lightyear movie review christian

Going To Infinity and Beyond – Has Lightyear Gone too Far?

Who doesn’t love the Toy Story franchise? Woody and Buzz are staples in many homes with kids (and adults). In fact, Woody is currently sprawled out on my kitchen table and I fully expect him to move when nobody is in the room. So it would make sense to see Lightyear as soon as it hit theaters. However, I have learned to preview every movie that is released. In the latest Disney Pixar movie, we are treated to Andy’s favorite movie and the reason why he fell in love with Buzz. This Pixar Lightyear Christian Movie Review will give you the info you need before viewing this movie with your children.

Lightyear is a prequel to the Toy Story franchise and stars the voice of Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear. In the movie, Alisha Hawthorne plays the part of Buzz’s friend, space ranger, and eventually the commander. She is a lesbian. The film has brief scenes that depict her relationship and includes a same-sex kiss.

My husband and I paid for our own tickets to preview this movie for the purposes of this review. This was done in an effort to bring an unbiased review to you. For details on how I conduct reviews, read HERE!

Disney Pixar Lightyear Christian Movie Review Synopsis:

Movie studio synopsis: From Disney and Pixar comes an animated sci-fi action-adventure — the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans), the hero who inspired the toy. “Lightyear” follows the legendary space ranger on an intergalactic adventure alongside ambitious recruits, Izzy, Mo, and Darby, and his robot companion Sox. As this motley crew embark on their toughest mission yet, they must learn to work as a team to escape the evil Zurg and his dutiful robot army who are never far behind.”

In the year 1995, Andy watches a movie about Lightyear and becomes obsessed. He wants a Buzz Lightyear toy. And what young boy (or girl) doesn’t want a cool Buzz Lightyear action figure modeled after a real space ranger. But in this movie, Buzz is not a solitary space ranger. There is an entire crew of space rangers.

Actually, Buzz is a test pilot/astronaut/space ranger. 4.2 million miles from Star Command, Buzz and Alisha Hawthorne detect life on an uninhabited planet and go down to explore taking a rookie space ranger with them. The planet erupts with aggressive plants and flying giant insects attacking the rookie. Buzz fights off the aggressive planetary species on his own. In fact, he is determined to do everything on his own. The trio eventually makes it back to the spaceship and attempt to leave the planet. However, Buzz ends up crash landing “the turnip” (Buzz’s nickname for the ship) back on the planet.

Can Lightyear successfully complete his mission and get the entire crew back to Star Command? Will they be able to reproduce a fuel cell on an uncharted planet? And will Buzz learn the ultimate lesson that no man can work alone?

Disney Pixar Lightyear Christian Movie Review – What Parents May Want to Know

Positive elements:.

Lightyear’s fellow space ranger, Alisha, gives a robotic personal companion cat to him named Sox. Sox is cute and a highlight in the movie.

Additionally, Lightyear is determined to complete the mission and not give up until he has succeeded. His determination is inspiring.

What You May Need to Know:

While there is no foul language in this film, there are a few instances of “adult jokes” that were not funny and will definitely go over most kids’ heads.

There are numerous scenes with lasers, blasters, shooting, and fights with robots. Additionally, there are scenes with plants that grab humans and pull them underground and monstrous flying attack insects.

The majority of the fighting scenes include humans and robots. Evil Emperor Zurg is huge and may be scary for some children.

In a few scenes, there are Star Wars type fighting. Also, a couple of scenes are reminiscent of the Omnidroid from The Incredibles. (While we are talking about other movies, at times it did have a Star Trek vibe and reminded me of a few episodes with Captain Kirk fighting strange creatures on uncharted planets.)

Sexual Content & Other Content:

Several months ago, Disney announced that they had reinserted a scene supporting the LGBTQIA+ audience. Lightyear attempts multiple test flights, and with each flight, he returns 4+ years in the future. Buzz has a brief interaction with Alisha after each return trip. We see Alisha engaged, married, with a small child, and then with an adult child.

The scenes that show the relationship between Alisha and her wife are depicted in the following manner: Alisha says she is engaged and Buzz says, “What’s her name?” Alisha responds, “Kiko.” The viewer sees through a series of scenes, Alisha and Kiko in various stages of their relationship including pregnancy, with a small child, celebrating their child’s graduation, celebrating their anniversary, and the same-sex kiss. There is limited dialogue through these scenes.

There is also a scene where Izzy Hawthorne (who is the granddaughter of Alisha and Kiko) refers to her two grandmas.

Also, there are visual references to rainbow colors giving a nod to all things PRIDE such as a rainbow crystal and rainbow confetti.

There is a death of a main character, however, some children may not even pick up on the death. It is done with great sensitivity.

Teachable Moments:

If you are ready to have discussions with your children about same-sex marriage, this film depicts the loving relationship between two women in a tasteful manner.

My Review Recommendations:

My recommendation is two-part. Aside from the same-sex kiss, this is a movie that will entertain young Buzz fans, however, it is quite lackluster. When I was leaving the movie, I usually watch and listen to the overall audience’s reactions. There was one young boy who exclaimed, “I loved this movie.” However, the rest of the audience was pretty somber as if they had just watched a documentary.

While walking out, I asked several adults their thoughts, and heard over and over, “It was okay,” or “It’s nice to be back in the theater.” There was no excitement or, “This is a great movie.”

Furthermore, there are just major plot holes and things that will just make your scratch your head and wonder how they even came up with that idea. Obvious this is sci-fi, but the movie defies logic all while sprinkling words in like hyperspeed and other terms aimed at making you think it sounds intelligent.

So my recommendation based on the movie alone is wait until it comes out on Disney+ streaming or Blu/Ray, or DVD.

Regarding the same-sex kiss, the inclusion of this gives LGBTQIA+ families representation and is done in a tasteful manner. However, for many Bible-believing Christian families this is an area where they will not compromise, and they will not want to see this movie. Read More of my thoughts below.

Buzz Lightyear in his room with robot kitten Sox

Cast of Disney/Pixar Lightyear:

Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear

Keke Palmer as Izzy Hawthorne

Peter Sohn as Sox

James Brolin as Evil Emperor Zurg

Tanka Waititi as Mo Morrison

Dale Soules as Darby Steel

Uzo Aduba as Alisha Hawthorne

Mary McDonald-Lewis as IVAN a voice-activated navigation system

Efren Ramirez as Airman Diaz

Isiah Whitlock, Jr. as Commander Burnside

Time Peake as Tim from Mission Control

Bill Hader as Featheringhamstan

Director: Angus MacLane

Executive Producer: Pete Doctor

Producer: Galyn Susman

Composer: Michael Giacchino

Screenplay by: Jason Headley

Angus MacLane

Story by: Angus MacLane

Matthew Aldrich

Jason Headley

MPAA Rating: PG for action/peril

Release Date: June 17, 2022

Run Time: 109 minutes

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are there any end credits scenes.

Yes, you should stay until the end – the very end. There is a scene in the middle of the credits and there is a scene at the very end. While your life will not be changed by these scenes, they should be watched.

When Will this movie be released on DVD or Blu-ray?

It is estimated to be released on September 23, 2022

Is this movie available for streaming?

Lightyear should be available for streaming on Disney+ in the future. Expect an August 2022 release date.

What countries are not playing Disney Pixar’s Lightyear?

Due to LGBTQ+ content, this movie will not be shown in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries and will most likely not open in China. The countries include United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Indonesia, and Kuwait.

Additionally, in Singapore, it is being released with an NC16 rating due to “overt homosexual depictions.”

Homosexuality is criminal in many Middle Eastern countries.

Is there a same-sex kiss in Lightyear?

Yes, two women briefly kiss.

Who has voiced Buzz Lightyear? And why isn’t Tim Allen voicing Buzz in the Lightyear movie?

In the original Toy Story Series and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins, and Toy Story Racer, Tim Allen voiced Buzz Lightyear. However, Chris Evan’s voice is the one used in the new Lightyear movie. Additionally, Patrick Warburton (Kronk from The Emperor’s New Groove) played the voice of Buzz in the animated Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.

Javier Fernandez-Pena voiced the Spanish Buzz in Toy Story 3 and Hawaiin Vacation. Teddy Newton voiced Buzz in Small Fry. Pat Fraley voiced Buzz in Toy Story Treats and a few video games. Additionally Mike MacRae did the voice of Buzz for video games.

According to Disney, Allen played the voice of the toy while Chris “Evans voiced the actual Buzz Lightyear, bringing a ”Captain America” vide to the swashbuckling character.

Further thoughts Regarding Disney/Pixar’s Lightyear:

As Hollywood continues to become more and more progressive, they alienate the Christian audiences. Chris Evans has publicly stated that anyone who doesn’t believe as he does are idiots. If you oppose diversity and on-screen representations, you will eventually “die-off like dinosaurs.” Evans has said, “The real truth is those people are idiots.” He also said, “That the goal is that we can get to a point where it is the norm and that this doesn’t have to be some uncharted waters. That eventually this is just the way it is.”

Furthermore, there has been criticism aimed at Disney Pixar for not casting Tim Allen as the voice of Buzz Lightyear and instead choosing Chris Evans. I personally followed Chris Evans on Twitter for years. He is caustic and condescending towards those that don’t hold his beliefs. There is no civil discussion. I think Chris Evans portrayed Buzz in the same caustic fashion. I think Tim Allen would have added a lovable feature to Buzz that was lacking.

Obviously, Hollywood and Disney have spoken and they are at odds with Christian values. Keep in mind we are called to love everyone while proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. Prayerfully consider how God wants you and your family to respond to the ever-changing world around us.

If this review was helpful to you, please share. We make no money from the entertainment industry and are a family just like yours trying to live out our Christian faith.

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Schooling with disney’s pinocchio movie plus review, 3 thoughts on “lightyear christian movie review”.

I don’t understand why talking to your kids about homosexuality is even required here. It’s a background plot and kids won’t notice, unless an adult is like “oh hey, did you see those two women over there raising a family.” I don’t understand, why does THAT warrant extra time and not the other sinful parts? Buzz is mean to others at the beginning. Buzz struggles with guilt, even after it’s clear that everyone else forgives him for crashing the ship. Also, there’s attempted murder several times! Surely the selfishness, self-flaggellation and attempted murder are more relevant sins than the lesbians who raise a good son and a wonderful granddaughter. I don’t understand how some people make anti-homosexuality their whole worldview. If watching old Buzz try to murder young Buzz doesn’t turn your kids into murderers, then why the fear about the well adjusted family? Frankly, they’re the best examples of love in the whole movie. They love Buzz even as he’s hurting himself and others. If heterosexuals do a thing, and homosexuals do the same thing, but you have a problem with the homosexuals, then how can one say with a straight face that they love their neighbor? If they can’t even watch their neighbors be represented on screen without anger, then it doesn’t seem like there’s much love there.

Thanks for the review, I hope parents and kids watch this movie and enjoy it.

From audience reaction; if you have Christian morals, viewing an immoral or depicted act from a character or person in real life cannot be forgotten. “Character” as we know it, holds fast and that person or character keeps that reputation. For a movie, it is the same. One single act cannot be forgotten.

I agree! We did not take our children to this movie. Since I do movie reviews as a ministry, I felt compelled to screen this one. I will continue to review movies until I am called to move in another direction.

Another Woke Disney product that attempts to validate LGBTQ and Feminist idealogy

Makes Buzz’s inspiration and the story’s true hero his Lesbian friend, Aisha

Attempts to normalize the idea of two women marrying each other and having a baby

What about Gays needs to change? Answer — It may not be what you think.

What does the Bible say about same sex marriages? Answer

Read stories about those who have struggled with homosexuality

Copyright, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

W hile exploring an unknown planet, Buzz Lightyear ( Chris Evans ), Commander Hawthorne ( Uzo Aduba ) and Rookie Featheringhamstan ( Bill Hader ) are forced to make a hasty departure when they’re attacked by vine creatures. Buzz can’t quite steer the ship over the top of a jagged peak and the vessel crash-lands on the inhospitable world.

One year later, a small base has sprung up around the ship, constructed by the ship’s crew who’ve been roused from their suspended animation naps. These industrious pioneers also have designed an experimental spaceplane that might be able to achieve hyperspeed, which will allow Buzz to bring his crew home and complete his mission.

With each unsuccessful mission, Buzz returns to the base to find that everyone has grown older. When Buzz finally achieves hyperspeed, he comes home to a grim reality… the descendants of his original crew have been wiped out by an army of malevolent robots.

Does that synopsis make “Lightyear” sound kind of ho-hum and hard to follow for a kid’s movie ? It is.

If you find the plot hard to track, try apprehending the movie’s “meta” introduction, which tells us that young Andy from “Toy Story” (1995) first idolized his favorite toy (Buzz, not Woody apparently) while watching a movie starring the Space Ranger, and that “This is that story.” So, just to be clear, we’re watching an animated movie about an action hero that a kid in another animated movie also watched; and his toy, based on the action hero in the movie, becomes the co-star of four films. Somebody pass the Advil.

The opening sequence of “Toy Story 2” (1999) features a brief episode where Buzz cleverly defeats an army of robots and encounters the villainous Zurg. The action-packed sequence cleverly sets up the climactic confrontation and starts the movie off with a bang.

As exhilarating as the pulse-pounding preamble is in “Toy Story 2,” I couldn’t have handled an entire movie in the same style and at the same breakneck pace. Though the story here isn’t nearly as pedestrian as the dramatized video game in “Toy Story 2,” it has an overall campiness that the film’s handful of decent character moments can’t quite overcome.

“Lightyear” serves as an origin story for Buzz Lightyear and a loose prequel to the “Toy Story” movies. It gives us more details about the way Star Command and its Space Rangers operate. However, despite some nifty weapons, like the laser blade, and sweet-looking ships, like the XL-15, much of the movie is a pastiche of other sci-fi franchises, particularly “Star Wars” and “Star Trek.”

Buzz’ mission logs are an obvious rip-off of the captain’s log in “Star Trek.” Also, the visuals when the XL spaceship attempts to slingshot around a sun are remarkably similar to the slingshot sequences in “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” (1986).

Other than their bright yellow paint job, the hulking Zyclops robots bear more than a passing resemblance to the super battle droids in the “Star Wars” prequels. The capital ship Zurg commands is reminiscent of an Imperial Star Destroyer (the Arquitens Class command cruiser in particular). Buzz and his team come up with a plan to destroy Zurg’s mother ship, which will deactivate all the robots. This plan is virtually identical to the one hatched by the Gungans and the Naboo to destroy the Trade Federation ship, which deactivates all the battle droids in “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (1999).

Spiritual Aspects

Aside from leaning on well-worn sci-fi tropes, the movie attempts to explore some adult themes, with varying degrees of success. The challenges inherent in colonizing an alien planet are addressed obliquely, but the dome-like protection, called “Laser Shield,” prevents a lot of dramatic tension and potential action scenes. To its credit, the movie references some science, like relative velocity and time dilation… pretty ambitious for a kid’s movie.

Also to its credit, the film subtly weaves an allusion to “Moby Dick” into its plot. After repeated failed attempts to reach hyperspeed, Buzz realizes his friends are getting older and are having kids and grandkids. At some point you’d think Buzz would stop, turn the mission over to a younger pilot and spend some quality time with his aging friends. But no, Buzz’ pride (Proverbs 16:18) won’t allow that.

Breaking the hyperspeed barrier is Buzz’ white whale. He risks everything to reach that goal. Sadly, obsession blinds him to what matters most in life; he never gets to say goodbye to Hawthorne and his other friends because he’s off flying a mission when they pass away. It’s a poignant moment for the audience, as we place ourselves in Buzz’ boots and consider the brevity of life (James 4:13-17) and what awaits us in the Great Beyond.

However, after learning that his friends have died (Hebrews 9:27), Buzz doubles down on his quixotic quest. With the space program scrapped, Buzz steals his old spaceplane, thereby violating the Eighth Commandment, “You shall not steal ” (Exodus 20:15). When the command center asks who’s in the cockpit, he lies (Proverbs 12:22) and says he’s part of the cleaning crew.

Other than the secondary themes of obsession and growing old, the movie’s main themes, which are hammered home over and over again in the dialog, are Buzz’ independence and the crew’s guilt beatings from making mistakes.

