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Tag: Pixar Easter Eggs

  • 10 Underrated Side Characters in the Toy Story Franchise

    10 Underrated Side Characters in the Toy Story Franchise

    The vast, colourful cast of characters in the Toy Story franchise is a huge part of what makes the movies so enjoyable. From fan favourites like Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Jessie, to Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head and their adopted Alien children, every character brings something unique to the Toy Story universe.

    But alongside the main cast, Toy Story also has a huge number of smaller characters who don’t always get the same amount of screen time, yet somehow manage to steal every scene they appear in.

    For this list, I’ve decided to focus on some of the more underrated side characters, rather than the obvious choices like Hamm, Rex or Bo Peep. These are the characters that might only have a few moments on screen, but still leave a lasting impression.

    Here are 10 of the best side characters in Toy Story:

    Sarge & Bucket o’ Soldiers

    As someone who spent most of their Saturday mornings growing up playing with toy soldiers and recreating epic battles across the living room floor, it’s no surprise that I have to include Sarge & the Bucket o’ Soldiers in my list! I really love the concept of the toys having their own personal army and the opening scene in Toy Story, where the soldiers spy on Andy’s birthday party, is just pure cinema! I’m a bit gutted we’ve not seen them since Toy Story 3 and even that was pretty much a farewell to the characters, but nevertheless, they are one of the best side character groups in the franchise.

    Three green plastic army men toys standing on a wooden shelf near a window, with one soldier saluting against a background of green trees and blue sky.

    Barrel of Monkeys

    Based on the real life toy by Milton Bradley, Barrel of Monkeys actually appears in all four Toy Story movies. I really love how Pixar used a board game and created ‘toys’ from it to bring it to life for the Toy Story films. Their hooked arms actually serve a lot of purpose in the Toy Story universe too, whether that’s attempting to rescue Buzz or to save RC. The “Death by Monkeys” scene in Toy Story 3 is genius too and a great example of how a child’s imagination can run wild.

    Mr. Potato Head, Hamm, and Rex looking out a wooden window frame at a chain of red plastic Barrel of Monkeys toys hanging down the outside wall.

    Chunk

    Toy Story 3 introduced us to a huge number of characters, and Lotso’s henchmen crew provide some of the more interesting minor characters in the movie. One of my personal favourites is Chunk, a rock-like monster from Sunnyside Daycare. He is the epitome of a tough guy goon, providing the muscle for Lotso while also delivering some great comic relief – one of his best lines is: “He ain’t the sharpest knife in the…uh…place where they keep the knives!”.

    Chunk, the rock-like monster toy from Toy Story 3, smiling with bright blue eyes alongside other henchmen toys at Sunnyside Daycare.

    Rocky Gibraltar

    Rocky Gibraltar is another character based on a real-life toy; the collectible Wrestling Superstars figures made by Hasbro. The character features fairly prominently in Toy Story – I love the “Strange Things” sequence in the movie where he works out with Buzz and then helps him repair his ship with the tape dispenser. We don’t see much of him outside of the first Toy Story, albeit a few scenes in Toy Story 2, but he’s a character who really stands out for me.

    The muscular Rocky Gibraltar action figure toy standing on a wooden floor in front of a closed door, flanked by four small green plastic army men.

    Peas-in-a-Pod

    A really unique set of characters, the Peas-in-a-Pod first appear in Toy Story 3 as one of Bonnie’s toys. I really love the concept of there essentially being three individual characters coming together to create one collective character and the Peas-in-a-Pod tie in works really well for this. They have a few funny interactions with both Woody and Mr Potato Head in Toy Story 3, but only have a minor appearance in Toy Story 4. Fingers crossed we see them again in Toy Story 5!

    Lenny

    Lenny is one of my favourite side characters in the Toy Story franchise, mainly because I had my own Lenny action figure way back in the late 90s which brings me so much nostalgia just thinking about! Lenny actually plays a fairly big role in Toy Story and then a bit of a smaller role in Toy Story 2, often acting as the eyes for the toys. I really love Lenny and Woody’s relationship in the first movie too, they really seem like good pals.

    Lenny the blue wind-up binoculars toy standing in the foreground, with Woody, Bo Peep, Rex, Slinky, and Mr. Potato Head gathered behind him inside a moving box.

    Hockey Puck

    Very much the definition of a minor character, Hockey Puck is only seen briefly in Toy Story after Mr. Potato Head grouchily asked him what he was looking at, to which he just shrugged. Little is known about what happens to the character after that, he is not seen in the moving van later in the movie or in any subsequent Toy Story features. Despite the limited screentime, I think this is just such a fun minor side character and the fact we never see him again other than that one scene where he has beef with Mr Potato Head, make Hockey Puck even more of a mystery!

    The minor character Hockey Puck from Toy Story, featuring a black puck body with crossed red hockey sticks, yellow hands, and red boots standing on a wooden floor.

