"Lightyear" (2022)

This is the movie within the Toy Story universe that the Buzz Lightyear toy was based on. True, they already did that with Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, but I haven't seen that yet.

Long story short, I liked this movie. It's no masterpiece by any means, but it's entertaining from start to finish.

It quickly sets up an intriguing world with cool technology and the Space Ranger Corps at its centre. It's especially fascinating to see the applications of the buttons on the Space Ranger suits and how they evolved into the toy's actions. The red button that released Buzz's wings, for example, has a different but still practical function here.

On a related note, the callbacks to famous lines from Toy Story are appreciated. You could say, in a sense, they got their start here. :-)

I also like Buzz's character arc. He's determined to fix a predicament that his own ego created for a whole population. He's initially reluctant to accept help because he's been trained not to put unqualified amateurs in harm's way, but comes to learn a lesson that I myself found very relatable: you can't do everything yourself.

Buzz this time is voiced by Chris Evans, but it's not the least bit distracting. It's remarkable how much he sounds like Tim Allen here. :-)

My favourite part is how, when the team needs to find a certain gadget for their plan, they just call it "the part". :-) Not only does it make sense for their characters, but it's like the movie is mocking that cliché.

The only thing I don't like is the reveal of Zurg's identity. It works within this movie's story, but it casts a shadow on Buzz and Zurg's relationship in all subsequent in-universe media, like the video game in Toy Story 2, and especially a line in the same movie that, while obviously a joke, is still a contradiction.

I think it would have been funny if this movie had thrown in a bunch of Star Wars references, like the Toy Story 2 joke I just mentioned. But surprisingly, it's not very tongue-in-cheek at all in that regard; it mostly plays it straight. Although the first scene, which sets up the entire story, is an obvious homage to, of all things, Alien!

I did wonder if the film would have been live action or hand-drawn animation within the Toy Story universe (or perhaps the first 3D animated feature, like Toy Story was in the real world), but according to director Angus MacLane, it's the former.

Overall, I thought it was a very enjoyable movie. I can see why it would be Andy's favourite (as the opening says) and spawn a toy of at least the main character.

My rating: 75%