Buzz isn’t very likable at the beginning of the film. He’s arrogant, controlling (he detests autopilots) and overconfident (Buzz’ overestimation of his piloting abilities is what causes the ship to crash, which is the inciting incident for the movie’s many complications). He makes condescending remarks about the rookie and ignores the young man’s frequent attempts to lend a hand. In essence, Buzz is John Wayne in space.

Buzz’ narcissism is on full display when he makes mission logs. Dictated like a dramatic reading, these oft-embellished recordings are just to make him look good in the eyes of his superiors. Hawthorne calls out Buzz’ compulsion to record their missions and refers to his habit as “narrating” (not to be confused with “monologuing” in “ The Incredibles ”). The fact that Hawthorne tells him no one listens to his recordings doesn’t dissuade Buzz from making log entries during the rest of the movie. Add stubbornness to Buzz’ list of negative character traits.

As was mentioned earlier, the movie’s writers work overtime to highlight Buzz’ independent nature. At one point, Buzz says, “I’m better off doing the job by myself.” Later, he says, “I’m always sure.”

What does the Bible say about pride and HUMILITY ?

Fortunately, Buzz comes to see the value of teamwork. He gradually abandons his desire to control everything. He learns to accept the ideas of others and even delegates responsibilities he’d normally shoulder himself. Buzz’ loner leader turned team player story arc culminates with this admission, “I can’t do it alone. I need help.” Buzz’ transformative realization is also germane for those in the audience; we all need others in our life, and must learn to yield to a Higher Power .

A few characters beat themselves up over mistakes they make. The first is Buzz, who wants to court martial himself after crashing the ship. His all-consuming need to break the hyperspeed barrier is tied to the guilt he feels over waylaying the mission and placing everyone on the ship at risk.

Side character, Mo Morrison ( Taika Waititi ), expresses feelings of guilt over a mistake, as does Izzy Hawthorne ( Keke Palmer ). Izzy also experiences the crushing weight of expectations she’s placed on herself. She says, “I’m supposed to be as good as my grandmother.” Sadly, Izzy doesn’t realize that her Creator has a unique purpose (Romans 8:28) for her life, a separate path from her grandmother’s.

While guilt can be a useful emotion, it also can consume a person’s life, which isn’t healthy. The Good News is that there is One (1 Timothy 2:5) who can remove the guilt over past mistakes. If we confess (1 John 1:9) our faults, He promises to forgive the things we’ve done wrong. He died so we can have eternal life (Hebrews 9:15).

GUILT —How can I be and feel forgiven? Answer

FORGIVEN? —If God forgives me every time I ask, why do I still feel so guilty? Answer

Saving the worst for last, the movie features a homosexual (Romans 1:26-27) relationship. After returning from a mission, Buzz notices a ring on Hawthorne’s finger. Buzz must already know that Hawthorne is a lesbian because he asks, “Who is she?” (otherwise, he would’ve asked “Who is he?” or “Who’s the lucky person?”).

As Buzz checks in on Hawthorne after various missions, we see her in an apartment with another woman, and then later with the same woman and some kids. In one montage shot, we see Hawthorne kiss her female partner.

Surely, this is Disney’s influence on the story, since the company is brazenly pro-homosexual. It’s a sad, sad day when moviemakers foist an alternate lifestyle on impressionable young viewers. Unfortunately, unless they repent, their fate is sealed (Luke 17:2).

GAY —What’s wrong with being Gay? Answer — Homosexual behavior versus the Bible: Are people born Gay? Does homosexuality harm anyone? Is it anyone’s business? Are homosexual and heterosexual relationships equally valid?

Objectionable Material

OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE/VULGARITIES: There aren’t any expletives in the movie. However, there are a few instances of mild vain speech like “shoot” and “blast.” Several other fairly benign phrases, such as “you’re mocking me,” “dumb bugs” and “screwed up,” may concern some parents. A man mistakenly thinks Buzz wants someone to pull his finger—a fart joke done on the sly.

ALCOHOL/DRUGS: No alcohol or drugs here.

NUDITY AND SEXUAL CONTENT: The movie doesn’t have any nudity or sex scenes. However, there’s an awkward scene where Buzz explains that he and Izzy’s grandmother used to point their fingers at each other (and say “To infinity and beyond”). Though Buzz’s actions were completely innocent and appropriate, some characters misinterpret this as an act of impropriety. The only display of affection in the movie is the lesbian kiss mentioned above.

VIOLENCE AND GRAPHIC CONTENT: There isn’t any graphic violence in the movie, but there are several action sequences where characters fire laser guns at robots or slice through vine creatures with glowing laser blades. Giant flying bugs are blown apart or sliced in half by lasers. An arrow is shot through the head of one robot. Several robots are blasted and appendages or parts fall off their bodies.

There’s a scene where Buzz arms his team with guns and various other weapons from an armory. One character says he’s on parole and isn’t allowed to fire a gun. Buzz says their desperate situation warrants breaking the law… and he hands the person a gun.

During a battle with robots, some members of Buzz’ team throw grenades and fire different kinds of weapons. Again, there isn’t any blood or gore here, but you could make a pretty large mound of scrap metal from all the dismembered or demolished robots.

Final Thoughts

“Lightyear” is a disappointment on many levels . It contains the merest fraction of the movie magic that made the “Toy Story” franchise so wildly popular with kids, parents and critics alike.

Thematically, the movie is very adult, and aesthetically, it’s very dark. There’s little levity and very few funny lines in the movie. Plus, the hero isn’t very heroic for the first half of the film. Then there’s that Lesbian/Feminist ideology, which really sullies the movie’s innocence.

Though the production elements are top-notch, the story is lacking. I expect much more from Pixar (the quality of their movies has steadily declined since Disney bought the studio).

Still, “Lightyear” is educational. It teaches us the proper way to make a meat sandwich. It also leaves us pondering the big questions about life and the universe.

Like, what’s beyond infinity?

Violence: Moderate
Profane language: None
Vulgar/Crude language: None
Nudity: None
Drugs/Alcohol: None
Occult: None

Editor’s Note: Christian Spotlight recommends viewers SKIP this film. We also sadly recognize that the Disney company has for some time now become an active enemy of biblical Christianity.

Learn about DISCERNMENT —wisdom in making personal entertainment decisions

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers .

Non-viewer comments

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.

Lightyear (Christian Movie Review)

Verdict: A solid and entertaining space adventure that contains all the expected hallmarks of a Pixar film, but also features its most prominent LGBTQ subplot yet.

About The Film

Pixar Studios is flying back into theaters. After stirring up controversy earlier this year with Turning Red , the animation studio now sets its sights to infinity and beyond . . . and sparks more controversy along the way.

Much of the pre-release discussion orbiting around the movie has been about the alleged same-sex kiss that was originally intended, then edited out, then (after backlash) reinserted. I suspect much of the post-release conversation will land on this topic as well. We’ll discuss it below, as it is definitely an important element for Christians to consider. But first, lets look at Lightyear as a movie.

People have been confused about what this film is and how it relates to the classic Tim Allen-voiced Buzz Lightyear we all know and love. As the opening credits lay out, this is the in-world movie on which the Buzz Lightyear toy from the Toy Story franchise is supposedly based. In other words, Lightyear is the Star Wars of that fictional world. It’s a clever concept, though not as interesting in practice as in theory. It’s largely an excuse to use a recognizable property to tell an otherwise unrelated science-fiction story. Beyond the famous green and white space suits and a few mannerisms, there really isn’t much to connect Lightyear to Toy Story . Since the central premise is so meta, the story lacks some of the explosive inventiveness and freshness of previous high-concept Pixar movies, such as Soul, Inside Out , or even Turning Red . What it offers is an entertaining and well-crafted space adventure.

What Lightyear may lack in originality it makes up for in fun and excitement. I’ve criticized many recent Pixar films for taking themselves too seriously and sacrificing entertainment value in their exploration of more mature material. Lightyear doesn’t suffer from that problem. There are some of the emotional and introspective moments viewers expect from Pixar, particularly in the first third. After that, the story morphs into a full-on action adventure filled with thrilling scenes and plot twists.

To accomplish his mission and defeat the evil Zurg, Buzz is joined by a quirky crew of junior cadets. All the members are endearing and entertaining. The breakout star is the hilarious AI cat companion, Sox, who steals the show much like Dug the dog did in Up. Lightyear is a consistently funny movie, with humor that feels earned rather than contrived gags.

In the end, Lightyear may not be one of the best Pixar movies, but it’s a solid, entertaining space adventure that will appeal to younger and older audiences alike. This movie would be an easy recommendation if not for a forced LGBTQ subplot that casts a Zurg-sized shadow over the whole thing (see below). There is much to enjoy and appreciate in Lightyear , but Christians and parents will need to decide how (or if) they approach it.

For Consideration

Profanity: None.

Violence: None.

Sexuality: Here we go. Disney/Pixar has been dipping their toes into LGBTQ representation for a while, but they finally take the full plunge in Lightyear . While the discussion has surrounded a same-sex kiss, it’s more a subplot than an isolated moment. Two scenes encompass this storyline. In the first, Buzz (who misses 4 years every time he hyperjumps) comments on his female colleague’s engagement ring, and they discuss how she became engaged to a woman. The scene comes across as a blatant attempt to make a statement.

The second scene, longer and following shortly after the first, is a silent montage—similar to the famous “growing old” montage in Up —in which Buzz makes repeated hyper jumps as everyone around him grows old. To mark the passage of time, he visits his female friend’s apartment whenever he returns. Thus, in the montage, the film showcases the development of that same-sex marriage through the years, from marriage, to raising a daughter, to celebrating their 40 th wedding anniversary (which is the moment of the quick, much-publicized kiss). Christian parents will need to decide how to approach this material with their children. Other than one vague reference later in the movie, the LGBTQ subplot is contained to these two scenes.

Engage The Film

Cooperation and unity.

Overall, Lightyear is not quite as deep or mature as other Pixar films, but there are still several interesting and wholesome themes. Younger viewers will pick up on the theme of cooperation and learning to work together as a team. As a space ranger, Buzz is a lone wolf. He is good at what he does and struggles to trust others to help (particularly young people or rookies). Part of his character arc is learning humility and how he is stronger in a team than on his own. The film doesn’t necessarily do the best job at demonstrating his need for others (little the other characters do is of much consequence or actual help), but there is enough there to work as a visual parable for 1 Corinthians 12 .

Living in the Present

Another theme the film explores is about embracing the life you’ve been given, not the one you wish you had. Lightyear’s arrogance leads to his ship and crew being stranded on an uncharted planet. He becomes obsessed with completing his “mission” so everyone can live the life they were supposed to live, not realizing that in doing so, life is passing him by.

Verses that come to mind are Ecclesiastes 3 , “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens,” and James 4:14 , “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

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DVD & Streaming
Action/Adventure , Animation , Comedy , Drama , Kids , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

June 17, 2022
Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear; Keke Palmer as Izzy Hawthorne; Dale Soules as Darby Steel; Taika Waititi as Mo Morrison; Peter Sohn as Sox; Uzo Aduba as Alisha Hawthorne; James Brolin as Emperor Zurg; Mary McDonald-Lewis as I.V.A.N.; Efren Ramirez as Diaz; Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Commander Burnside

Home Release Date

August 2, 2022
Angus MacLane

Distributor

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Movie Review

In 1995, we met a boy named Andy and his two favorite toys: Woody and Buzz Lightyear. The latter, of course, was the star of Andy’s favorite movie. “ This ,” Lightyear tells us before the story commences, “is that movie.”

In uncharted space, 4.2 million light years from Star Command, Buzz and his fellow Space Ranger Commander Alisha Hawthorne detect lifeforms on an uncharted planet.

Think they’re going to just fly by? Are you kidding?

After landing on the planet, the two of them—joined by a nameless, wide-eyed rookie recruit—set off to explore the swampy, vine-entangled world. “Rookies don’t help,” Buzz grouses. “They overcomplicate things.”

Still, Buzz isn’t one to miss a teachable moment. And as they step out onto the planet’s surface, Buzz reminds our anonymous young recruit what it means to be a Space Ranger: “Respect the suit. Protect the universe. Finish the mission—no matter the cost.”

That’s about five seconds before wildly aggressive plants erupt from the planet’s innards and everything goes haywire. The vines almost drag our intrepid trio to doom nearly pull their ship—filled with 1,200 crewmembers—into the muck as well.

But Buzz Lightyear’s not about to stopped by a bunch of vines. Not on a good day, anyway. Then again, today’s not a good day for Buzz. Refusing the rookie’s help, Buzz leaps back on the craft and pulls back on the ship’s stick as hard as he can, trying desperately to get safely airborne.

It’s not enough: The enormous craft clips a cliff … and crashes.

Our heroic Space Ranger is utterly determined to “finish the mission—no matter the cost.” But he’s got an important lesson to learn: Sometimes, you can’t finish the mission all by yourself, no matter how many years you give it your all.

Especially when evil robots show up.

Positive Elements

Lightyear quickly shows that Buzz’s defining character trait—his indefatigable determination to solve problems and to rectify a terrible mistake—is also his biggest character flaw. Buzz will go to any length to right a wrong he’s committed. But depend on others for help? Well, that’s a lesson he learns very slowly.

Once Buzz and his cohorts settle into the reality that they’re marooned on a dreadfully organic planet (those nasty vines keep grabbing people), they set about brainstorming a way to repair their starship. That involves re-engineering a special hyperspeed fuel that Buzz alone keeps testing in small, fighter-like spacecraft aboard the mothership. So far, so good.

But with each attempt Buzz makes to test the fuel, Einsteinian physics kick in. Though Buzz approaches lightspeed for only a few minutes, years are passing back on the unnamed planet where his compatriots are shipwrecked. “Time dilation,” it’s called, an escapable reality, we’re told, of lightspeed physics.

In his final test run, some 62 years pass back on the planet. Buzz returns to find a whole new generation hunkered down under a laser shield and under assault from the robot minions of someone called … Emperor Zurg.

To repel them, Buzz will have to depend on the ability of a ragtag outpost of Space Ranger trainees stranded at a remote base near where Buzz crash lands: Izzy Hawthorne (his original Space Ranger partner’s granddaughter), Darby Steel (an elderly woman with a penchant for blowing things up) and Mo Morrison (a soft-spoken man ill-equipped for the rigors of being a soldier). Finally, Buzz has an intrepid “pet” cat, a robot named Sox, whose myriad abilities help keep the story moving forward as well.

Buzz, as noted, never lacks in the courage department. But gradually, his motley crew of trainee teammates helps him realize that he can’t do everything alone. And they exhibit plenty of courage and a willingness to sacrifice along the way, too.

A bigger question the movie asks ultimately revolves around how much we strive to change our circumstances and how we sometimes need to make peace with reality—even if that looks different than we’d hoped.

Spiritual Elements

Sexual content.

After one of Buzz’s hyperspeed testing runs, he returns to find that Alisha Hawthorne has gotten engaged. “What’s her name?” Buzz asks, implying that Alisha’s same-sex attraction has never been a secret to Buzz or anyone else. Her name , Alisha says, is Kiko . Later, we see the two women kiss to celebrate their 40 th anniversary.

Even though Buzz laments the fact that everyone on the ship is marooned because of his mistake, Alisha tells him, “I wouldn’t have met [Kiko] if we hadn’t gotten stranded.”

After one of Buzz’s next testing runs, he returns to find that Alisha is quite visibly pregnant. How Alisha is pregnant, given the fact that she’s married to a woman, is never explained.

Buzz’s last testing trip, as noted, correlates to more than six decades of time passing back on the planet, skipping an entire generation. We then meet Izzy Hawthorne, granddaughter of Alisha, who refers glowingly to her “two grandmas.”

I’ll return to some of the important implications of this same-sex relationship in the Conclusion.

Violent Content

Zurg and his robotic lackeys pursue Buzz and Co. for much of the movie. Myriad shootouts result in discombobulated robots and near misses to Buzz’s crew.

Robot appendages get blown off. Spacecraft battle and crash. Explosions and pursuit abound. Characters get temporarily swallowed up by vines that pull them below the planet’s surface.