    Mr Pricklepants

    Another of Bonnie’s existing toys we were introduced to in Toy Story 3, Mr Pricklepants is pretty iconic as far as side characters go! Sporting a William Shakespeare-esque accent, Mr Pricklepants serves as a nice change of pace from some of the more excitable toys that Bonnie has. I also love the fact that Mr Pricklepants is voiced by former James Bond star Timothy Dalton – how cool is that! Interestingly, John Hopkins will voice the character in Toy Story 5.

    Mr. Pricklepants the stuffed hedgehog wearing green lederhosen and a Tyrolean hat, standing on a table next to Buttercup the unicorn and Trixie the triceratops.

    Combat Carl

    Combat Carl action figures appear in various forms throughout the Toy Story franchise. First, in the first Toy Story movie, Sid famously explodes a Combat Carl figure with a firecracker. In the short Toy Story of TERROR!, a Combat Carl figure and a 4-inch one called Combat Carl Jr both appear, voiced by Carl Weathers. Then in Toy Story 4, three Combat Carl Jr.s assist Bo Peep – this time voiced by Ernie Hudson. Combat Carl is based on G.I. Joe action figures and whilst they often only have minor roles, I really love the continuity to the ‘Combat Carl’ brand in the Toy Story franchise.

    A binocular view of a green camouflage Combat Carl action figure with a firecracker strapped to its back, running as Sid's hand lights the fuse.

    Buster

    Of course, no side character list would be complete without a dog featuring! Andy’s dog Buster actually has a really great character arc over the course of the movies. Right at the end of Toy Story, Andy receives Buster as a Christmas present, much to the concern of the toys. By the time Toy Story 2 rolls around, Buster is an integral part of the toy group, with Woody even being able to train him. By Toy Story 3, Buster is old and a little chubbier than he was as a puppy – the scene where he falls asleep and falls on Woody will always make me chuckle!

    Whilst it’s unlikely that we will see Buster again, he definitely goes down in my list of best boys in the Pixar universe.

    In all honesty, this list could have been 30 of the best side characters in Toy Story, but I tried to keep this as concise as possible and based on my personal preference!

    What characters would you add to this list? Who do you want to make an appearance in Toy Story 5? Let me know in the comments.

  • Pixar Mundo London Review: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

    Pixar Mundo London Review: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

    Pixar’s latest exhibition hit London last month, and I had the pleasure of visiting just a few days after it opened to the general public. Mundo Pixar is an interactive, walk-through experience that transports you to various worlds from the Pixar Universe.

    London is actually the 7th stop on the Pixar Mundo ‘world tour,’ with it having already wowed audiences in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, Barcelona, Brussels, and Mexico City. It has now set up camp in a purpose-built venue in Wembley Park, and being a big fan, I had to see it for myself.

    A wide-angle view of a man standing in a life-size recreation of Andy’s bedroom from Toy Story, featuring oversized blue cloud wallpaper and giant furniture to make guests feel toy-sized.
    Feeling completely dwarfed in Andy’s room – the scale here is absolutely spot on for making you feel like one of the toys.

    We visited as two adults without children during the school holidays, so we got a first-hand look at what the experience is like at full capacity. Albeit we are big kids ourselves, I was a little concerned that we might feel out of place, but there were plenty of other Pixar-crazed adults enjoying the exhibit too.

    Read my thoughts below on the good, the bad, and the ugly of our experience at the Pixar Mundo London exhibition.

    The Good

    Firstly, let me start by saying that the exhibition is actually a really fun experience and brilliantly put together! There are 14 rooms in total, which explore scenes from Toy Story, Up, Monsters Inc, Cars, Coco, Elemental, Finding Nemo, Inside Out, Ratatouille, and Luca. Walking into each room, it felt like you were instantly transported into the movie.

    The exhibits look high quality and there are a ton of smaller touches that Pixar fans of all ages can appreciate, such as the swinging monkeys from Toy Story or the Paradise Falls adventure fund jar from Up. The attention to detail here is really impressive; I was a little hesitant that it might feel like a ‘knock-off,’ but I’m pleased to report that the experience wouldn’t feel out of place at Disneyland.

    A life-size figure of Giulia Marcovaldo standing in a recreated Italian harbor scene from the movie Luca, featuring stone steps, fishing nets, and the cat Machiavelli sitting on a ledge.
    Stepping into Portorosso – the set design here does a great job of capturing that seaside Italian charm from Luca.

    My favourite room had to be Andy’s bedroom from Toy Story – the room does a fantastic job of putting you at the scale of a toy and seeing things from Buzz and Woody’s perspective! Other standouts are definitely the Finding Nemo room, which depicts a scene from the deep blue, as well as Carl and Ellie’s house from Up. As an added bonus, they even have a small Hoppers photo opportunity featuring beaver Mabel at the entrance, which was a nice touch!

    A life-size statue of Mabel the beaver from the movie Hoppers, standing on a grey base in front of a yellow "ACT NATURAL" wall at the Pixar Mundo entrance.
    A nice surprise at the entrance: a photo-op with Mabel from the upcoming movie Hoppers.

    One of my big concerns about going during the school holidays was how busy it would be, but thankfully the whole exhibition is actually very well managed. Entry is staggered by designated time slots, which prevents major bottlenecking. Even in the smaller rooms, the flow felt smooth, and despite it being at capacity, the only queue we spent too much time in was at the coat check!

