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‘Toy Story’ With Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin, and Shea Serrano

November 10, 2020 · Toy Story (1995) · Adventure · Animation · Comedy · 1:42:39 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Mallory Rubin's personal Pixar top five

Ranked list · Mallory Rubin · ▶ 14:53

  1. 1WALL-E (2008)▶ 14:53
  2. 2Up (2009)▶ 15:12
  3. 3Toy Story 3 (2010)▶ 15:46
  4. 4Coco (2017)▶ 16:54
  5. 5Inside Out (2015)▶ 16:59

Shea Serrano's Pixar top five

Ranked list · Shea Serrano · ▶ 17:32

  1. 1Coco (2017)▶ 17:32
  2. 2Toy Story 3 (2010)▶ 17:50
  3. 3WALL-E (2008)▶ 17:54
  4. 4Toy Story (1995)▶ 17:51
  5. 5Cars (2006)▶ 18:01
  6. ·Inside Out (2015) · honorable mention▶ 18:54
  7. ·Finding Nemo (2003) · honorable mention▶ 18:55

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Mallory Rubin▶ 30:49The toys coming to life scene when Andy leaves the room after his birthday party
Sean Fennessey▶ 30:00Multiple scenes including toys coming to life when Andy leaves, Buzz and Woody's showdown at the gas station, and the claw scene at Pizza Planet
Shea Serrano▶ 35:25Expressed excitement about the gas station fight scene but explicitly stated 'this is not my most rewatchable scene' without giving his actual pick

What's Aged the Best

Mallory Rubin▶ 57:46The themes — a coming-of-age story with the genius twist that it's not just us but everything around us; choice, identity, 'who are you, what is your purpose'
Mallory Rubin▶ 57:42The themes — coming-of-age with the twist that it's everything around us; choice, identity, purpose, friendship, community, self-actualization (plus a joke pick: Sid's Converse)
Sean Fennessey▶ 45:55The animation revolution (still looks incredible); Disney betting on Pixar (bought for billions in 2006); kids' indescribable attachment to physical toys; choosing Randy Newman as songwriter; and the 81-minute runtime/pacing
Shea Serrano▶ 57:29The speed/pacing of the movie — like The Lion King, it hits every scene you're waiting for so fast while still feeling natural; 'that's what's aged the best'
Shea Serrano▶ 56:44The speed/pacing of the movie — like The Lion King it hits every scene you remember, moves fast, and makes it all feel natural

What's Aged the Worst

Mallory Rubin▶ 1:00:43The runtime - at 1 hour 22 minutes, it feels like a TV episode rather than a movie and she wanted more time with the characters
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:00:07Initially considered whether kids still play with toys the same way, but concluded they do and Fortnite hasn't completely won over young children's imaginations

Casting What-Ifs

Mallory Rubin▶ 1:04:23Paul Newman — Never wants to say no to Paul Newman but has spent too much time with Tom Hanks as Woody to conceive of anything else. Likes Rick Moranis for Rex. Asked about Jeremy Irons as Mr. Potato Head.
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:06:31Jim Carrey — Wouldn't recast anybody from the actual film - thinks current casting is perfect. Discussed original plans for Jim Carrey as Buzz and Paul Newman as Woody but prefers the generational similarity of Hanks/Allen. Likes Rick Moranis for Rex.
Shea Serrano▶ 1:06:36Denzel Washington — Wants Denzel Washington as Buzz Lightyear. Paul Newman is the only actor he'd accept over Tom Hanks for Woody.

Dion Waiters Award

Mallory Rubin▶ 1:07:05Don Rickles — Supports Mr. Potato Head and suggests Ham (John Ratzenberger) as well
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:06:49Don Rickles — Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, also mentions Wallace Shawn as Rex
Shea Serrano▶ 1:07:28Don Rickles — Agrees with Mr. Potato Head

Joey Pants Award

Mallory Rubin▶ 1:08:16Erik von Detten — Eric Von Detten who voices Sid
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:07:36Mentions Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, and R. Lee Ermey as the sergeant, but says he has another pick without revealing it

Half-Assed Internet Research

Mallory Rubin▶ 1:10:00Makes the case for Rex (the dinosaur) for the animal performance award, noting Rex is technically a dinosaur and Scud plays a pivotal role
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:09:50Presents trivia about Sid's dog being named Scud and discusses the Brandy Booth Award for Outstanding Animal Performance

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Mallory Rubin▶ 1:21:15Is Emily, Jessie's original owner in Toy Story 2, actually Andy's mom? (Emily's surname is never said; Andy's mom calls Woody a 'family toy', and Woody/Jessie/Bullseye/Prospector are a set that may have always been in the family)
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:21:15Is Emily, Jesse's original owner in Toy Story 2, actually Andy's mom? (her named unanswerable question; also theorizes toys' powering-down is instinctual self-preservation and Woody stayed a Davis 'family toy')
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:13:50Why doesn't Buzz, who thinks he's a real spaceman, choose to interact with Andy?; why doesn't Andy notice he didn't bring Woody into Pizza Planet?; could you really mail-order fireworks in '95?; why doesn't 1950s-era Woody remember previous owners?
Shea Serrano▶ 1:20:53Offered a blocked-memory theory for the adjacent question under discussion — 'I think it's PTSD... he was just so hurt by it, he blocked it out' — and endorsed Mallory's Emily theory ('There you go... We're cleaning up here in this category')
Shea Serrano▶ 1:16:56Answers the questions rather than posing one: Buzz is in 'camouflage mode' since humans are irrelevant to his mission; leaving Woody in the car was a parent move; Woody blocked out past owners (PTSD)