All of this action has a very Star Wars -lite kind vibe to it. That said, Zurg and his menacing robots do have an ominous frowning red visage. Young or very sensitive children could be frightened by some of the more tense pursuit scenes.

Crude or Profane Language

We hear one use of the exclamation, “Shoot.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Other negative elements.

When Buzz points his finger at Izzy and says, “To infinity and beyond,” she has no idea what he’s doing and asks, “Do you want me to pull your finger?” There are some gags about Mo needing to use a space sickness bag. “Do not vomit inside the vehicle,” Buzz warns him sternly.

As the story’s timeline stretches into many decades, new leadership isn’t interested in Buzz finishing his mission. But Buzz steals a ship to try to make it happen anyway.

If I were going to title this review conclusion, I’d call it, A Tale of Two Lightyears .

On one hand, Lightyear is exactly what we’d expect from the creative gang at Pixar who brought us Toy Story nearly three decades ago. Not only does this prequel deliver a rollicking sci-fi origin story, it winks lovingly at many classic films from the genre along the way. Older fans will smile at nods to films such as 2001 , The Black Hole , Wall*E , Star Trek , Star Wars , Battlestar Galactica , Apollo 13 and—of course— Toy Story .

Along the way, Lightyear tells an engaging, satisfying story about the fine line between determination and learning to accept others’ help. We’re also challenged to see that even when we think we’ve made irreparable, horrible mistakes, good can still come of them—even if that doesn’t look like what we’d initially planned.

Toilet humor and faux swear words are at a refreshing bare minimum here. The robots’ menacing gazes are almost the only thing, really, that might give parents of sensitive young ‘uns pause.

I wish that I could end my review here. But, alas, I cannot.

Earlier this year, controversy erupted in Florida when the state passed a law prohibiting teaching about LGBT issues to public school children from kindergarten to third grade. The law quickly came under fire from many in Hollywood and in left-leaning political circles. Pressure mounted on Disney to make a statement, since the company’s iconic theme park Walt Disney World resides in Orlando, Florida.

Disney didn’t initially respond. But according to multiple reports, Pixar reinstated a same-sex kiss in the film in response to the Florida law, using a film to comment on the political and cultural conversation and controversy about LGBT representation. Deadline.com’ s Dade Hayes writes:

“Pixar was one of the loudest voices criticizing Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s handling of the Florida bill, and said in a letter leaked to the press that the company had suppressed same-sex elements in Pixar projects.”

In recent years, we’ve witnessed growing inclusion of LGBT characters in movies and TV shows aimed at children. Disney has actually come under fire for being reluctant to participate in this trend.

Yes, we’ve had blink-and-you’ll-miss-it images of two moms with a child in the background, or verbal allusions to same-sex relationships. But Lightyear’ s depiction of a same-same relationship and multi-decade marriage catapults Disney to the vanguard of this cultural controversy.

To my mind, what’s most noteworthy here isn’t really the kiss that we see, but the fact that the film depicts everything around it as completely normal and unremarkable. Buzz obviously knows that Alisha is gay. The couple then gets married, has a child (the biological details there are never explained), and lives decades together, all without ever suggesting that this is anything other than how things are supposed to be.

This worldview is, pardon the pun, light years beyond LaFou’s giggling innuendo hinting at his attraction to Gaston in 2017’s Beauty and the Beast remake. Instead, it fully embraces a perspective on these issues in direct conflict with what Scripture teaches about the purpose and place of sexuality in marriage between a man and a woman.

For many fans of Pixar and Toy Story , Disney’s deliberate, intentional and political embrace of such a radical, activist position on this issue will come as an enormous disappointment. Buzz Lightyear is a beloved, iconic character. And apart from this issue, his origin is story is one that many families otherwise would have enjoyed.

But just as Disney feels it must take a particular stand on this cultural issue, many families with equally strong, sincerely held biblical convictions will likely choose to pass on Lightyear’ s advocacy of the LGBT agenda here.

Adam R. Holz

After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.

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"Pixar Goes Fully Woke"

What You Need To Know:

Miscellaneous Immorality: Title character steals a small spaceship.

More Detail:

In LIGHTYEAR, Pixar goes fully woke in its new TOY STORY movie that’s supposed to be the movie that launched the Buzz Lightyear toy, where the movie features Buzz Lightyear as a Space Ranger who tries to fix an error he made that stranded he and his fellow Ranger buddies on an inhospitable planet. The real hero in LIGHTYEAR isn’t Buzz, but is actually his lesbian friend, Alisha, who becomes an inspiration for Buzz and for Buzz’s new friend, Alisha’s granddaughter, a plot that promotes the LGBT, anti-male, feminist ideology.

The movie opens with Buzz and his friend, Alisha Hawthorne, landing on a strange planet. Alisha forces Buzz to take along a rookie Space Ranger with them, even though Buzz hates working with rookies. Their spaceship is filled with Space Rangers who are in suspended animation.

On the planet, the three Rangers encounter a system of underground vines that grab any living thing walking on the planet’s surface. The planet also has hordes of attacking flesh-eating bugs.

With the rookie in tow, Buzz and Alisha rush to their spaceship. With Buzz at the helm, the spaceship starts to speed away. However, a steep mountain gets in the way, and Buzz fails to clear the peak completely, and the spaceship crash lands.

Regrettably, during the crash, the spaceship’s hyperspace crystal was destroyed, so the large ship is stuck on the planet. The Space Rangers make do and eventually construct an experimental ship and a new crystal. Despite his mistake, Buzz is the best pilot, so he’s assigned to take the ship into space to achieve 100% hyperspace power.

However, Buzz fails to achieve 100% power. He returns to the planet only to find that, because he was flying at nearly the speed of light, everyone, including Alisha, has aged four years. Alisha greets Buzz on his return and informs him she’s gotten engaged. Buzz immediately asks Alisha who’s the lucky woman, and Alysha tells him her name. Later, when he enters his room, he finds that Alisha has given him a robot cat companion named Sox.

Buzz and Sox keep trying to fly ships into space to achieve 100% hyperspace power. And, they keep returning to the planet to find the people are much older until Alisha finally dies, leaving behind a granddaughter named Izzy.

However, 62 years later, Sox discovers the right formula to reach full hyperspace power. When the new commander tells Buzz they’ve decided not to try any more test, Buzz steals a ship and finally achieves full hyperspace power. However, Buzz and Sox return to find that the planet has been invaded by an army of ruthless robots controlled by Zurg, who’s trying to steal the hyperspace crystal.

LIGHTYEAR constantly places obstacles in Buzz’s way. Some of the obstacles are of Buzz’s own making, such as his aversion to rookies and the guilt that haunts him because he made the mistake that stranded the Space Rangers. The obstacles make for an exciting story.

However, unlike the other redemptive movies in Pixar’s TOY STORY franchise, inspiring entertainment is not the sole goal in LIGHTYEAR. Instead, the whole movie is held captive by a contentious agenda of politically correct politics. To whit, the whole movie is centered on an LGBT, radical feminist, anti-male ideology. In fact, Buzz Lightyear isn’t really the hero in the movie. The movie’s real hero is Buzz’s female friend, a lesbian, who marries another woman and becomes pregnant, presumably by artificial insemination. Together, the two women raise a son, who marries a woman and has a daughter. During this whole story, there’s no mention of a grandfather. Instead, Izzy, the granddaughter, mentions at one point that she has two grandmothers. To top it off, there are no references to Izzy’s father, including no scenes of her interacting with her father. Thus, the movie’s whole story seems to be a politically correct validation of LGBT ideology, including an attack on masculinity and the traditional nuclear family.

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Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Lightyear’

NEW YORK (CNS) — “Lightyear” (Disney) blasts off in cinemas with controversy in its wake.

In what is becoming a bad habit for the Mouse House (witness the “pro-choice” theme in “Turning Red,” or the heroine with two moms in “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”), Disney injects the objectionable into what would otherwise be wholesome fare for the entire family.

In the case of “Lightyear,” a “Toy Story” origin story, same-sex marriage is the issue. A prominent female character, Alisha Hawthorne (voice of Uzo Aduba), gets engaged to a woman, shares a kiss, marries and raises a family.

The endorsement, unnecessary and regrettable, is, sadly, the only takeaway from “Lightyear,” a gloomy and decidedly unfunny tale of the fan-favorite space ranger, Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans).

Alas, there’s no buzz in this Buzz. The delightful self-absorbed goofball of four “Toy Story” films is melancholy, uncertain and in need of a good therapist. He finds one in a robotic cat called Sox (voice of Peter Sohn).

The story, by Jason Headley and director Angus MacLane, also lacks pizzazz. With a crew led by his ranger sidekick Alisha (together they coin the catch-phrase, “To infinity and beyond”), Buzz pilots a spaceship to an uncharted planet named Tikana Prime.

Encountering hostile life forms, the crew evacuates in haste, but the ship crashes. Lost in space, the castaways establish a colony while awaiting a rescue.

One year passes, and Buzz volunteers to test a new fuel source which could hold the key to escape. The test has an unexpected side effect: For every minute he spends in the air, four years pass down on the planet.

Headstrong and determined, Buzz perseveres, and 62 years pass by. Alisha is now a grandmother, and her granddaughter, Izzy (voice of Keke Palmer), seeks to follow in her ranger footsteps.

Meanwhile, things are not going well down on Tikana Prime: robots commanded by Emperor Zurg (voice of James Brolin) have invaded the planet.

Buzz rises to the occasion, assembling a motley crew to attack Zurg’s ship, including Izzy, Mo Morrison (voice of Taika Waititi) and Darby Steel (voice of Dale Soules). Throw in Sox and you have the usual merchandizer’s dream.

Missing from “Lightyear” is the joy, wonder and humor of the Disney-Pixar space classic “Wall-E.” Instead there are echoes of classic sci-fi TV and films, from “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” to “Alien.”

Buzz, it turns out we hardly knew you -– and after “Lightyear,” maybe wish we didn’t.

The film contains cartoonish action sequences, a same-sex kiss and a benign view of same-sex marriage. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

McAleer is a guest reviewer for Catholic News Service.

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Common sense media reviewers.

Buzz origin story is exceptionally animated and inclusive.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Teaches viewers about the power of teamwork and ap

Promotes teamwork, family, empathy, perseverance,

Buzz is brave, thorough, determined, and loyal. He

Commander Alisha Hawthorne is Black and a lesbian;

The space rangers are attacked by sentient vines o

A character announces her engagement and is later

"Shoot," as well as mild bathroom humor when frien

Nothing on camera, but Disney-Pixar movies have to

Educational Value

Teaches viewers about the power of teamwork and appreciating that even "rookies" can make important contributions.

Positive Messages

Promotes teamwork, family, empathy, perseverance, and human connection. Also encourages people to ask for help and value others' talents, even those of someone still new to a job or a mission.

Positive Role Models

Buzz is brave, thorough, determined, and loyal. He's committed to finishing his mission. Alisha is a courageous, caring, and encouraging commanding officer and friend. Izzy is eager to help and overcomes various obstacles to make a difference. Mo and Darby summon their courage and use their know-how to be part of Buzz's team.

Diverse Representations

Commander Alisha Hawthorne is Black and a lesbian; she's eventually shown with her Asian wife and their multicultural family. This is a milestone for Disney-Pixar, which has previously only hinted at this type of organic representation. Buzz's crew of helpers includes an older White woman, a culturally ambiguous man of color (voiced by Taika Waititi), and a young Black woman. Also body-type diversity.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

The space rangers are attacked by sentient vines on an alien planet. The vines seem to swallow them. People build shields and use other tools/means to combat the hostile being on the planet. Zurg chases after Buzz and sends armed robots to capture him. Zurg personally wants to destroy Buzz. People fight robots with weapons, breaking the robots into pieces. Buzz fights with and outruns commanding officers who want to ground his mission.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A character announces her engagement and is later seen holding hands and kissing her wife at an anniversary celebration.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

"Shoot," as well as mild bathroom humor when friends misinterpret Buzz sticking his finger out to say "To infinity and beyond" as a "pull my finger" joke.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Nothing on camera, but Disney-Pixar movies have tons of merchandise tie-ins including games, toys, apparel, and more.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Lightyear is a Pixar-animated origin film for the character who inspired the Buzz Lightyear action figure from Toy Story . In the movie, space ranger Buzz (voiced by Chris Evans ), his crew, and an entire spacecraft filled with people is marooned on an alien planet. Buzz's attempts to get everyone home end up transporting him far into the future, where evil robots controlled by Emperor Zurg ( James Brolin ) have taken over the planet. Sci-fi/action violence includes chases and weapons-based fights with robots, Zurg, and the planet's pesky vines. Positive diverse representation includes a Black lesbian supporting character who discusses her partner (and later wife) in a way that makes it clear that everyone supports her identity and relationship. This is a milestone for Disney-Pixar, which has only hinted at this type of representation in previous films like Finding Dory and Beauty and the Beast . Teamwork, perseverance, empathy, and courage are prominent themes, and the film encourages people to ask for help and value the talents that others bring to the table. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

Parents say (39)
Kids say (39)

Based on 39 parent reviews

Not worth the time or money

What's the story.

LIGHTYEAR begins with a reminder that, in 1995, a boy named Andy was given a Buzz Lightyear action figure from his favorite movie -- and this is that movie. (In other words, this movie is not the origin story of Andy's beloved toy and Woody's best friend: This movie is positioned as the reason the toy existed in the first place.) The Buzz in this movie (voiced by Chris Evans ) is indeed a Space Ranger who takes his missions very seriously. While he's investigating an alien planet with his commanding officer/best friend, Commander Alisha Hawthorne ( Uzo Aduba ), and a rookie who has a lot to learn about being a space ranger, sentient vines start entangling them and their spacecraft, and all 1,200 passengers end up marooned there. Trying to fix the spacecraft, Buzz volunteers to undergo a series of test flights (with help from a brilliant therapy cat robot named Sox) to see whether they're capable of achieving hyperspace and getting off the planet. But Buzz discovers that each flight costs him time -- four years or more. In between test flights, he reconnects with Alisha and her growing family (wife, son, and eventually granddaughter). But once the lonely and singularly focused Buzz finally breaks the hyperspace code, he finds that an army of killer robots and their leader, Emperor Zurg ( James Brolin ), are terrorizing the planet. Buzz must work with a misfit group of three inexperienced space ranger cadets -- eager young Izzy ( Keke Palmer ), kind Mo ( Taika Waititi ), and jaded explosives specialist Darby Steel (Dale Soules) -- to help defeat Zurg.

Is It Any Good?

With its fabulous animation, honorable hero, and lovable sidekicks, this tribute to a host of space adventures is a story of perseverance, teamwork, and friendship. This version of Buzz Lightyear is ideally voiced by Evans, who already has that perfect Captain America halo of courage, loyalty, and hard work. For him, finishing a mission is paramount -- even above his own comfort or sense of belonging. His relationship with Alisha/Commander Hawthorne is a highlight, because they have complementary strengths and trust and respect each other. Aduba does a lovely job of expressing the commander's concern, love, and humor for her space ranger partner/bestie. Similarly, Palmer, Soules, and Waititi are hilarious as the ragtag trio who test Buzz's ability to rely on others, ask for help, and act as a patient and encouraging team leader. And Peter Sohn 's scene-stealing portrayal of Sox the brilliant and candid robo cat is sure to delight viewers of all ages.

Director Angus MacLane impresses with the technical excellence of the movie's animation: Textured hair, Sox's fur, and the aggressive vines are as amazingly detailed as the epic landscapes of space and the planet on which all the action takes place. Composer Michael Giacchino's score is spot-on for '90s blockbusters, and the script tips its hat to nearly all of the big space-based films, from 2001 to Star Wars and back again. And Disney takes a big step forward (for them) on the representation and inclusion front by featuring a Black lesbian character. There's no coming out necessary for Commander Hawthorne; Buzz knows that his best friend's partner would be a "her," just as she knew he would need Sox because he'd end up lonely after all the time jumps. Animated movies need more organic inclusion, and Lightyear handles it in a natural way. Ultimately, although Lightyear isn't at the top of Pixar's "heartwarming" (and heartrending) scale, it's far more than the cash cow some viewers expected.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about whether Lightyear brings the Toy Story franchise to a satisfying conclusion. Do you think the movies feel complete, or would you want more Lightyear sequels?

