Like This? Try These! #3

Jessica Prescott requested a recommendation post for Toy Story (1995).  Can you tell I'm having fun with these?  I'm cranking them out faster than my read-along posts, hee.  This one was really tough, as there's really nothing quite like Toy Story, but I did my best.

If you like Toy Story, with its mismatched-buddies humor, its peek at the hidden life of toys, and its nostalgia for childhood, then you might like these:

+ The Odd Couple (1968) -- Yeah, I know there's a modern TV version of this on right now.  There was a TV version back in the '60s too, plus a sequel in the '90s.  But the original film version of Neil Simon's play is still the best, IMHO.  When fussy Felix (Jack Lemmon) gets divorced, slobby Oscar (Walter Matthau) generously offers to share his apartment with his melancholy buddy.  They proceed to drive each other nutty in an endearing, hilarious way.  Buzz Lightyear isn't as fastidious as Felix, and Woody definitely isn't as lackadaisical as Oscar, but I think the comparison works.

(This film is actually in color, not B&W)

+ The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) -- The feature-length animated foray into the imaginary adventures of Christopher Robin's toy animals, this one is probably the closest match to Toy Story.  And if you haven't watched it since you were a kid (or ever), give it a whirl, because it is a heart-warming and whimsical look at childhood.

+ The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) -- I like the book better.  However, the filmed version is lots of fun too.  Omri (Hal Scardino) receives an old cupboard for his birthday that magically makes his toy Indian figure Little Bear (Litefoot) come alive.  But he's still tiny.  It works with other toy figures too, including cowboy Boone (David Keith), and much adventure ensues.