a much bigger part in the franchise, and, in a sense, the two following villains in the series, Lotso and Gabby, both want exactly what Stinky Pete wants. Although there were a lot of complications behind the scenes, with the director being replaced during production, it's quite surprising that it turned out so well.
Toy Story 3 (2010) - 8.3
Coming 11 years after Toy Story 2, just as much time ed in the universe as it did in real-life, as Toy Story 3 sees Andy all grown up and packing for college. That was the first of many emotional punches of the movie, as everyone who had grown up with the series was the same age as Andy, and it hit fans on a whole other level.
The movie is endlessly emotional, as not only was Andy moving away from home (which was reflective of most fans' personal life at the time), but the ending shockingly tackles mortality. It's something that young audiences wouldn't have been exposed to before, but it's done so tastefully. The 2010 movie is the most mature animated film that has ever been made, and it's one of the best movie threequels ever.
Toy Story (1995) - 8.3
Toy Story was the first-ever feature-length movie created completely digitally. It was a huge leap for movies, changed the cinema landscape forever, and the reason the Best Picture Academy Award exists is because of the 1995 film. Pixar showed exactly what was possible with digital animation, and while many other animated studios have followed Pixar's lead, none of them have repeated the phenomenal success of the '90s flick.
But it wasn't just the digital effects and technical aspects where the film excelled, as Toy Story established Pixar's brand of heartfelt, emotional, and powerful stories that adults can relate to just as much as children. Buzz and Woody became instantly iconic, Randy Newman's soundtrack was endlessly catchy, and it built such a unique cinematic world. And while the animation studio has made over a dozen classic movies that look amazing and teach audiences important lessons, Toy Story is still the best ever Pixar movie.