What positive diverse representation did you notice in the movie? Why are representation and inclusion important?

What did you think about the violence and peril in the movie? Is it age-appropriate? Why, or why not? How much and what kinds of violence are OK for younger audiences?

Movie Details

In theaters : June 17, 2022
On DVD or streaming : September 13, 2022
Cast : Chris Evans , Keke Palmer , Taika Waititi
Director : Angus MacLane
Inclusion Information : Female actors, Black actors, Indigenous actors, Polynesian/Pacific Islander actors
Studio : Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Genre : Family and Kids
Topics : Adventures , Friendship , Robots , Space and Aliens
Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Perseverance , Teamwork
Run time : 100 minutes
MPAA rating : PG
MPAA explanation : action/peril
Award : Common Sense Selection
Last updated : January 31, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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“Lightyear” is not the origin story of the Buzz Lightyear toy from Pixar’s “ Toy Story ” series. It’s the origin story of the reason the Buzz Lightyear toy wound up in Andy’s bedroom. You see, Andy’s Mom bought a Buzz Lightyear toy back in 1995 because he was the main character in Andy’s favorite film. “This is that film,” a title card tells us before plunging us into an animated space opera starring Chris Evans as Buzz. Along the way, we’ll meet the Evil Emperor Zurg and learn where all those catchphrases folks have been saying for the past 27 years originated.

I won’t fault suspicious viewers who think this sounds like a bunch of cash-grabbing malarkey, but I should point out that this retrofitting is not without Pixar precedent. If you recall, “ Toy Story 2 ” revealed that the Woody toy was originally a tie-in to a television show from the 1950s. Which begged the question as to why the Hell a millennial like Andy would want him. At least this time, the toy came from a contemporary reference for the kid. After seeing “Lightyear,” I was full of even more questions, such as, “Would Andy’s Mom have allowed a toy version of Buzz’s partner in her house?” And, “Come on, Andy! Why didn’t you ask your Mom for a toy version of Buzz’s cat?!”

More on the kitty cat later. “Lightyear” begins with a special mission for space rangers. Buzz is partnered with Alisha Hawthorne ( Uzo Aduba ), his best friend. They share in-jokes and memories of missions past. Hawthorne is a Black woman, something you don’t often see in space movies despite all that work they did for NASA in “ Hidden Figures .” She constantly mocks Buzz’s penchant for “monologuing,” that is, recording the Shatner-like captain’s log into that device on his arm. Before each adventure, the duo touch fingers and yell “To infinity and beyond!” which I assume would have been the tagline for this film when Andy saw it. By that rationale, the makers of “Lightyear” can sue the makers of “Toy Story” for stealing it.

But I digress. Buzz Lightyear, the movie character, has the same penchant for being stubborn and following his own path that his toy did. This gets him in a heap of trouble when he disregards the advice of both his team and his ship’s autopilot navigator I.V.A.N. ( Mary McDonald-Lewis ). The turnip-shaped ship he’s flying crashes, marooning everyone on a hostile planet filled with killer vines and bugs. Guilt-ridden, Buzz makes it his mission to discover an energy source that will help them achieve hyperspace and get off the planet.

Or something like that. The most important thing to know is that every failed attempt to reach his goal results in Buzz missing four years of life back home. Everyone gets older while he stays the same age. “Lightyear” represents much of this repeated passage of time in a montage scored by Michael Giacchino ; it’s reminiscent of the opening scene in “ Up .” Buzz’s unwillingness to accept failure keeps him from celebrating the marriage of Hawthorne and her girlfriend, the birth of their daughter, and far too many in-jokes and experiences for him to count. When he finally achieves hyperspace, it costs him 22 more years. By this time, Hawthorne has passed on, leaving him a recorded message that Aduba delivers with such bittersweet beauty that there were audible sniffles at my screening. You’ll hear them at yours, too.

Hawthorne’s message is delivered to Buzz by her daughter, Izzy ( Keke Palmer ). She’s inhabiting the latest iteration of their home planet, one that’s full of hostile robots who are under the control of the suspicious “Zurg” space ship. Buzz sees a new shot at getting everyone off the planet. Unfortunately, he’s on the outs with Commander Burnside (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) the military man who used to run things, and must retrieve the turnip ship without any skilled help. Izzy offers to assist and volunteers her team of amateurs, ex-con/bomb expert Darby Steel ( Dale Soules ) and Mo Morrison ( Taika Waititi ). Their space ranger abilities are best described by Whitlock’s profane catchphrase on “The Wire.” Morrison is so bad, and causes so much trouble, that he manages to make the pig-headed Buzz look reasonable.

Director Angus MacLane and his co-writer, Jason Headley do a very good job gently mocking the type of space movie that would have existed in the 1990s. They fill “Lightyear” with details that are sure to inspire arguments on Twitter from the “Toy Story” faithful. The film’s visuals gleefully rob from other movies. I saw “ Return of the Jedi ,” “ Avatar ,” “ 2001: A Space Odyssey ” and even “ The Last Starfighter ” amongst the inspirations. I.V.A.N. looks like something Nintendo would have created. Each character fits neatly into the familiar roles the genre specifies: Flawed heroes seeking redemption, rookies hoping to prove themselves, villains with secrets, and so on. The score by Michael Giacchino is one of his best, a delectable spoof of bombastic space movie music that elevates every scene it plays under.

Of course, every great hero needs a great sidekick. “Lightyear” gives us Sox ( Peter Sohn ), an adorable cat whose job is to offer emotional support to Buzz. Sox speaks in soothing tones, sort of a cross between “ Big Hero 6 ”’s Baymax and HAL, and will purr if you scratch his stomach. He is exceptionally good at calculations and occasionally makes a noise that sounds like “Be-boop, be-boop, be-boop!” Like any cat, Sox is full of surprises both hilarious and ominous. If Pixar’s plan was to create a character whose toy would fly off the shelves, they were successful. He has one scene in the movie—you’ll know it when you see it—that elicited audible gasps of panic in the theater. I’m not a cat person, but I was stanning so hard for Sox that I wanted to—you’re mocking me, aren’t you?

No matter. As far as spin-offs go, “Lightyear” is a lot of fun. The voice talent is topnotch, especially Palmer and Evans. They have big shoes to fill; Palmer has to build on the emotional bond Aduba created, and Evans has to give us a Buzz Lightyear that’s close enough to Tim Allen ’s characterization to make us believe the film’s toy tie-in. Sohn is perfectly feline and Bill Hader has a good time with his small role as a rookie with a difficult to pronounce last name. When Zurg finally appears, he’s voiced with a deranged glee by Mr. Barbara Streisand himself, James Brolin . Hell, if his kid can play Thanos, I guess he can play Zurg.

After the lackluster “ Toy Story 4 ,” I’d had enough of this series, so much so that I expected to file a negative review. In the immortal words of Buzz Lightyear, “Not today!”

"Lightyear" will be available only in theaters on June 17.

Odie Henderson

Odie "Odienator" Henderson has spent over 33 years working in Information Technology. He runs the blogs Big Media Vandalism and Tales of Odienary Madness. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Film credits.

Lightyear (2022)

Rated PG for action/peril.

107 minutes

Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear (voice)

Keke Palmer as Izzy Hawthorne (voice)

Dale Soules as Darby Steel (voice)

Taika Waititi as Mo Morrison (voice)

Peter Sohn as Sox (voice)

Uzo Aduba as Alisha Hawthorne (voice)

James Brolin as Emperor Zurg (voice)

Mary McDonald-Lewis as I.V.A.N. (voice)

Efren Ramirez as Airman Diaz (voice)

Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Commander Burnside (voice)

Keira Hairston as Young Izzy (voice)

Angus MacLane

Writer (based on characters created by)

John Lasseter
Pete Docter
Andrew Stanton
Jason Headley

Cinematographer

Jeremy Lasky
Ian Megibben
Anthony Greenberg
Michael Giacchino

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Movie reviews: 'Lightyear' is a heart-warming origin story with poignant moments

Lightyear: 4 stars.

The opening minutes of “Lightyear,” the new Pixar origin story now playing in theatres, inform us that what we are about to see is the film that inspired “Toy Story’s” Buzz Lightyear character. In other words, it’s the movie that inspired the merch that inspired a movie that inspired even more merch.

Chris Evans voices the square-jawed, heroic and slightly goofy Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear. After a disastrous crash landing on a strange planet, his attempt to rescue the crew, including Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), his best friend and commanding officer, goes wrong, leaving everyone stranded on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth. His famous Space Rangers helmet weighs heavy on his head. “Everyone is stuck here because of me,” he says.

Determined to return home, Buzz embarks on a series of experimental flights using various configurations of jet fuel, trying to find the right formula to achieve the hyper speed needed to cut through space and time.

But something strange happens. For every minute he’s in space, a year passes back on the planet. As Buzz tries trip after trip, his BFF Alisha ages, gets married has a child, and later a grandchild Izzy (Keke Palmer), while Buzz remains, more or less, unchanged.

On the planet, sixty years has passed before Buzz, and his smart and adorable computer companion cat Sox (Peter Sohn) try one last test trip, one that will unite him with Izzy, her “volunteer team of motivated cadets” and Zurg, a menacing force with an army of robots.

At first blush, “Lightyear” may seem like the origin story we don’t really need. Twenty-seven years, three sequels, one direct to video flick and a television series later, you wouldn’t think there would be much left to say about the character, but Pixar has found a way.

“Lightyear” is a Pixar film through and through. You expect the top-notch animation, some cool looking robots, cutesy side characters and the occasional laugh for parents and kids. Less expected is how fun the action-adventure is and how effective the patented poignant Pixar moments are.

It’s a hero’s journey, one that actually humanizes the little hunk of talking plastic (or coded series of bits and bytes) and imbues a catchphrase like “To infinity and beyond” with a new, heartfelt meaning.

“Lightyear” may well inspire a renaissance in the character and spawn more toys, but this movie is much more than merch.

SPIDERHEAD: 3 STARS

I compare the experience of watching “Spiderhead,” a new psychological prison thriller starring Chris Hemsworth, Jurnee Smollett and Miles Teller, and now streaming on Netflix, to going to a nice restaurant with a dirty bathroom. The food, service and atmosphere are top notch, but go to the restroom after dinner and if it’s dirty, that’s what you’ll remember most about your visit.

Such is the fate of “Spiderhead,” a movie that makes a good impression right up until the final minutes.

Hemsworth is visionary Steve Abnesti, a chemist who runs Spiderhead, a remote penal institution where his experimental, mind-altering drugs are tested on inmates. Prisoners live in beautiful cells that resemble hip hotel rooms and eat gourmet food. There are no bars on the doors and not a single orange jumpsuit in sight. “Your presence in this facility, while technically a punishment, is a privilege,” says Abnesti.

In return for the relaxed rules and relative luxury of the prison, inmates are equipped with a module or Mobi-Pak containing mood altering drugs. Administered by the amiable Abnesti, these concoctions are part of a larger study to analyze the effects of manipulating emotions. “Our work will save lives,” says Abnesti. “Not just one life, many lives. We’re making the world a better place.”

Inmate Jeff (Teller) is Abnesti’s go to guinea pig. The pair have a special bond forged over a shared belief that the inmate experiments are for the good of all humanity. But when Jeff is forced to partake in a cruel drug trial, he suspects his trust has been misplaced. “The time to worry about crossing lines was a lot of lines ago,” Abnesti says.

Based on the New Yorker short story "Escape from Spiderhead" by George Saunders, the film explores moral dilemmas and the ethical quandary of exerting control over the powerless for personal gain. The very idea of forced injections is an even bigger, hot button topic now than when Saunders wrote the short story.

So why did I feel like I just left a dirty bathroom as the end credits rolled?

It’s the recency theory. The last thing you see is what makes the lasting impression and “Spiderhead,” despite an interesting premise, some good performances and a growing atmosphere of apprehension and mistrust, rushes the ending to the point where you wonder if the filmmakers ran out of film, time or interest in the story. Tonally, the all-of-a-sudden action packed ending feels tacked on and uninspired.

Ultimately, “Spiderhead” disappoints because it gets so much right, but, in the end, doesn’t trust the idea-driven story to satisfy.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN: 3 ½ STARS

“Life is not an oyster,” says Maurice Flitcroft in “The Phantom of the Open,” a new, feel-good film starring Mark Rylance and now playing in theatres. “It’s a barnacle.” It’s a rare moment of despair for the endlessly optimist man who followed his passions in an unlikely journey to becoming a British folk hero.

Flitcroft, a 46-year-old crane operator in the same shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, England, where his father and grandfather worked, but after dabbling in painting, music and even stunt driving, he adopted the Oscar Wilde quote, "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars," as his mantra.

He encourages his wife Jean (Sally Hawkins), his stepson Michael (Jake Davies) and twins Gene and James (Christian and Jonah Lees) to go for it and live their dreams.

In 1976, facing unemployment, Flitcroft takes up golf with an eye toward playing in the oldest golf tournament in the world, the British Open. He’s never played before, but has determination, heart and the belief that “an open championship should be open to everyone.”

Unbelievably (although this is a true story), he qualifies and in the qualifying round scores a catastrophic 121, 49 over par, a record for worst score that has yet to be broken. British Open organizer Keith Mackenzie (Rhys Ifans) is outraged—"I want him banned from every club in the country!”— but the press love the plucky golfer’s underdog story and the public, both at home and abroad, embrace him as an inspiration. “Practice is the road to perfection,” he says.

“The Phantom of the Open” is as sweet as Flitcroft’s tea. He takes six sugars in every cuppa, and that sugar rush keeps him and the movie moving forward.

Falling in line with British true-to-lie-feel-good movies like “Fisherman’s Friends,” “Eddie the Eagle” and “Calendar Girls,” or jovial television shows like “Ted Lasso,” this film is kept aloft by masterfully amiable performances from the cast led by Rylance and Hawkins.

Rylance practically beams light as the upbeat dreamer. What could have been a caricature of a whimsical fantasist is tempered by the actor’s considerable comedic skill, as well as his ability to find the core of humanity in every character he plays. It would have been easy to play Flitcroft as a broad character with a head full of dreams and nothing more, but Rylance sees to it that we see the person not the farce.

“The Phantom of the Open” is kind of old fashioned, but contains solid laughs and dives deep to reveal the class prejudices the crane operator suffered as he pursued bis dream. Most importantly, it is about the importance of following your heart, no matter where it takes you, to find happiness.

BRIAN AND CHARLES: 3 STARS

“The stuff I build isn’t for everyone,” says Welsh inventor Brian (David Earl) in “Brian and Charles,” a quirky new comedy now playing in theatres. “But that’s OK by me.”

Similarly, the film isn’t built for everyone, but those with a taste for sweet-natured eccentricity will find much to like here.

Brian leads a solitary life working on his whimsical inventions, like a puzzle made from ping pong balls, an airborne cuckoo clock, an egg belt and trawler net shoes. “They don’t always work,” he says. “But I’ve got so many ideas up here I just move on to the next one. Doesn’t bother me.”

He‘s a dreamer with an active imagination and a shed stuffed with spare parts, like a broken washing machine and a mannequin head, which he uses to cobble together an ungainly, two-metre tall robot. Unlike most of his other creations, the “very, very cheeky robot” actually works. “I’ve learned building a robot is like making a cake,” says Brian. “You start off wanting a Victorian Sponge and wind up with a Blancmange.”

With a blue light that gives his one eye a twinkle, the artificially intelligent automaton names himself Charles Petrescu (Chris Hayward) and quickly becomes Brian’s best friend. “My tummy is a washing machine!” he exclaims. They watch television together, share Brian’s favourite cabbage-based dishes for dinner and even the occasional hula dance.

As Charles “grows up” he becomes truculent. He wants to leave Brian’s rural Welsh village to see the world and listens to heavy metal music that cuts through the quiet of Brian’s cottage like a knife blade. His new, bad attitude also brings the attention of town bully Eddie (Jamie Michie) who wants Charles for his own, to entertain his kids.

