Collette’s Review: Lightyear

Lightyear is a unique take on a prequel. In Toy Story, Andy loved his new toy based on his favorite movie. Now, almost 30 years later, we get to experience that movie.

The Plot

Buzz (Chris Evans) and his Star Command crew are stranded on a strange planet. To save his fleet and complete the mission, Buzz has to find a way to reach hyperspeed. The crew bands together to create the power source, and Buzz becomes the test subject. When Buzz returns from his test flight, he learns that four years have passed. The more flights he takes, the more time he loses. Through it all, we see his best friend Alisha (Uzo Aduba) find love, start a family with her wife, and grow older. When Buzz returns from his mission Alisha is gone, his fleet excepts the planet as their home, and a new threat lingers. As Buzz navigates his way through killer robots, he is helped by Alisha’s granddaughter Izzy (Keke Palmer), and her two friends, Mo (Taika Waititi) and Darby (Dale Soules).

The Pixar Experience

Pixar’s return to the big screen is nothing short of spectacular. Once again, the studio has outdone itself. It has everything you would expect: Visually stunning, fantastical storytelling, a lot of heart, a strong message, and moments that will make you cry.

Through it, there are lovable characters that you will grow attached to. One, in particular, is Sox (Peter Sohn), a robotic cat that steals the spotlight from our favorite pilot. With this addition, the studio has marketing gold. I can guarantee after this film; every kid will want a Sox cat of their own.

The Conclusion

Lightyear is fun and entertaining. For fans of Toy, Story, Lightyear is nostalgic and fresh at the same time. The animation is so spectacular it feels like a sci-fi blockbuster. The characters are well-rounded and lovable, and the story is intriguing. Also, Disney did not shy away from having a same-sex couple. No “coming out” story was involved; it was simply treated as a love story. And that was refreshing to see.

This movie is about learning to move past your mistakes and let go, which is so wonderful for kids to see. We all put so much pressure on ourselves that we lose sight of what we’re missing out on. So, expect to laugh, cry, and cheer. Old fans and new fans of the franchise will love it. It may not be the story you were expecting, but, Lightyear will take you to infinity and beyond.