Comparison · 3 shared techniques

Toy Story vs Cars

Toy Story (1995) and Cars (2006) share 3 techniques. Here is how each film uses them.

Toy Story (1995) poster

Toy Story

John Lasseter · 1995

Cars (2006) poster

Cars

John Lasseter · 2006

Shared

Same technique, two films

Status and Self-Worth Anxiety

Centering a character's fear of being unimportant, replaced or left behind. Their pursuit of rank, success or recognition shows how fragile their self-worth is.

Toy Story

What terrifies Woody is losing his sense of who he is. His whole identity is being Andy's favorite. So when Buzz arrives, it means the Woody he thought he was no longer exists. The toy competition and the rivalry are the smaller part of it.

Cars

McQueen thinks winning is everything. He has no friends, ignores his pit crew and only cares about the big sponsor. The film shows how little he has once the cheering stops.

Original Songs as Narrative

Writing songs for the film that carry story, feeling or payoff. Characters burst into music or a theme song resolves the plot.

Toy Story

'You've Got a Friend in Me' states the film's main idea before the story has begun. 'Strange Things' describes Woody losing his status as it happens. 'I Will Go Sailing No More' gives Buzz the film's most devastating emotional moment. Newman ends up as a second narrator.

Cars

A song written for the film explains the town's story. The lyrics carry the sadness of the place, and you feel it without a line of dialogue.

Photorealistic CGI Pioneering

Making images entirely by computer and tuning the surfaces, lighting and focus to look like live-action photography. At its best, you can't tell what was filmed and what was rendered.

Toy Story

Pixar's RenderMan software simulated light bouncing off plastic, fabric and wood more accurately than anything before it. The lighting in Andy's room changes with the time of day, shadows fall correctly and textures seem to have real weight. This set the visual standard that every CGI film since has either followed or pushed against.

Cars

The cars have glossy paint, chrome and windshields that reflect the sky and the desert. The detail makes them feel like real machines you could touch, even with cartoon eyes.

Different

Where they split