Shot mockumentary style, “Brian and Charles” is an oddball portrait of a lonely man who finds companionship, a sense of purpose and courage in an unlikely way. The title characters, with the help of Hazel (Louise Brealey), a local woman and possible love interest, become a family, with all the ups and downs that suggests.

“Brian and Charles” is sweet, bizarre and quietly funny, with a scene stealing performance from Hayward, whose voice work as Charles is both charming and hilarious. The film has a very distinct voice, heavy on the awkward humour, that won’t be for everyone. But for every gag that feels stretched, there is an undercurrent of amiability that draws the viewer in.

Eddie, the film’s bully, is played with too hard an edge and seems somewhat out of place, but apart from that one misstep, “Brian and Charles” is a singular, original take on finding your logical, not biological family.

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Speeding in Opposite Directions: ‘Lightyear’ and ‘Maverick’

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TGC reviews media that is not suitable for everyone. To help readers make wise viewing decisions, we recommend reading “ Should I Watch This? ” and checking out a content guide.

There are plenty of similarities between movie characters Buzz Lightyear and Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Both are talented test pilots with a penchant for going rogue and taking risks—even when bosses and protocols order them to play it safer. Both prefer analog know-how (human instincts) over machine intelligence (especially the dreaded autopilot). Both are brave, duty-bound men willing to risk their lives to accomplish the mission they’ve been given—even if the way they go about it makes their superiors mad.

Both feel the need for speed. Within the first few minutes of their respective movies— Lightyear and Top Gun: Maverick —the iconic pilots break speed records. Both Maverick and Buzz are a little bit cocky, and yet both value the importance of teamwork and pushing those they lead to be the best they can be. There’s a lot to like in both men. They’re not perfect, but they’re heroic and inspiring.

Yet for all these similarities, the two summer blockbusters that bear their names could not be more different. And the differences between Maverick and Lightyear reveal subtle but important cultural divisions in how we view the past, the future, and the nature of progress.

‘Lightyear’: Speeding Toward New Morals

Though a spinoff from the 1995 classic Toy Story , Lightyear is a far cry from that groundbreaking film—in almost every way. Where the original Toy Story was a wide-eyed marvel of artistry and enchanting storytelling, Lightyear is overstuffed and uninspired. And where Toy Story celebrated childhood as childhood , even leading adult viewers to feel like kids again, Lightyear does the opposite—pushing childhood into adulthood in inappropriate ways.

Within Lightyear ’s first 20 minutes, we find out that Buzz’s space ranger partner, Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), is a lesbian who gets engaged to and marries a woman. The ensuing lesbian kiss has rightly generated concern among parents and religious conservatives—leading to the film being banned in nations like Saudi Arabia, the UAE., Malaysia, and Kuwait. But the kiss is only one problematic part of a larger montage that shows the lesbian couple progressing through life stages—including marriage, pregnancy, child-rearing, and beyond—in a manner similar to the opening sequence of Up . Make no mistake: the decision to depict a same-sex couple in this Up -style “married life” montage is an intentional attempt to normalize LGBT+ relationships as just as wholesome and natural as the married couple in Up . “ Love is love ,” we’re told.

The decision to depict a same-sex couple in this Up -style ‘married life’ montage is an intentional attempt to normalize LGBT+ relationships as just as wholesome and natural as the married couple in Up .

In a film featuring robot cats and predatory alien plant life, it’s telling that the most outlandish plot point in Lightyear is the framing that opens the film and ties it to 1995’s Toy Story . We’re told Toy Story ’s Andy received a Buzz Lightyear toy inspired by a film released in 1995. Lightyear is that film, supposedly. But let’s be real. A film like Lightyear could never have been made in 1995. The world has changed dramatically in 27 years, and while a same-sex kiss in a kid’s movie might seem justifiable in 2022 (in Disney’s mind at least), it would never have flown in 1995. This normalization of what was for most of human history considered abnormal has been swift and sweeping.

To be sure, the lesbian subplot is not the focal point of Lightyear ; but neither is it an insignificant part. By casually weaving homosexuality into the arc of one of the film’s heroines (perhaps the most sympathetic character), the film suggests that “gay” is normal and good—simply a neutral attribute assigned to one of the characters, just as some characters are tall and others are short, and some sport Kiwi accents and others don’t. But this subtlety, framing it as demographic “representation” without any moral dimension, is what makes it so insidious.

Progressives act like it’s absurd and irrational for parents to be concerned about this queer “representation” in a Disney kids movie. Chris Evans, who takes over the voice of Lightyear from Tim Allen, has said that those who find the gay plot problematic are “idiots” who are “afraid and unaware” and will “die off like dinosaurs.” Essentially admitting that becoming “woke” is the primary value at play in Lightyear , Evans said in the same interview that “what makes us good” is “social advancement as we wake up . . . constant social awakening.”

Is this really what makes us good? Are parents and conservatives bigoted and delusional for wanting their kids to be morally formed in history, tradition, old Christian wisdom, and ideals that haven’t changed—as opposed to rapidly changing mores and “constant social awakening” ? Is virtue reliable when it’s pitched as something so fluid, changing dramatically from decade to decade?

No. As a parent, you’re not off base to be concerned about how this “new world” of social awakening is forming your child’s moral imagination. And so if you opt not to take your child to see Lightyear , you’re not a dinosaur.

‘Maverick’: Speeding Back to Go Forward

If Lightyear favors woke over wonder, Maverick favors wonder over woke. If Lightyear plunges kids into adult issues, Maverick leads adults to feel like kids again—dreaming big dreams and embracing the “thrill ride” marvel of the movies as a good unto itself. If Lightyear complicates the “hero who saves the day” trope (Buzz: “I won’t be able to save you.” Izzy: “You don’t need to save us. You need to join us.”), Maverick embraces save-the-day heroism with old-school simplicity and thrilling derring-do. Is it at all surprising that Lightyear has underperformed at the box office while Maverick has become the year’s biggest hit ?

If Lightyear favors woke over wonder, Maverick favors wonder over woke.

The only barrier Maverick is breaking is the speed of sound. It’s not a film attempting to break new representational ground or advance some vanguard moral agenda. Rather, Maverick ’s boldest message is that it doesn’t have a bold message. Yet in an era when everything from military-issued bullets to the Burger King Whopper must become vehicles for Important Social Messages, Maverick ’s refusal to preach is radical. More radical still is Maverick ’s conviction that the best way forward involves backward-looking retrieval : honoring the past rather than discarding it; seeing value in some measure of traditionalism rather than constant iconoclasm.

Though certainly driven by a hefty dose of 80s nostalgia and the lucrative prospects of rebooting a treasured franchise, Maverick ’s fidelity to the past goes deeper than dollar signs. This is a film where generational commitments matter and institutional continuity is valued. It dares to assert that not all that is old should be discarded, and not all that is new should be embraced. When Maverick (Tom Cruise) is told, “Your kind is heading to extinction,” his reply is defiant: “Maybe so, sir, but not today.”

Maverick dares to assert that not all that is old should be discarded, and not all that is new should be embraced.

Certainly not everything in Maverick is morally laudable—just as not all “traditional” values are morally valuable (if they’re not biblical). But whereas films like Lightyear view progress as “constant social awakening,” films like Maverick see progress as social remembering. This is not a posture that sanctifies the past or views it with rose-colored glasses, as if every antecedent is automatically virtuous. It’s not uncritical of the past, but it’s humbly appreciative of it—recognizing that the surer path to moral wisdom is a thoughtful excavation of the imperfect past more than a trailblazing path into the unproven future.

Good Pilots Can Be in Bad Planes

In Maverick , the titular character says at one point, “It’s not the plane; it’s the pilot.”

As pilots, Maverick Mitchell and Buzz Lightyear model similar values that are worth emulating. But their respective vehicles—the films in which they reside—are flying in vastly different directions.

Whereas films like Lightyear view progress as ‘constant social awakening,’ films like Maverick see progress as social remembering.

While one speeds confidently toward the past, in hopes of recovering virtues we’ll need for the future, the other heads at warp speed into uncharted territory. Ironically for the franchise that launched the catchphrase, “I feel the need—the need for speed,” Top Gun: Maverick suggests there’s wisdom in putting on the brakes, rather than careening recklessly forward without a plan or a map. Lightyear , on the other hand, sees its mission only in the forward sense: “To infinity and beyond.” Emphasis on beyond .

What’s the “beyond” endpoint where the “constant social awakening” will take us? I don’t want to be on that plane to find out where it lands—and I don’t want my kids to be either. I’d rather take them on a journey of recovery: remembering the days of old and the generations past (Deut. 32:7), discovering and learning to love the agelessness of God’s truth rather than delighting in reinventing it for every passing age.

Is there enough evidence for us to believe the Gospels?

Brett McCracken is a senior editor and director of communications at The Gospel Coalition. He is the author of The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World , Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community , Gray Matters: Navigating the Space Between Legalism and Liberty , and Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide . Brett and his wife, Kira, live in Santa Ana, California, with their three children. They belong to Southlands Church , and Brett serves as an elder. You can follow him on Twitter .

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‘Lightyear’ Review: Infinite Buzz

The new Pixar movie recounts the adventures of Star Command’s most famous Space Ranger before he was a toy.

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By A.O. Scott

The simple, charming premise of “Lightyear” is explained in an onscreen text. “In 1995, a boy named Andy got a toy from his favorite movie. This is that movie.” In other words, it’s the origin story not of a hero but of a piece of merchandise, one that started out fictional but long ago crossed the boundary into real life. More than one hard plastic Buzz Lightyear lived in my house for a long time, just like in Andy’s. To be part of the “Toy Story” universe is to be intimately acquainted with the metaphysics of the commodity form.

This Buzz is a little different, though. He isn’t a toy, and he doesn’t sound like Tim Allen, who did the voice work in the four chapters of Pixar’s “Toy Story” cycle. He’s a real live animated make-believe Space Ranger, and he speaks in the manly baritone of Chris Evans, who played Captain America over in the Marvel Universe zone of the Disney empire.

Like Cap, Buzz is square-jawed, stoic and shadowed by a hint of melancholy — a soulful soldier in an endless corporate campaign. If “Lightyear” lacks both the sublimity and the giddy inventiveness of the best “Toy Story” movies, that may be by design. This isn’t supposed to be a 21st-century masterpiece, but a kid-friendly, merch-spawning movie from 1995. (That was a pretty good year for commercial cinema , by the way.) The Buzz Lightyear toy was meant to stick around after the movie had been forgotten, and to populate a richer, more varied imaginative landscape.

“Lightyear,” directed by Angus MacLane from a script by Jason Headley, aims to please by pandering, to be good-enough entertainment. As such, it succeeds in a manner more in line with second-tier Disney animation than with top-shelf Pixar. The hero, fighting off an invasion force of alien robots, falls in with a motley group of misfits, in whom he must instill the competence and confidence necessary for the task. The action is wrapped in lessons, delivered in a manner that isn’t too preachy, about how it’s OK to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. And there is a scene-stealing animal sidekick, in this case a robot cat named SOX, voiced in perfect feline-A.I. deadpan by Peter Sohn.

A few soft-boiled Easter eggs pop up to connect “Lightyear” with various “Toy Story” episodes. Remember Zurg? He’s back, with James Brolin’s growl and a secret I won’t spoil. An early section — a kind of extended prologue to the main action — recalls the celebrated montage in “Up” that compresses a long marriage into a few short minutes. This time, the focus is on the friendship between Buzz and his closest colleague, Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), who crash-land a crowded space vessel on a distant planet.

Buzz doggedly tries to plan an escape, which means embarking on a series of test flights intended to reach hyperspeed. Each journey lasts a few minutes, which equals four years on the planet’s surface. Buzz stays the same age as Alisha marries, has a son and then a granddaughter, grows old gracefully and is gone.

Her life amounts to a sweet sidebar, a touching miniature movie-within-the-movie. But it also might make you wonder what it would look like if the story were told the other way around, with Alisha at the center. The person she marries is a woman, and a brief display of affection between them has already led some countries to ban “Lightyear,” which deals with the characters’ sexuality in a commendably matter-of-fact manner. At the same time, their marginality to the main plot makes it feel as if the filmmakers were content to check a diversity box, pat themselves on the back and move on.

What they move on to is an energetic, somewhat familiar adventure, with a few moments of lovely deep-space animation. Buzz teams up with Alisha’s now grown granddaughter, Izzy (Keke Palmer), and two other Star Command trainees: Darby (Dale Soules), a salty ex-convict, and Mo (Taika Waititi), an all-purpose goofball. And, of course, the robot cat.

It’s possible that, in 1995, “Lightyear” could have been an 8-year-old boy’s favorite movie, but that’s not really the point. Its purpose is to extend brand awareness, and to close a loop between the stuff we see and the stuff we buy.

Usually the movie comes first, but not always, as the “Transformers” franchise demonstrated. Greta Gerwig is making a Barbie movie. And within the “Toy Story” cosmos, the possibilities are endless. How about a Forky docuseries? Or “Shepherdess,” a folk-horror retelling of the Bo Peep story? Personally, I’d be most excited about “La Testa di Patata,” an uninhibited Italian romantic comedy about the courtship of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.

Lightyear Rated PG. Robot danger. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes. In theaters.

A.O. Scott is a co-chief film critic. He joined The Times in 2000 and has written for the Book Review and The New York Times Magazine. He is also the author of “Better Living Through Criticism.” More about A.O. Scott

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Movie Reviews

Movie review: pixar's 'lightyear'.

Bob Mondello

Buzz Lightyear flies to infinity and beyond in Lightyear , the fifth film in Pixar's Toy Story saga.

ADRIAN FLORIDO, HOST:

When It's Father's Day weekend, and a trip to the movies might be in store. You've got a lot of options out there.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "TOY STORY")

TIM ALLEN: (As Buzz Lightyear) To infinity and beyond.

FLORIDO: That's, of course, the delightfully full of himself Buzz Lightyear from "Toy Story." And now he gets a movie all his own. And critic Bob Mondello says the animated adventure "Lightyear" also breaks new ground.

BOB MONDELLO, BYLINE: A legend on the screen reminds us that in 1995, a boy named Andy received a Space Ranger toy for his birthday that was based on a character in his favorite movie. This, we're told, is that movie. It begins with Rangers Buzz Lightyear and Alisha Hawthorne - not toys but people, although, of course, they're still computer-generated - landing on a new planet, Buzz swaggering as he generally does.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "LIGHTYEAR")

CHRIS EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) Buzz Lightyear mission log - there seems to be no sign of intelligent life anywhere.

UZO ADUBA: (As Alisha Hawthorne) Who are you talking to?

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) No one.

ADUBA: (As Alisha Hawthorne) You were narrating again.

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) I was not - just doing the mission log.

ADUBA: (As Alisha Hawthorne) You do know no one ever listens to those.

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) I know that. Narrating helps me focus.

MONDELLO: And he'll need to focus because this planet is hostile, afflicted with hungry vines that snatch anything new and drag it underground, including their spaceship if he can't get it away in time.

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) Let's get everyone home.

MONDELLO: And because he's Mr. Go It Alone...

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) Come on. Come on.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) Do you need my help?

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) Negative.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) Are you sure?

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) I'm Buzz Lightyear. I'm always sure.

MONDELLO: ...He does not get it away in time, and they're marooned until he can achieve light speed again. That requires testing. So with his pal Alisha in command...

ADUBA: (As Alisha Hawthorne) I'm going to grant you four minutes to be off planet. But then you come right back to us. To infinity...

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) And beyond.

MONDELLO: ...What Alisha knows that Buzz doesn't quite grasp is that as he approaches hyperspeed, time will slow for him. So his minutes away will be years for folks he leaves behind, meaning while he keeps testing, Alisha lives a rich, full life. She finds a wife, has a son, becomes a grandmother. And because Buzz misses all those moments - and we do, too, except for quick glimpses - they acquire an emotional tug, much like the opening married life montage in Pixar's "Up." To help him cope, Alisha surprises him...

PETER SOHN: (As SOX) Hello, Buzz.

MONDELLO: ...With what looks like a kitten.

SOHN: (As SOX) I am SOX, your personal companion robot.

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) My what?

SOHN: (As SOX) I was issued by Star Command to ease your emotional transition after your time away.

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) Oh. Well, that's very considerate of you, robot feline. But no thank you.