Picking Nits

Mallory Rubin▶ 1:22:08Multiple nits: toys trying to get Scud hit by a car, moving truck being nearly empty despite packing a whole house, toys being fast enough to catch a moving truck, and Woody not thinking to use the window earlier when he orchestrated Buzz going out the window
Shea Serrano▶ 1:24:30Wanting to know what Andy's mom said to Sid's mom about why he wasn't invited to the party

Apex Mountain

Mallory Rubin▶ 1:38:06Steve Jobs — Thumbs down on Steve Jobs being at Apex Mountain in 1995
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:36:47Tom Hanks — Tom Hanks in 1995 - won second Oscar for Forrest Gump, released Apollo 13 and Toy Story within five months, filming directorial debut That Thing You Do
Shea Serrano▶ 1:37:14Toys — Agrees Tom Hanks 1995 is historic Apex Mountain, highest ever on the show. For toys specifically, picks Robin Williams movie 'Toys' as Apex Mountain for toys

Who Won the Movie

Mallory Rubin▶ 1:39:42Tom Hanks — Woody - because the entire Toy Story universe hinges on Woody's choices, growth, and sense of self
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:39:37Tom Hanks — Woody
Shea Serrano▶ 1:40:40Tom Hanks — Woody - all the most emotional moments come from Woody's beats, though Buzz makes a close run

Movies Referenced (54)

Cars (2006)

8 mentions · Shea Serrano, Sean Fennessey▶ 18:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Toy Story 3 (2010)

8 mentions · Mallory Rubin, Shea Serrano, Sean Fennessey▶ 15:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Toy Story 4 (2019)

8 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin, Shea Serrano▶ 20:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Child's Play (1988)

4 mentions · Mallory Rubin, Shea Serrano▶ 27:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Coco (2017)

4 mentions · Shea Serrano, Mallory Rubin, Sean Fennessey▶ 16:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Finding Nemo (2003)

4 mentions · Shea Serrano, Mallory Rubin, Sean Fennessey▶ 17:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steve Jobs (2015)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 6:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Toy Story 2 (1999)

4 mentions · Mallory Rubin, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:16:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Inside Out (2015)

3 mentions · Mallory Rubin, Shea Serrano, Sean Fennessey▶ 16:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sharknado (2013)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Shea Serrano▶ 46:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Shea Serrano▶ 35:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Lion King (1994)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Shea Serrano▶ 46:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (3)

Mel Gibson

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Shea Serrano · Known for Braveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory▶ 1:02:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Colorado

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Shea Serrano · Known for Hancock▶ 1:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steven Spielberg

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan▶ 37:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (28)

Walt Disney

12 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin, Shea Serrano · Known for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Lady and the Tramp▶ 2:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Newman

8 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin, Shea Serrano · Known for The Hustler, Road to Perdition, The Verdict▶ 1:03:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steve Jobs

8 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Shea Serrano, Mallory Rubin · Known for Toy Story, Cars▶ 6:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Hanks

8 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin, Shea Serrano · Known for Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump▶ 8:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tim Allen

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Shea Serrano, Mallory Rubin · Known for Toy Story, Galaxy Quest▶ 8:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Denzel Washington

6 mentions · Shea Serrano, Sean Fennessey · Known for Fences, The Book of Eli▶ 1:05:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jim Carrey

5 mentions · Shea Serrano, Sean Fennessey · Known for Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Bruce Almighty, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind▶ 1:03:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Wallace Shawn

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin · Known for The Princess Bride, Clueless▶ 8:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Billy Crystal

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Shea Serrano · Known for Forget Paris, City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally...▶ 1:01:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Ratzenberger

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Monsters University, Toy Story▶ 1:07:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Murray

2 mentions · Shea Serrano · Known for Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom▶ 1:02:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce Willis

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Die Hard, Pulp Fiction▶ 1:02:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (9)

John Lasseter

13 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Shea Serrano · Known for Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life, Cars▶ 7:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Andrew Stanton

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for WALL·E, Finding Nemo, Finding Dory▶ 7:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeffrey Katzenberg

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Shrek, Just Like Heaven▶ 26:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pete Docter

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin · Known for Up, Inside Out▶ 25:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 20:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alec Sokolow

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Toy Story, Money Talks▶ 7:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Lucas

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, THX 1138, American Graffiti▶ 37:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joel Cohen

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Toy Story, Money Talks▶ 7:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joss Whedon

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Avengers, The Cabin in the Woods▶ 7:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Buzz Aldrin

1 mentions · Mallory Rubin · Known for Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Apollo 11▶ 1:13:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