Mini Buzz

Buzz and Rex get taken to a Poultry Palace, a fast-food joint where mini toys are given away with meals. A mini version of Buzz Lightyear spots the real Buzz and decides to swap places in order to finally get played with rather than be a display model or be abandoned in the ball pit like so many other fast-food freebies. The swap is done, leaving Buzz stuck with the toys left behind, while the gang back at home have to deal with this smaller, more annoying version of Buzz.

This short film from the Toy Story stable is yet again not quite up there with the strength of the film but yet it manages to be funny and engaging none the less. We have seen the basic plot before but the specifics of this time give some nice scenarios, specifically the support group. The interaction with Lizard Wizard made me laugh out loud and generally this was a nice idea. It concludes quickly and mini-Buzz doesn't seem to be much more than a plot device, but it does its job and gives a nice short burst of well animated fun with the well-known voices and characters in support.

Fans of Toy Story will like it enough to forgive its flaws, and luckily enough I guess the vast majority of those watching, will be fans of the films.

Bonnie is given a Zurg belt buckle when her mom buys a small fry at the Poultry Palace. There's a mini Buzz in the display but the cashier refuses to let her have it. The mini Buzz escapes and switches places with Bonnie's Buzz. The fake Buzz convinces Rex that he shrunk but nobody else believes him. The real Buzz finds his way to the discarded Fun Meal toys support group. The Toy Story gang is back although some of the discarded toys are funnier. It's a sad reality that so much garbage toys get produced and sold with the fast food which are then quickly discarded. The ridiculous toys are funny in their stupidity. It's a quick jab but also a fun short.

Love Pixar, feature films, really like to love most of their feature films, and short films, don't dislike any of their shorts. Their best are masterpieces and even lesser efforts, my least favourite overall being 'Cars 3', are never below mediocre and have at least four good things (best asset being the animation). Consider all three 'Toy Story' films among their best, while the first is one of their most overall ground-breaking my personal favourite and the one that connected with me the most was the third.

After the excellent 'Hawaiian Vacation', expectations were hopefully understandably high for 'Small Fry'. Will admit to being a little let down in comparison, but it was still very enjoyable and well made, as long as one doesn't expect it to be on the same level as the feature films with it being a television short. So budget isn't as large and less time was available. Perfect for 'Toy Story' fans. For anybody that loved the first 'Toy Story' film and its sequels, the three Toy Story Toons shorts are well worth watching and more and are pretty darn impressive for television short films.

Did think that 'Small Fry' was a little too on the short side this time and at times felt rushed.

Will agree too about the resolution being too easy and quick.

On the other hand, again the animation is expectedly excellent. Such beautiful attention to detail in the backgrounds and the character designs and the colours are so vibrant. The music more than serves its purpose well, with the right amount of energy and charming orchestration.

Excelling also is the writing, with some wonderfully witty writing, Buzz and Mini Buzz faring best (with the one groaner being regarding recycling) and the gags are well timed and always amusing and more.

Buzz and Mini Buzz are also the standouts of the characters, the story is cute and colourful and the voice acting is top notch from Tim Allen and Teddy Newton especially. Tom Hanks has lost none of his energy either and doesn't go overboard.

Summarising, very enjoyable and worth watching. 7/10

This Pixar short preceded the main feature of The Muppets. Once again continuing the adventures of the Toy Story gang, this one has a smaller version of Buzz Lightyear from a Happy Meal-like menu replacing the real one when Bonnie takes her toys home with her. The mixup that results was as funny as one would expect when watching these shorts from those Pixar guys. Lots of new characters are introduced with the "patients" Buzz meets when he finds himself stuck at the restaurant so if another Toy Story feature does get made, maybe they will be in that one. I don't know if those Pixar people should actually do that but if anyone could pull that off, they could. So all I'll say now is Small Fry is pretty funny for its brief running time if you're so inclined to watch.

Shown right before "The Muppets", "Small Fry" has Buzz Lightyear accidentally switched with a different version of himself in a fast food restaurant, and attending a support group consisting of other lost toys, while the replacement version makes a spectacle of himself in front of the characters from the other "Toy Story" movies. It's not any kind of great cartoon, but pretty funny. A neat way to lead into the return of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, etc. And of course I really recommend "The Muppets".

The casts from the rest of the "Toy Story" movies reprise their roles, with Jane Lynch providing the voice of one of the toys in the support group.