director terry gilliam would praise the film as "a work of genius. it got people to understand what toys are about. they're true to their own character. and that's just brilliant. it's got a shot that's always stuck with me, when buzz lightyear discovers he's a toy. he's sitting on this landing at the top of the staircase and the camera pulls back and he's this tiny little figure. he was this guy with a massive ego two seconds before... and it's stunning. i'd put that as one of my top ten films, period."