    Speaking of photo opportunities, these are in plentiful supply! In each room, there is at least one designated photo shoot location, be it with Mike and Sulley in the Scare Factory or with Lightning McQueen and Mater in Flo’s V8 Café. I’d also recommend getting creative; pretending Andy has just walked into his room in the Toy Story section makes for some brilliant memories to look back and laugh at! There are staff on hand in every room to help take photos, and they were incredibly friendly and helpful, especially given the constant flow of guests.

    Two guests sitting in Carl and Ellie’s famous armchairs next to a large figure of Carl Fredricksen in a room that recreates the living room from Pixar's Up.
    Making ourselves at home in Carl and Ellie’s house!

    Another really positive thing I saw was how accessible the exhibition is. There are no steps throughout, meaning it’s fully accessible for wheelchair users. Additionally, at the entrance to each room, there were QR codes for visually impaired users, which I thought was a really nice touch. It’s great to see an exhibit putting accessibility at the forefront of its design rather than feeling like an afterthought.

    The Bad

    Whilst the rooms are well designed, not all of them quite live up to the standard of the Toy Story areas. The Elemental room felt really poorly executed – crammed into a small space, it’s essentially just Wade and Ember sat together on a metro carriage. There is only one photo opportunity in this room, and it feels like a waste given how awesome an “Element City” scene could have been. As someone who loves Elemental, this was a big disappointment. Likewise, the Ratatouille room felt, pardon the pun, a little half-baked.

    Similarly, I think there could have been more variety. With 14 rooms in total, six of those come from the same three franchises (Up, Toy Story, and Coco). Did we really need two rooms dedicated to Coco? I’d have loved to see a scene from Brave or The Incredibles instead. That’s not to say those rooms weren’t great, I’d just have liked a little more variety given Pixar’s catalogue of fan favourites.

    A vibrant stage set from the movie Coco featuring a life-size figure of Hector with his guitar and the spirit guide Dante against a backdrop of a large decorative skull and blue curtains with stars.
    Hector and Dante taking center stage.

    I’d also have liked to see a bit more signage or memorabilia. Other than a small sign briefly outlining the room, there was very little to engage with other than the sets themselves. Granted, this is an interactive exhibition and not a museum, but a bit more signage with fun facts about the movies or maybe framed scripts and posters certainly wouldn’t have gone amiss.

    My biggest issue with the experience is the cost. For two adults, it cost us £35 each, and if you factor in travel, it quickly amounts to an expensive day out. The experience lasts approximately an hour, which is probably the perfect length for children, but frankly, it works out as an expensive hour! For context, a single undated adult ticket to Disneyland Paris costs £115, which works out at £9.67 an hour if you stayed from open to close!

    I was really looking forward to the gift shop and was hoping to pick up some merchandise, but again, everything felt so expensive. It’s well-stocked and has some great items, but the pricing felt out of touch. I fell in love with a Finding Nemo water bottle but sadly couldn’t justify the eye-watering £30 price tag. Perhaps if the tickets had been a little cheaper, I would have had more pocket money to spend!

    A man posing with two thumbs up behind a giant green diver’s mask in a Finding Nemo themed room with colorful coral reef backdrops.
    Just keep swimming! The Finding Nemo reef was one of the most vibrant rooms in the whole exhibition.

    The Ugly

    To enjoy the exhibit, you really need to be as free as possible to take photos, which means not carrying coats or bags around. The organisers acknowledge that and offer a coat check, but sadly, this comes at a cost of £3. Honestly, given the ticket prices, the coat check should be free on principle! I appreciate £3 isn’t a crazy sum, but for me, it’s the principle of it.

    There is an area to leave buggies and prams next to the coat check which I’m hoping was at no extra cost, so if you are travelling with one of those, it may be an idea to leave your jackets in the pram to avoid the extra fee.

    A close-up shot of a white residential mailbox featuring the names "Carl & Ellie" in gold and red script, accented with two purple and red handprints.
    One of those small, beautiful touches: Carl and Ellie’s mailbox, complete with their signature handprints.

    One minor nitpick I had was an interaction in the Elemental room. A guest asked who the characters (Ember and Wade) were, and the staff member responded by saying he thought they were just ‘Fire Girl and Water Guy.’ Maybe I’m being extremely pedantic (I am!), but it did ruin the magic a little that some staff weren’t more knowledgeable – I suppose I’m just a bit used to the Cast Members at Disneyland!

    It’s a bit of a weird disconnect; while the sets are designed by Pixar (and they look incredible!), the actual event is run by an outside production company. It shows that while the ‘production’ is top-tier, the ‘service’ doesn’t quite have that Disney training where everyone knows the world inside out.

    The Verdict

    Despite the ‘Disney tax’ applied to nearly everything, Pixar Mundo London is a fun day out that calls to your inner child. It gives you that rare joy of actually entering the world of Pixar, making it a great way to spend an hour for kids young and old!

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.5/5