MONDELLO: Director Angus MacLane and his team offer plenty to applaud in "Lightyear" - state-of-the-art visuals, some even created in IMAX, a gratifying level of diversity, both in racial and LGBTQ terms, clever matching of this real life Buzz to the Tim Allen voiced toy. Chris Evans does the vocals here, bringing a bit of Captain America's authority to a Space Ranger who has thick brown hair to go with that massive dimpled chin and equally massive ego.

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) I'm better off just doing the job myself.

MONDELLO: As always with Pixar, life lessons abound about setting realistic goals, learning to relinquish control, about how even heroes need allies, and if those lessons are accompanied by action filler...

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) We're being pursued by massive robots (ph).

SOHN: (As SOX) That was utterly terrifying, and I regret having joined you.

MONDELLO: ...That's just the price of making it to the cineplex these days. This may be mid-level Pixar, but that's still respectable. And though the merchandizing notion behind "Lightyear" - kids' favorite movie spawns kids' favorite toy requiring new origin movie - feels a tad ominous, I'd be dreading the inevitable SOX spinoff more...

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) Come on. Don't break my cat.

KEKE PALMER: (As Izzy Hawthorne) He's purring. He likes it.

EVANS: (As Buzz Lightyear) SOX, do you like that?

SOHN: (As SOX) I do.

MONDELLO: ...If he weren't so cute. I'm Bob Mondello.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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Lightyear First Reviews: An Exhilarating, Visually Spectacular Sci-Fi Adventure for Fans who Grew Up with Toy Story

Critics say pixar's toy story -adjacent space romp is gorgeous and fun, even if it doesn't reach the studio's greatest heights, and a scene-stealing sox the cat will be everyone's new favorite sidekick..

TAGGED AS: animated , Animation , Film , films , movie , movies , Pixar , toy story

Pixar returns to theaters with Lightyear , a sort of spin-off of their Toy Story franchise featuring the in-universe inspiration for the Buzz Lightyear toy (voiced here by Chris Evans ). The first reviews of the movie celebrate its animated sci-fi action and adventure story and visuals, as well as its scene-stealing robot cat for comic relief, but it’s not necessarily the studio’s greatest release.

Here’s what critics are saying about Lightyear :

Does it live up to peak Pixar?

Lightyear is the best movie of the year so far, and the best Pixar movie in quite some time. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

Lightyear emerges as a disappointing runner-up, capturing but a fraction of the comedy, thrills, and poignancy of its predecessors. – Alonso Duralde, The Wrap

Sadly it never reaches the emotional highs that Pixar was known for. – John Nguyen, Nerd Reactor

It lacks the emotional weight and meaning Pixar moviegoers expect. – Jeff Nelson, Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Not every Pixar production needs to be a new modern classic, but… Lightyear is not exactly going to occupy too much space in my mind in the weeks to come. – Aaron Neuwirth, We Live Entertainment

Will Toy Story fans love it?

The film captures the magic of what made the Toy Story franchise while confidently opening the door for new fans to the franchise. – David Gonzalez, Reel Talk Inc.

For old and new Toy Story and family adventure fans alike, this is worthwhile dream fulfillment and highly exciting entertainment. – Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a Lesson

Angus MacLane’s animated space adventure is an absolute winner with thematic and emotional resonance, just like the Toy Story films before it. – Ryan McQuade, Awards Watch

This is a movie for Toy Story adults — the people who grew up on the movies and now hold jobs and mortgages — not Toy Story children. – Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm

It won’t engage the heart or the head in the way that Toy Story films have led viewers to expect over the last quarter-century-plus. – Alonso Duralde, The Wrap

What ultimately waters down Lightyear … is an absence of the excitement and disciplined storytelling spirit that made Toy Story such a pioneering hit. – Tomris Laffly, AV Club

How is the writing?

Angus MacLane and his co-writer Jason Headley craft a transportive and imaginative screenplay… The most impressive thing about the duo’s screenplay is added layers of freshness to an already beloved character. – David Gonzalez, Reel Talk Inc.

The script… tosses off a few gently mind-bending twists, but otherwise rests comfortably within an accessible, highly allusive branch of family-friendly science fiction. – Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times

The movie feels a little episodic… like a kid recapping the plot of a movie, saying, “This happened and then this happened and then this happened.” – Fred Topel, United Press International

This feels like a story designed off a checklist rather than one told from the heart because it needs to be told. – Rob Hunter, Film School Rejects

What about a strong message for the kids?

Lightyear will show you why Andy was enamored with his movie of choice and make you remember which one did that to you too back when you were a kid. – Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a Lesson

Lightyear is a moving movie to see in our modern, cynical times when we can see people grow beyond what they are into the people we need them to be. – Ryan McQuade, Awards Watch

There is a lesbian kiss in Lightyear … This is a great way to have LGBTQ+ representation and inclusion on the screen, and should be applauded. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

A tired message better taught in Monsters University : never underestimate the hard work, determination, and loyalty of your allies. – Tomris Laffly, AV Club

Does it play well as a sci-fi action movie?

Lightyear is still an extremely fun action sci-fi film that is better than most animated films released in a given year. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

The space action is genuinely thrilling with stakes as high as Gravity . – Fred Topel, United Press International

Pixar has dabbled in the action genre with The Incredibles and doubles down here with visually impressive, grin-inducing shootouts and fights. – Jonathan Sim, ComingSoon.net

It works out well enough to be entertaining overall for people who enjoy animated films that take place in outer space. – Carla Hay, Culture Mix

Offers exhilarating action sequences, involving racing rockets, robot armies, and a truly breathtaking space walk. – Kristy Puchko, Mashable

The outer-space visuals and action-packed fight sequences are undoubtedly riveting. – Mike Massie, Gone With the Twins

Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear in Lightyear (2022)

How are the visuals?

If it needs to be said, the film is a visual triumph, with stunningly photo-real images and richly detailed deep-space locations. – Scott Mendelson, Forbes

Lightyear is easily Pixar’s best-looking movie yet. It isn’t even a question. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

One of the most aesthetically appealing features Pixar has done. The environments’ scale and scope are dazzling. Many gorgeous frames are pure art. – Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction

With stunning space sequences, Lightyear adds to a genre rich in space beauty with one of the best-looking films of the year. – David Gonzalez, Reel Talk Inc.

Lightyear has visual pizzazz, from the hyperspace sequences to the heretofore hidden surprises that emerge from those colorful buttons and dials on the Space Ranger uniforms. – Alonso Duralde, The Wrap

The visuals are definitely up to Pixar standards, but the visual effects in Lightyear are not really game-changing or extraordinary. – Carla Hay, Culture Mix

How is Chris Evans as the new voice of Buzz?

While Evans’s version of Buzz is akin to Tim Allen’s interpretation, this version is given the space to mold something fresh. – Ryan McQuade, Awards Watch

Evans puts his stamp on the character and makes it relatively easy to forget about the re-voice casting and fall back into the world of Buzz. – David Gonzalez, Reel Talk Inc.

Evans also does a commendable job of taking on the iconic role of Buzz Lightyear, giving the character just the right amount of gravitas and heroism that he needs, but mixed with just a dash of ignorance and naivety. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

He’s intentionally impersonating George Clooney for the entire movie; that’s how it sounds, anyway. – Alonso Duralde, The Wrap

[He] does a creditable job… though a bit of that Allen snap gets lost. The character seems less funny, a notch more ordinary. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

Peter Sohn as the voice of Sox the cat in Lightyear (2022)

Will fans love the new characters too?

One of the movie’s greatest strengths is that it introduces characters with memorable personalities and quirks, with Sox being the one that viewers might be talking about the most. – Carla Hay, Culture Mix

Sox immediately belongs in the pantheon of great Pixar secondary characters, alongside Edna Mode, Dug, and Bing Bong. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

One of the best character debuts in any Pixar film. – David Gonzalez, Reel Talk Inc.

[Sox the cat is] one of the best new characters in recent Pixar memory. – Ryan McQuade, Awards Watch

Despite feeling a bit derivative of Baymax in Big Hero 6 , [Sox] the cat brings much-needed charm, heart and smile with his cute behavior, funny situations, and loyalty as a companion. – John Nguyen, Nerd Reactor

Izzy is an instant fan fav. She has the charm, the comedy, determination, overall countenance, natural hair, and all, of a character people can relate to. – Catalina Combs, Black Girl Nerds

This [movie] is packed to the gills with vibrant characters and creepy villains, most of which are sadly more interesting than Buzz himself. – Tomris Laffly, AV Club

Should they have just titled the movie “ Sox the Cat “?

His presence alone makes this movie worth the price of admission. – Jeff Nelson, Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Suffice it to say, Sox would be the toy every kid would have wanted after this film, not a Buzz Lightyear. – Aaron Neuwirth, We Live Entertainment

Hey, if Disney wants to make a Sox streaming show or spin-off movie, I’ll happily watch that. – Scott Mendelson, Forbes

Is it a good sign for the future of Pixar?

If Luca , Turning Red , and Lightyear is the vision of Pixar going forward… then we are looking at a whole new renaissance by this prestigious animated institution. – Ryan McQuade, Awards Watch

If this is what Pixar can accomplish without really stretching its creative or emotional talents, just imagine what they could do if they gave it their all. – Rob Hunter, Film School Rejects

Lightyear opens in theaters on June 17, 2022.

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Lightyear is a good movie — and an even better IP grab

Lightyear will makes lots of money, and sell even more toys.

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The running joke about Disney-Pixar movies is how well they imbue feelings into objects and lifeforms that don’t often clearly display them. Finding Nemo is about how fish have feelings. Ratatouille is about how rats have feelings. Cars is about how automobiles have feelings. Even Pixar’s logo, a little anthropomorphized lamp, seems to have feelings.

Similarly then, Lightyear is about how white men have feelings.

Lightyear centers on Buzz Lightyear. You likely know Buzz as a starring character in the vaunted, 27-year-old Toy Story franchise about a boy named Andy and his secretly sentient batch of action figures, dolls, and playthings. However, Lightyear is not a continuing solo adventure of that tiny plastic hero (who was voiced by Tim Allen). According to Disney and Pixar lore, Lightyear (2022) is the actual 1995 sci-fi flick that inspired the Buzz Lightyear toys in Andy’s universe. Andy saw Lightyear and wanted the action figure, which his mother purchased for him in the original Toy Story.

Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story movies is simply a toy representation of this original, fictional Buzz Lightyear (who is voiced by Chris Evans). Despite their differences, a shared idea of both Buzzes Lightyear — daring, stubborn, strong — is understood by Andy and by us. It’s a pretty high concept for a children’s movie.

Lightyear itself is a sweet musing on the value of friendship, an origin story that gives the titular character a sense of purpose, and a zippy ride through an often-gorgeous cosmic world. There’s also a hilarious robot cat named Sox; I am frightened by my own affection toward Sox. All in all, Lightyear is easily in the top half of Disney and Pixar’s filmography. It’s a charming and, at times, acutely funny space adventure.

Yet, there’s something beneath the surface that compromises Disney and Pixar’s proficient storytelling. It’s the idea that Lightyear exists not to just give us a free-standing movie about this space ranger’s feelings, but rather to take advantage of Disney’s very lucrative intellectual property. For a character whose famous words are “to infinity and beyond,” Lightyear feels predictable, content to play within Disney’s plum boundaries rather than push Disney and Pixar into a thrilling future.

If you think about Lightyear ’s existence too much, your brain may start to itch with questions.

Lightyear is animated the way Andy from Toy Story is animated, so does Andy perceive Lightyear as an animated movie, or is it live-action? Can Andy, who is 6 years old at the start of the first Toy Story , even understand what the movie is about? And how does Lightyear even exist in our own universe, 27 years after its debut? How did it get here? And why is it here?

Like a faceless god, the movie does not give any concrete answers to those queries. Instead, it gives us a story about failure (kind of) and friendship.

This Buzz Lightyear, along with his bestie, space ranger Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), is part of a crew responsible for exploring an unexplored planet. They quickly discover this uncharted world is a hostile one, full of giant bugs and strangling vines, which is made even more complicated when some decisive action from Buzz leaves the entire crew of their turnip-shaped spacecraft stranded there indefinitely.

Buzz is intent on righting his wrong, trying again and again to travel back home by hyperspeed — the velocity needed to get the entire crew to jump through space. He gets closer with every attempt, but still faces the nagging problem of the unbreakable relationship between time and space. Each of Buzz’s trips are just minutes for him, but they’re four years for his marooned friends, all of whom are aging normally. Buzz doesn’t see a problem with this because he sees sacrifice as virtuous (it’s one of the qualities that makes him similar to Chris Evans’s other major Disney character, Captain America). This is, in fact, the Buzz Lightyear we know and love — one who is brave and loyal, and doesn’t always have the best ideas.

There’s a question implicit in the higher-budget, better-cast, more winking IP adaptations. You can feel it in The Lego Movie , in many of Disney+’s TV series, in the stills for Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie film. Sure, it seems to say, this is a project based on a familiar intellectual property, made to almost-surgically extract dollars from the wallets of longtime fans … but can’t it still be creative? Isn’t it still fun?

Lightyear ratchets that up yet another notch. The whole premise of Lightyear is that the Buzz Lightyear action figures in Toy Story were actually just promotions for this movie; that this film is not just the IP we know and love but something more authentic. Lightyear is, according to Disney-Pixar’s retrofitted storyline, the actual real-deal story. And in a creative landscape devoted to ransacking the past, isn’t this a pretty clever idea?

This is slightly complicated by a sensibility in Lightyear that, as an audience, we’re smart enough to understand the way money-grabs work. It’s hard to take Disney’s smirking critique about consumerism too seriously because Disney is the force that it pretends to laugh at.

The very many movies in the Toy Story franchise are about how these cookie-cutter toys actually are individuals with human feelings that aren’t disposable. This nifty caveat allows for new Lightyear merchandise and Toy Story toys, plushies, tents, and costumes to exist side by side in Disney’s stores .

Lightyear is very much mining existing nostalgia and brand name to pad its box office haul. Depending on its financial success, there may be several more Lightyear movies in the future. The ability to keep churning out Buzz Lightyear content is especially convenient for Disney since 2019’s Toy Story 4 was supposed to be the end of the Toy Story movies.

But the funny thing is: There’s plenty in Lightyear that’s good enough to stand on its own. It didn’t need to be about Buzz Lightyear. “Brave and loyal without the best ideas” could apply to lots of characters. It’s Buzz’s friendships that make this movie.

First, with Alisha. While Buzz reacts to tragedy by trying to force correction, Alisha adapts. She leads the rest of the crew in creating a home for themselves on this new planet: constructing buildings and living spaces, building labs to cultivate resources and sustenance, and learning to defend against the planet’s very large bugs. Scientists and architects and engineers thrive.

Alisha also starts her own life.

She begins to date a fellow crew member, which blooms into romance. As the years tick by, Alisha and her partner have kids and their kids have kids. Buzz, who returns as often as a leap year, misses out on so much of her life.

Alisha doesn’t resent him. She knows her best friend needs to try to save his crew — even if they might not need saving, given how well they’ve adapted. She understands that Buzz will keep charging into space four years at a time, so she gives him a robot cat named Sox (Peter Sohn) to keep him company.

Eventually, Buzz’s final space run is successful and he has the solution to get everyone home! But unfortunately Buzz returns 22 years into the future, and his adopted planet is now under siege from a robot threat. Buzz and Sox are the colony’s best hope, but also find themselves responsible for Alisha’s sunny, but extremely green granddaughter, Izzy (Keke Palmer), and her companions, the cowardly Mo Morrison (Taika Waititi) and octogenarian ex-con Darby Steel (Dale Soules). It’s time for the lessons of friendship, round two.

Izzy, her ragtag crew, and Buzz inevitably teach each other about heroism and life — the kind of lessons that Pixar is so adept at telling. These emotional beats are hit so precisely, Pixar should think about charging its competitors for the clinic. Buzz will grow a heart. Izzy will learn more about her grandmother. Sox will learn to love despite his android circuitry.

Lightyear ’s conclusion telegraphs another movie: Buzz, Izzy, Sox, and all the friends they made are strapped in and prepared to fly into hyperspeed. And while I’m sure it’ll be a great time, I’m just a little more hesitant about joining along.

