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Tin Toy

Tin Toy

A scared, Tin Toy realizes he really wants to play.

Short19885 minGMidcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
Director
John Lasseter

Babies are hardly monster-like, unless you're a toy. After escaping a drooling baby, Tinny realizes that he wants to be played with after all. But in the amount of time it takes him to discover this, the baby's attention moves on to other things only an infant could find interesting.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Tin Toy?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Tin Toy streaming on Disney+.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Tin Toy?

Tin Toy earns 8 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Tin Toy worth watching?

Tin Toy's Midcredits score is the 54th percentile of all films, from 43K ratings across 4 sources. 53% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

54th percentile

Better received than 54% of films

38th percentile among Animation56th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)50th
Approval (how many liked it)56th

62 /100

50th percentile of all films

33rd percentile among Animation53rd percentile among 1980s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.5 — solid but not unanimous.

53% liked it

56th percentile of all films

44th percentile among Animation59th percentile among 1980s
53% rated it 7–1047% rated it 1–6

Awards

1 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 0 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Short Film, Animated

85th percentile

43K ratings across platforms

70th percentile among Animation83rd percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 25% in 30 days

Box office

Domestic gross$124K
Worldwide gross$124K

12th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a simple, historically significant early Pixar work with dated animation, especially the baby.

Fans praised

  • Pioneering early CGI that pushed animation boundaries for its time
  • Expressive, charismatic lead toy conveying emotion without dialogue
  • Charming twist on monster-movie tropes with a toy's-eye view

Detractors panned

  • Too simple and boring for adult viewers
  • Unappealing, dated CGI especially the baby character

What stands out

Originality80

Groundbreaking early CGI and monster-movie twist

CharactersDivisive75

Charismatic tin toy and monstrous baby as memorable opposites

Acting70

Expressive facial animation carries emotion without dialogue

Emotional impact65

Sympathy for toy and unease from baby

HumorDivisive60

Mild chuckles from toy's antics and baby's destructiveness

Plot and storyDivisive55

Simple chase premise with emotional shift

Effects and spectacleDivisive55

Impressive for 1988 but primitive baby CGI

CinematographyDivisive50

Dated but effective low-angle toy perspective

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 13 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 12 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 16 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Tin Toy like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, never lets up and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
TenseWarm
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Tender · 13% of filmsPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its premise with sincere warmth, first playing the toy's terror for comic tension and then settling into a tender resolution.
The rideThe chase and hiding create mild tension, but the toy's resolve and the gentle resolution keep it light and affectionate.
StructureTold in straightforward chronological order: introduction of the toy and baby, the toy's hiding, and the toy's return.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe toy's courageous choice leaves a warm, hopeful feeling.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe tin toy's journey from fearful flight to a compassionate choice to comfort the crying baby follows a rebirth arc with a redemption beat.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSelf-worth
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Self-worth · 7% of filmsSurvival
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe toy's internal conflict between self-preservation and duty to its purpose (being a toy) explores the value of one's role versus one's safety.
StanceThe film affirms that a toy's worth lies in its role of bringing joy, even when that means facing fear.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral classicalBackground music · original score
SettingA living room floor from a toy's perspective

Content guide

Is Tin Toy okay for kids?

G

Tin Toy is rated G. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (18/100), sexual content at minimal (8/100), language at minimal (4/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (4/100) and frightening material at intense (68/100). Overall it is heavier than 81% of G-rated films.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Germany0
  • FranceU
  • South KoreaALL
  • DenmarkA
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 26% of all filmsHeavier than 81% of G-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a G-rated film
heavier than 17%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a G-rated film
heavier than 19%
Profanity
None / Minimal
light for a G-rated film
heavier than 16%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a G-rated film
heavier than 9%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a G-rated film
heavier than 96%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what G-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Tin Toy have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Tin Toy?

Crew

Directed by

John Lasseter

Written by

John Lasseter

Produced by

William Reeves

More like this

What are movies like Tin Toy?

Movies like Tin Toy include Jack-Jack Attack (2005), Mater and the Ghostlight (2006) and Frozen Fever (2015). Of the 8 closest matches, two are redemption stories, and most are films set in small-town America.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

John Lasseter wrote and directed 5 of these 8. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Tin Toy?

28 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: child. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.