Toys [1992] [DVD]

"Toys" (1992) is a truly unique and surreal movie directed by Barry Levinson with Robin Williams, Joan Cusack and Robin Wright at their surreal best and Michael Gambon and LL Cool J as the war loving inheritors of the toys manufacturer in a surreal landscape. Watch it with an open heart and mind, you wont regret it. On the surface its a movie about the militaristic transform mechanical toys in AI warfare and the revolt against the corruption of turning toys into murder devices. What makes this movie stand out for me, is the suggestion that 1st-person-shoot-up game playing children are being programmed to use their skills for digital destruction to become remote warfare drone wars operatives and how that is opposed (in the movie anyway) by the workers once they see the dangers of corruption of game playing skills into game playing kills. This was a prescient albeit humorous and subtle movie warning us what happens when war game videos dominate "entertainment" to children. Which, if you look at most 1st-person-shoot-up games is precisely what is being promoted by the games industry and the military industrial complex.

I'd been after a track on this album for about thirty years and could not find it anywhere until the helpful people at Amazon listed it. In the movie it's 'Steve and Yolanda' but really a collaboration between Thomas Dolby of 'Hyperactive' fame, the much missed Robin Williams and the seemingly potty Joan Cusack. It's just punchy, clever hyper pop with a sad reminder of Mr. Williams at times understated talents for being quietly barmy. Not the biggest hit but still outstanding and I only wish I had a red 'Crombie' coat with matching bowler hat!

I’m not sure why this film has got so many negative reviews in cinema literature. I really enjoyed this. It’s unique, imaginative, odd, humorous, strange and weird - a real breath of fresh air. Dialogue is so fast sometimes that you miss bits, you have to pause/rewind to really pick up on the subtleties. Brilliantly acted across the board and even in Williams’ funniest moments you can detect a slight tinge of melancholy - he was that good an actor!!! Give it ten years and people will wake up and realise what a masterpiece this is. Excellent!!!

This film must have been a dream come true for Robin Williams. He looks like he really enjoyed himself in this childlike role and am sure he must have ad libbed most of it!! Very funny although a tad strange in places. For me it was a little overlong; especially the end battle scenes between the humans and the toys. But clever special effects throughout.

What a wonderful film. About a man who owns a toy factory and his workers are all happy at work. The son (Robin Williams) plays jokes on people and doesn't work and his sister plays at being a 'robot'. Their father wants to leave the business to his brother who was a General, because he didn't think Robin was sensible enough. He attempts to run it like the army.......

Just loved this DVD. I'll be watching it over and over again. It is so funny and found myself laughing in bed just thinking about Robin WIlliams acting - a great and sad loss to the film world.

it is good and worth it

I love this film! Although it's not one of Robin Williams' better known films, it's still a good, fun, family movie, and I never get bored of watching it. It's a real shame it received such bad reviews when it first came out. It has Robin Williams in it, therefore, it is awesome. Just buy it now!