The appeal of Buzz Lightyear — the toy and now the astronaut — has been that the character dares to dream despite an entire world telling him it isn’t practical. His existence is supposed to be a testament to endless possibility, and his adherence to it is so stubborn that it borders on frustrating. Lightyear gives us a fleeting glimpse into that, but this good-enough movie isn’t the slightest bit concerned with the unknown. There’s no thought to mapping out a future for the character that feels the slightest bit surprising or inventive, especially compared to the places that the original Toy Story took him.

The box office might go to infinity, but we’ll never get anything beyond the limits of intellectual property.

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Lightyear Review

Chris evans is out of time. again..

Lightyear hits theaters June 17.

At the very start of Lightyear, words flash across the screen to tell us, “In 1995 Andy got a toy. The toy was from his favorite movie. This is that movie.” Somehow, what unfolds after those words fade manages to have all of the heart and emotional impact we’ve come to expect from Pixar while still feeling as derivative as one would expect a movie about a toy from another movie to be.

For that very reason, Lightyear may be the movie I’ve struggled most to assign a score to. When the story hits the notes it needs to, it works wonders. When it doesn't, however, it’s equally as noticeable. Perhaps the biggest cause of this hit-or-miss problem is the length and pacing of the movie. There’s no real reason for Lightyear to be as long as it is — and it’s pretty short (at an hour and 45 minutes) compared to what we’ve become used to with our blockbusters. Lightyear doesn’t find its stride until about 40 minutes in, but once it hits that point, it’s relatively solid for the rest of the run.

Lightyear Movie Images

Pixar's sci-fi action-adventure presents the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear—the hero (voiced by Chris Evans) who inspired the toy—introducing the legendary Space Ranger who would win generations of fans. Lightyear opens in theaters on June 17, 2022.

Chris Evans is not one of Lightyear’s problems, though. As Buzz, he seems to step into voice acting with ease. It’s not a skill all live-action actors are able to accomplish (sorry to Sebastian Stan in What If…?), and tackling a long-beloved character with an already iconic voice makes matters even more complicated. But at no point does it feel like he’s trying to emulate Tim Allen. Evans brings his own charming, charismatic spin here, and it works. He’s once again playing a man out of time — he even steps out of the same kind of chamber as Captain America did early on in this film — so maybe that helped him ease into things.

Though, it’s gotta be said that while Evans rocks his introduction into voice acting, Taika Waititi’s Mo and Peter Sohn’s Sox steal the show. They’re not together much; they’re just the best parts of the movie. And yeah, Taika is still basically just playing Taika in the movie. But it’s Taika if he were a space cadet, so it’s still fun to watch!

What's the best Toy Story movie?

Pixar doesn’t make ugly movies, but Lightyear is particularly gorgeous. Not only is it filled with bright colors and flashy space adventures, but it has a lovely attention to detail in both its environments and cast. This is especially true for its Black characters. The texture in Alisha (Uzo Aduba) and Izzy Hawthorne’s (Keke Palmer) hair is beautiful, and it’s really exciting to see natural hair illustrated so beautifully in an animated film.

A lot of Lightyear may be “on the nose,” but its occasional lack of subtext is a benefit rather than a detriment. Specifically, Alisha is a lesbian, we see her multiple times with her loving family, and both her queerness and her happiness are important to the overall plot.

The themes of Lightyear are more subtle. The story challenges Buzz to separate his self worth from his duty as a Space Ranger as well as understand that he is worthy of love not once he is perfect but while he is flawed. They’re great messages! They’re just tackled in the gentlest of ways. This may work for some, but may go over others’ heads (and this is technically a kids’ movie, after all) – the story, for example, shows a real lack of willingness to call Buzz out as he carelessly ostracizes those around him. The story is, overall, feel good. But it’s also a slow-moving softball that Pixar has proven it’s better than.

Michael Giacchino’s score compliments Lightyear’s strong visuals, and the cast all does a great job in their respective roles. It just doesn’t end up being a new Pixar classic. You get the patented Pixar tears and the warm fuzzies you’ve come to expect from their stories – you just probably won’t remember them a week after you watch. Unless, that is, you’re still questioning whether or not there really needed to be a movie about Buzz Lightyear rather than any other spaceman working through his work/life balance issues.

Lightyear features striking visuals, strong performances, and a love-out-loud lesbian relationship that we’re thrilled to see on screen. All of those things deserved a stronger story, though. It’s a fun watch that will keep kids and adults alike entertained, but Lightyear just doesn’t live up to Pixar’s usual standards.

More Reviews by Amelia Emberwing

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Lightyear Parent Guide

This film doesn't live up to pixar's usual standards. the animation is stellar, but the story doesn't get off the ground..

Theaters: Before Buzz Lightyear was a talking toy, he was the main character in a movie about an astronaut. Marooned on an alien planet, Buzz and his fellow astronauts and scientists need to find a way to return to Earth, despite Zurg's attempts to stop them.

Release date June 17, 2022

Run Time: 100 minutes

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kirsten hawkes.

Buzz Lightyear is a dedicated Space Ranger, devoted to finishing his mission. When a mistake on his part maroons him, his fellow Space Rangers, and an entire group of scientists on a remote and dangerous planet, Buzz knows it’s up to him to get everyone home.

Returning to Earth isn’t going to be quick or easy. The scientists spend a year developing a space base (which seems absurdly fast for a planet with zero infrastructure) and trying to create a fuel cell that will allow a ship to travel at hyperspeed. Each time Buzz does a test flight with newly mixed fuel, the minutes he spends in travel correspond to years experienced by his friends on the planet. Soon, he returns to a planet and society he barely recognizes…and things only get worse when Zurg and his robotic army complicate the plot.

Pixar’s record is so strong that I have repeatedly second-guessed my assessment of this production. I’m going to stand by it though: Lightyear doesn’t reach Pixar’s standards. The only fleshed-out character is Buzz himself, and even he isn’t as well rounded as he should be. He exhibits determination, persistence, stubbornness, arrogance, and a certain amount of aloofness. Character growth is thankfully part of the plot and is welcome when it happens, but it feels like it occurs too late in the day. As for the storyline, it is clearly caught in some kind of space/time dislocation because it drags on interminably and feels a good half hour longer than its runtime. I don’t think I have ever clock-watched in a Pixar film before, but after the first half hour (the best part of the film), I was checking my watch every ten minutes.

If you’re trying to decide whether you should take your kids to this movie, I can’t give you a categorical answer – just some questions. Is your youngster obsessed with Buzz Lightyear? He or she will probably love the movie. Action fans will also get a kick out of all the human versus robot fight scenes. Is your kid easily frightened? Then you should probably pick another show. This movie features tentacled monsters that repeatedly attack people, frequent fight scenes (often with weapons), and some incredibly perilous scenes in outer space. If you have strongly held traditional views on sexuality, a kiss between two women and scenes of their family life will probably rule this movie out for you – but families with contemporary attitudes will appreciate the representation.

Should you choose to take your family to this film, there are some bright spots. The animation is stellar and the messages about persistence, hard work, facing your fears, reaching out to others, and learning to re-assess your goals are worth sharing with your kids. Buzz’s latest adventure might not reach to “infinity and beyond” but it provides a bit of a ride for young fans who want to spend some time with their Space Ranger hero.

About author

Kirsten hawkes, watch the trailer for lightyear.

Lightyear Rating & Content Info

Why is Lightyear rated PG? Lightyear is rated PG by the MPAA for action/peril

Violence: There are frequent scenes of extreme peril, some in outer space, some on the planet’s surface. A tentacled underground monster attacks people throughout the movie’s runtime. Humans respond by cutting off its tentacles whenever they attack. Large flying monsters attack people, sometimes trying to carry them off. Robots attack people with weapons and there are frequent scenes of combat. A main character receives news of a friend’s death through a holographic message. Characters are shot with tranquilizer darts. A spaceship explodes. Sexual Content: A major female character kisses another woman. Scenes from their family life are seen. Profanity: None. Alcohol / Drug Use: None.

Page last updated January 12, 2024

Lightyear Parents' Guide

Why does the group get marooned on the planet? Is Buzz responsible for the accident? What does he learn from the experience?

How does Buzz respond to the loss of his friends as they age? How does he adjust to the changes in his society?

What does Buzz learn about himself when he meets Zurg? How does getting to know Zurg’s backstory influence the big decision he finally makes?

Loved this movie? Try these books…

Disney is never slow to capitalize on its popular characters and there are plenty of kids’ books to choose from that feature the adventures of the toy Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story movies. But if you want books about the astronaut in this film, you can try Disney’s Lightyear: The Junior Novelization. Adults and art buffs intrigued by the film’s animation and visual design can try the studio’s publication of The Art of Lightyear.

There are some wonderful non-fiction resources for budding space fans. National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space is a good option for youngsters who want to know “what’s out there”. Older kids looking for something more comprehensive will want to read James Trefil’s Space Atlas. Published by National Geographic, this book provides detailed information about the solar system (and beyond) as well as breathtaking photos.

Kids who want more about space exploration can read about real life astronaut Scott Kelly. In his book, which is illustrated by Andre Ceolin, Kelly shares his life story, with a focus on his year-long mission in space. Elementary school readers will enjoy The Story of Neil Armstrong, which presents the biography of the trailblazing astronaut in an easy-to-read, well illustrated account by Sarah L. Thomson. If your children want some female representation in their space stories, they can read Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream. Written by Tanya Lee Stone, this non-fiction book shares the story of the women who passed the tests of their male colleagues, but who were never given the chance to go into space.

Kids often wonder what it’s like to be an astronaut. Some of their questions can be answered in Meghan McCarthy’s Astronaut Handbook, which provides youngsters with details about astronaut training school. Young readers will appreciate Astronaut Living in Space by Kate Hayden. This easy reader lets kids follow the adventures of a fictional astronaut as she completes training and goes on a space mission. More details about life – and research – in space can be found in The International Space Station by Franklyn M. Branley.

Readers seeking fictional space adventures can begin with Magic Tree House: Midnight on the Moon. In this instalment of the Mary Pope Osborne series, Jack and Annie are hunting for clues on the moon. Another popular kids’ book series to go off-planet is The Magic School Bus. Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen take Ms. Frizzle’s class to outer space in The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System.

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What to know

Critics Consensus

Lightyear settles for being a rather conventional origin story instead of reaching for the stars, but this gorgeously animated adventure ably accomplishes its mission of straightforward fun. Read critic reviews

Audience Says

Even if it doesn't quite measure up to Toy Story , Lightyear offers an entertaining -- although somewhat complicated -- origin story for the beloved title character. Read audience reviews

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Watch Lightyear with a subscription on Disney+, rent on Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV.

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Lightyear videos, lightyear photos.

Legendary space ranger Buzz Lightyear embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside ambitious recruits Izzy, Mo, Darby, and his robot companion, Sox. As this motley crew tackles their toughest mission yet, they must learn to work together as a team to escape the evil Zurg and his dutiful robot army that are never far behind.

Rating: PG (Action/Peril)

Genre: Kids & family, Comedy, Adventure, Sci-fi, Animation, Action

Original Language: English

Director: Angus MacLane

Producer: Galyn Susman

Writer: Jason Headley , Angus MacLane

Release Date (Theaters): Jun 17, 2022 wide

Release Date (Streaming): Aug 3, 2022

Box Office (Gross USA): $118.3M

Runtime: 1h 40m

Distributor: Disney/Pixar

Production Co: Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Sound Mix: DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos

Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

View the collection: Pixar

Cast & Crew

Chris Evans

Buzz Lightyear Voice

Taika Waititi

Morrison Voice

Keke Palmer

James Brolin

Efren Ramirez

Isiah Whitlock Jr.

Dale Soules

Mary McDonald-Lewis

Angus MacLane

Jason Headley

Screenwriter

Galyn Susman

Andrew Stanton

Executive Producer

Pete Docter

Jeremy Lasky

Cinematographer

Ian Megibben

Anthony J. Greenberg

Film Editing

Michael Giacchino

Original Music

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Art Director

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Critic Reviews for Lightyear

Audience reviews for lightyear.

Obviously the visual designs and animation are good, however suddenly taking Buzz Lightyear seriously is quite the 180 from Pixar. Also, I would have appreciated at least somewhat of an attempt to try and make the kind of big budget science fiction movie that would have actually existed in the 90s.

The Toy Story franchise is one that's incredibly close to my heart. I grew up watching the films repeatedly, and I was very close to the age Andy was when Toy Story 3 came out, which hit home as well. When I heard about this film being in development and that Tim Allen wouldn't be voicing him, I was nothing but surprised and curious what they were doing. While this film isn't nearly as masterful as the Toy Story films or even comparable/connected to them in any way, shape or form, I had a blast watching it and was emotionally invested from start to finish. If you can go into this film knowing it has nothing to do with Toy Story (for the most part), I think you'll at least like this as a Disney/Pixar, Space Adventure flick, as I did. Lightyear follows space ranger Buzz Lightyear, as his ship and crew are stranded on a planet after a poor decision on his part. Trying to discover how to successfully accomplish light speed in order to return home, many realizations come to light. With the looming presence of a fleet of robots, commanded by another robot called Zurg, time is not on Buzz's side. This simple premise has so much more to it, especially throughout the first act, and I ate up every bit of it. The storytelling throughout the first act brought me to tears, in ways other films with similar story beats have failed to do. I will get a major complaint I have about this film out of the way though. There is a plot twist towards the end of this film that I very much liked and it fit with this film on its own, but it's something that if you were to actually sit back and think about the second Toy Story film, it would make no sense at all. I really liked the moment in the movie, but that was the one Toy Story connected that took me out of the movie. I also wish we could've learned a bit more about Buzz's actual backstory, even though his character was still very likeable and entertaining here. This film is filled with lovable characters though, so that made up for it. Where I can't possibly rave about this film enough though, is in the fact that it straight up feels real at times. Not just the animation style, but the "Cinematography." There were some genuinely beautiful moments of space imagery and not just for the sake of visuals. The visuals in this film complement this story very well. I honestly felt like I was watching a fun space adventure that just happened to be an animated film from Pixar. My eyes were glued to the screen out of pure enjoyment and from the visuals. Overall, I believe that director Angus MacLane, along with his incredibly talented crew, has crafted a film that's great for all ages. There are mature themes and dark moments for the Toy Story fans who have grown up, but even younger children who have yet to see the Toy Story films will find enjoyment here, especially with the addition of Buzz's sidekick/robot companion Sox, who steals the show on multiple occasions (it kind of reminded me of Baymax from Big Hero 6 actually). I can see many viewers complaining about it not being a Toy Story film, but that's not the point of this movie at all. There are things about this film that explain how it's part of the Toy Story franchise, but at the same time, it can't be viewed as a prequel or sequel to anything. I'm being vague because I don't want to ruin what this film actually is. I had minor complaints here and there and the story is bits and pieces of so many things I've seen before, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that I loved watching it. I thought Lightyear was very well done and I can't wait to give it a second watch.

Haven't watched but won't let me delete.

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While spending years attempting to return home, marooned Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear encounters an army of ruthless robots commanded by Zurg who are attempting to steal his fuel source. While spending years attempting to return home, marooned Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear encounters an army of ruthless robots commanded by Zurg who are attempting to steal his fuel source. While spending years attempting to return home, marooned Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear encounters an army of ruthless robots commanded by Zurg who are attempting to steal his fuel source.

Angus MacLane
Matthew Aldrich
Jason Headley
Chris Evans
Keke Palmer
1K User reviews
259 Critic reviews
60 Metascore
2 wins & 22 nominations

Buzz Lightyear

Izzy Hawthorne

Mo Morrison

Darby Steel

Alisha Hawthorne

Commander Burnside

Featheringhamstan

Airman Díaz
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Trivia The oxygen tanks in the movie are actually the scream canisters used in Monsters, Inc.
Goofs The hyper speed shown in the movie is extremely slow considering the distances involved. When Buzz is doing the fuel tests his speed is measured in c, with 1c being 100% hyper speed. In physics 1c is the speed of light. The text at the start of the movie states T'Kani Prime is 4.2 million light years from Earth, which means it would take 4.2 million years to travel that distance at the speed of light. Given the Turnip is supposed to be an exploration ship, an 8 million year round trip does not seem practical.

Buzz Lightyear : To infinity...

[point his finger to her]

Izzy : [looks stunned] Are you trying to get me to pull your finger?

Mo Morrison : Don't fall for it.

Buzz Lightyear : No, not like that! It's just... Ugh. Sorry, it's a thing your grandma and I used to do.

Darby Steel : Ew.

Crazy credits [SPOILER] There are 3 scenes during the end credits: a mid-credits scene about two minutes into the credits that shows a bug being blasted by the laser shield, a post-credits scene immediately before the studio logos where DERIC finishes giving directions to the storehouse and realizes everyone has already left, and a final scene after the studio logos revealing that Zurg survived the explosion.
Connections Featured in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: The Rat of All My Dreams (2020)

User reviews 1K

brianjohnson-20043
Jun 30, 2022
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June 17, 2022 (United States)
United States
Official Site
Lightyear - Cảnh Sát Vũ Trụ
Pixar Animation Studios - 1200 Park Avenue, Emeryville, California, USA (Studio)
Pixar Animation Studios
The Walt Disney Company
See more company credits at IMDbPro
$200,000,000 (estimated)
$118,307,188
$50,577,961
Jun 19, 2022
$226,425,420

Technical specs

Runtime 1 hour 45 minutes
Dolby Digital
Dolby Atmos
IMAX 6-Track
Dolby Surround 7.1

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Lightyear’s a stiff-as-plastic deconstruction of heroic space dramas

Lightyear’s a visual stunner with a predictable story.

By Charles Pulliam-Moore , a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years.

Share this story

Buzz Lightyear gazing at something in space.

Pixar and Disney have hyped director Angus MacLane’s Lightyear up by making it out as a mysterious reworking of Toy Story ’s canon that reveals all-new details about Andy Davis’ favorite space explorer . Though a new version of Buzz anchors the film, its story about how reaching for the stars can lead to people losing hold of the important things right in front of them is actually more about taking its titular astronaut off a pedestal and unpacking why we tend to frame people like him as heroes.

Lightyear tells the story of Buzz (Chris Evans), one of the headstrong Galactic Rangers of Star Command who’s committed his life to the organization’s exploration of deep space. After years of working closely only with his commanding officer Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), Lightyear’s left convinced that it simply isn’t safe (or really worth it) for him to partner up with newbies to the force, an assumption that ends up spelling disaster for them all. Though no one’s fatally injured when Buzz decides that he doesn’t need help during a routine mission, an accident leaves him and countless others stranded on a strange planet, and on some level everyone knows who’s to blame for their misfortune.

Rather than tiny green aliens who think with a hive mind and worship a claw in the sky, Buzz’s guilt is what haunts him as Lightyear opens and zooms in on the space hero as he searches for a way to put right everything that’s gone wrong. Though everyone on the strange planet wants to go home, no one explicitly tries to saddle Buzz with guilt about their being marooned. And because they’re all highly trained survivalists, it isn’t long before they begin to build a colony.

But for Buzz, a lantern-jawed boy scout with a penchant for dramatically narrating his mission logs, moving on with his life would be tantamount to admitting failure — something he refuses to do.What drives Buzz as Lightyear kicks into gear is his sense that, if he simply keeps trying on his own to solve a problem involving unstable fuel sources, he alone can save himself and his fellow Galactic Rangers from having to tough it out on a planet full of murderous plant life.

Most everything about the way Pixar renders Lightyear ’s lush and vibrant alien world at first makes it seem like the movie will focus on Buzz and Alisha encountering strange creatures they’re unsure of how to deal with. There is some of that spotlighted in Lightyear ’s action sequences. But its story is much more keen on following Buzz’s obsessive quest to prove himself, which feels much more in line with films like Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and Ridley Scott’s The Martian .

Buzz and Alisha saying goodbye before a mission.

A significant chunk of Lightyear ’s runtime is spent following Buzz as he rockets off into space hoping to use a nearby sun’s gravitational pull to slingshot himself back to the stranded Star Command base in hopes of figuring out a way for them to return to their home planet. Before Lightyear really gives you a chance to get to know Buzz and Alisha’s dynamic, or really what it’s like working for Star Command, the movie quickly makes clear that it truly is a movie more about Lightyear himself than anything else. With each of Buzz’s trips into space, he loses a number of years due to the way time dilates for those moving at incredibly high speeds, and every return to Star Command’s ever-growing colony is a reminder that his life’s passing him by.

Lightyear makes this reality abundantly clear to the audience, but Buzz can’t really bring himself to see the truth of things until he comes face to face with Alisha’s granddaughter Izzy (Keke Palmer) and Sox (Peter Sohn), a Star Command issued robotic cat, after a handful of his trips lead to decades passing. For all the charm that Evans and Palmer bring to their performances, they never quite manage to make either Buzz or Izzy feel like people who’d actually enjoy spending time together, even though their burgeoning friendship is meant to be the emotional center of the movie.

In Izzy, Buzz sees the passage of time, and his decision to forego carving out a new life for himself alongside his fellow Galactic Rangers. Lightyear repeatedly puts Buzz and Izzy in situations meant to push both of them to recognize how working together’s both beneficial to them as individuals and in line with Star Command’s idea what what makes for good explorers. But even though the movie is consciously trying to illustrate how Buzz’s tendency to take matters into his own things isn’t always the best idea, it can’t stop itself from hitting many of the same beats as the exact kind of movies that it’s trying to comment on.

As occasionally uninspired as Lightyear tends to feel, the movie is also a visual triumph for Pixar and Disney, who’ve managed to translate the whole design lexicon surrounding Toy Story ’s original Buzz into an aesthetic language that reads as lived-in.

By the time that Lightyear gets around to introducing its true villain and their dastardly plan that underscores many of the movie’s larger existential ideas, you can easily see why Disney decided to run with the “what if Buzz Lightyear was a real guy” conceit and how the studio could return to this reality-within-a-reality down the line should the new Buzz prove to be a hit. What’s harder to tell is whether Lightyear ’s moments of visual strength will end up being enough to sell people on the idea of sitting down for a big, flashy, but ultimately formulaic spin-off about a guy who acts like a toy learning to get out of his own way.

Lightyear also stars Taika Waititi, James Brolin, Dale Soule, Mary McDonald-Lewis, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. The movie is now in theaters.

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As Election Looms, Politics Can Seep Into Movies Whether Hollywood Likes It or Not

By Rebecca Rubin

Rebecca Rubin

Film and Media Reporter

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“ Civil War ,” the A24 action-thriller about a violently divided United States, isn’t offering up much in the way of escapism. Though it takes place in the dystopian future, it not-so-subtly feeds into the blue-state/red-state rift that’s sure to widen as the race for the White House heats up.

That strategy is prominent in the movie’s patriotic-tinged marketing materials, which include a blood-soaked trailer featuring a missile that blows up the Lincoln Memorial, a poster of soldiers sandbagging the Statue of Liberty’s flame and references to successionist forces of California and Texas.

That was the case with Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” remake, which suffered blowback because of racist objections to the casting of Black actor Halle Bailey as Ariel. Ditto Pixar’s 2022 spinoff “Lightyear” (the offender was a same-sex kiss) and 2023’s “Barbie” (a cartoon map depicting Asia). In some instances, the provocation was accidental; in others, such as Disney’s animated “Strange World” (a fantasy adventure with a gay protagonist), attempts to be inclusive instead revealed dividing lines in public opinion.

“I don’t think an overabundance of controversy is helpful,” says Peter Newman, head of the graduate dual degree program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. “You can’t afford to lose 50% of people.”

Studios are, as a rule, cautious about ideas and elements in movies that could alienate audiences. But that trepidation is heightened during an election year, when politics can seep into movies whether Hollywood wants it to or not. And in 2024, the bitter partisanship that has fueled Donald Trump’s political career has only escalated as he faces a rematch with President Joe Biden. Consider that 65% of Americans say they feel exhausted when thinking about politics, according to a Pew Research Center poll — and it’s no surprise marketing departments have made a concerted effort to tread lightly with messaging or promotional campaigns that could be perceived as leaning one way or the other.

“It’s not worth it to make a joke that will make the left laugh but will alienate the right,” says one studio executive.

Movies can take eons to travel from inception to completion, so it’s impossible to anticipate the state of affairs by the time a film is ready to hit the big screen. Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment’s “Dune: Part Two” managed to side-step debate around its plotline, which integrates themes of religion, regional conflicts and the perils of cult-like worship of charismatic leaders. But internally, there was concern that audiences might react negatively at a time when such issues have renewed relevance both in the U.S. and in the Middle East, which finds itself embroiled in war.

“If people either legitimately or accidentally read a political bias in something, it screws up the marketing plan,” says Newman. “It was hard enough before people got extremely sensitive about every little thing.”

Some filmgoers turn to the movies as an escape from the headlines and the barrage of election ads on television. But studios may be laying off all marketing efforts in the weeks before or after the election. Tom Hardy’s superhero sequel “Venom: The Last Dance” was slated to debut on Nov. 8, but Sony recently moved up its release to Oct. 25. Now, no major movies are on the calendar for the first week of November, and there won’t be another tentpole until “Gladiator 2” on Nov. 22, followed by “Wicked” and “Moana 2” on Nov. 27.

“It’s going to be a quiet time in terms of releasing new material. You’ll be drowned out by noise and people won’t be paying attention,” says the studio executive. “Anything opening the week of the election, good luck. It’ll be hard to break through.”

As for “Civil War,” which doesn’t take sides in its futuristic American conflict, analysts believe commercial viability won’t rise or fall on the political nature of the film.

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Lightyear Christian Movie Review
This Pixar Lightyear Christian Movie Review will give you the info you need before viewing this movie with your children. Lightyear is a prequel to the Toy Story franchise and stars the voice of Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear. In the movie, Alisha Hawthorne plays the part of Buzz's friend, space ranger, and eventually the commander.
Lightyear (2022)
"Lightyear" serves as an origin story for Buzz Lightyear and a loose prequel to the "Toy Story" movies. It gives us more details about the way Star Command and its Space Rangers operate. However, despite some nifty weapons, like the laser blade, and sweet-looking ships, like the XL-15, much of the movie is a pastiche of other sci-fi ...
Lightyear (Christian Movie Review)
Lightyear (Christian Movie Review) Review by Daniel Blackaby June 17, 2022. Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest. ... As the opening credits lay out, this is the in-world movie on which the Buzz Lightyear toy from the Toy Story franchise is supposedly based. In other words, ...
Lightyear
Read our written review here: https://thecollision.org/lightyear-christian-movie-review/TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro1:37 About the Film6:16 Content to Consider10:09...
Lightyear
After landing on the planet, the two of them—joined by a nameless, wide-eyed rookie recruit—set off to explore the swampy, vine-entangled world. "Rookies don't help," Buzz grouses. "They overcomplicate things.". Still, Buzz isn't one to miss a teachable moment.
LIGHTYEAR
The Family and Christian Guide to Movie Reviews and Entertainment News. Watch OPERATION CHRISTMAS ... LIGHTYEAR is an animated science fiction feature that's supposed to be the movie on which the Buzz Lightyear action figure was based. Andy, the little boy in TOY STORY, loved the Buzz Lightyear action figure because LIGHTYEAR became his ...
MOVIE REVIEW: 'Lightyear'
This is a scene from the animated movie "Lightyear." The Catholic News Service classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. (CNS photo/Disney, Pixar) MOVIE REVIEW: 'Lightyear' June 17, 2022 By Joseph McAleer Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Movie & Television Reviews
Lightyear Movie Review
Parents need to know that Lightyear is a Pixar-animated origin film for the character who inspired the Buzz Lightyear action figure from Toy Story.In the movie, space ranger Buzz (voiced by Chris Evans), his crew, and an entire spacecraft filled with people is marooned on an alien planet.Buzz's attempts to get everyone home end up transporting him far into the future, where evil robots ...
Lightyear movie review & film summary (2022)
The score by Michael Giacchino is one of his best, a delectable spoof of bombastic space movie music that elevates every scene it plays under. Advertisement. Of course, every great hero needs a great sidekick. "Lightyear" gives us Sox ( Peter Sohn ), an adorable cat whose job is to offer emotional support to Buzz.
Movie reviews: 'Lightyear' and more
Movie reviews: 'Lightyear' is a heart-warming origin story with poignant moments. ... his stepson Michael (Jake Davies) and twins Gene and James (Christian and Jonah Lees) to go for it and live ...
Speeding in Opposite Directions: 'Lightyear' and 'Maverick'
We're told Toy Story's Andy received a Buzz Lightyear toy inspired by a film released in 1995. Lightyear is that film, supposedly. But let's be real. A film like Lightyear could never have been made in 1995. The world has changed dramatically in 27 years, and while a same-sex kiss in a kid's movie might seem justifiable in 2022 (in ...
'Lightyear' Review: Infinite Buzz
The simple, charming premise of "Lightyear" is explained in an onscreen text. "In 1995, a boy named Andy got a toy from his favorite movie. This is that movie.". In other words, it's the ...
Movie review: Pixar's 'Lightyear'
MONDELLO: As always with Pixar, life lessons abound about setting realistic goals, learning to relinquish control, about how even heroes need allies, and if those lessons are accompanied by action ...
Lightyear First Reviews: An Exhilarating, Visually Spectacular Sci-Fi
Pixar returns to theaters with Lightyear, a sort of spin-off of their Toy Story franchise featuring the in-universe inspiration for the Buzz Lightyear toy (voiced here by Chris Evans).The first reviews of the movie celebrate its animated sci-fi action and adventure story and visuals, as well as its scene-stealing robot cat for comic relief, but it's not necessarily the studio's greatest ...
Lightyear movie review: a good adventure
Like a faceless god, the movie does not give any concrete answers to those queries. Instead, it gives us a story about failure (kind of) and friendship. This Buzz Lightyear, along with his bestie ...
'Lightyear' Review: Diverting Enough, But Doesn't Give You a Buzz
Editor: Anthony Greenberg. Music: Michael Giacchino. With: Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Peter Sohn, Taika Waititi, Dale Soules, James Brolin, Uzo Aduba, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Efren ...
Lightyear
Full Review | Aug 4, 2022. Jason Fraley WTOP (Washington, D.C.) The film isn't about the beloved toy Buzz Lightyear, but rather the "real-life" human who inspired him. Second, the hero is ...
Lightyear Review
Lightyear features striking visuals, strong performances, and a love-out-loud lesbian relationship that we're thrilled to see on screen. All of those things deserved a stronger story, though. It ...
Lightyear Movie Review for Parents
Lightyear Rating & Content Info . Why is Lightyear rated PG? Lightyear is rated PG by the MPAA for action/peril . Violence: There are frequent scenes of extreme peril, some in outer space, some on the planet's surface.A tentacled underground monster attacks people throughout the movie's runtime. Humans respond by cutting off its tentacles whenever they attack.
Lightyear
Legendary space ranger Buzz Lightyear embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside ambitious recruits Izzy, Mo, Darby, and his robot companion, Sox. As this motley crew tackles their toughest ...
Lightyear (2022)
Lightyear: Directed by Angus MacLane. With Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Peter Sohn, Taika Waititi. While spending years attempting to return home, marooned Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear encounters an army of ruthless robots commanded by Zurg who are attempting to steal his fuel source.
Lightyear review: a stiff deconstruction of heroic space dramas
Disney and Pixar's Lightyear from director Angus Maclane — in theaters now — reimagines Buzz as a hyper competent space explorer who needs to learn to get out of his own way.
'Lightyear'
Lightyear | Official Trailer 2. Chris Evans is now the voice of Buzz Lightyear, the toy that co-anchored four wonderful "Toy Story" films. Except he's not a toy but a Space Ranger exploring strange new worlds. "Lightyear," we're told, is the movie that inspired the Buzz toy in the first place. Buzz and fellow Space Ranger Hawthorne ...
Politics in Hollywood: How Election Will Impact Movies Like ...
"Civil War," the A24 action-thriller about a violently divided United States, isn't offering up much in the way of escapism. Though it takes place in the dystopian future, it not-so-subtly ...