Disney and Pixar will be releasing its highly rated film “Lightyear” in South African theatres just in time for families to enjoy this upcoming youth day weekend from Friday 17 June, 2022. The movie is a great watch for both parents and children, as it explores the different facets how we as individuals can view the world. Life is never what we plan for and things don’t always go the way we want it. But this movie is all about not dwelling on the past and wishing that things were different—that seems like a waste of time. The movie teaches both adults and the youth that in spite of bad things and bad decisions that we need to rather focus on doing what is best with where one is right now and making the most of one’s time. As individuals we make bad decisions, but if we spend our lives regretting those bad decisions instead of investing in what’s in front of our eyes, is that really living?” Filmmakers called on actor Chris Evans to voice the accomplished Space Ranger, Buzz. “Lightyear” also features the voices of Uzo Aduba as his commander and best friend, Alisha Hawthorne, and Peter Sohn as Buzz’s dutiful robot cat, Sox. Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi and Dale Soules lend their voices to the Junior Zap Patrol’s Izzy Hawthorne, Mo Morrison and Darby Steel, respectively, and James Brolin can be heardas the enigmatic Zurg. The voice cast also includes Mary McDonald-Lewis as onboard computer I.V.A.N., Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Commander Burnside, Efren Ramirez as Airman Díaz, and Keira Hairston as Young Izzy. “The faster I fly, the further into the future I travel. I get it.” – Buzz Lightyear PRODUCTION NOTES Every cinephile loves a good hero—someone to admire, someone to root for. Heroes overcome insurmountable obstacles to save the day. And the best heroes—the ones who live on long after their films hit the big screen—are, at heart, human. They have flaws and fears—they’re utterly relatable, even as they soar to greatness. Buzz Lightyear is such a hero—in fact, he’s the kind of big-screen phenomenon that inspired a successful line of toys. That’s what filmmakers pictured when creating the character for Pixar Animation Studios’ 1995 feature film “Toy Story.” That story placed Buzz Lightyear—the toy in this case—center stage as the brand-new, highly sought-after action figure that gives vintage pull-string Sheriff Woody a run for his money as Andy’s favorite. Fast forward 21 years, and director Angus MacLane found himself asking: What movie inspired Andy to beg for a fancy toy with lasers, karate-chop action and aerodynamic space wings? “‘Lightyear’ is the movie that Andy, his friends and probably most of the rest of the world saw,” says MacLane. “I wanted to make something that felt true to those fun, big-budget popcorn films.” A sci-fi action-adventure and the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, “Lightyear” follows the legendary Space Ranger on an intergalactic adventure. “I did a lot of research, breaking down the nature of genre thrillers,” says MacLane. “I knew Buzz would have to face a big problem, and I liked the sci-fi element of time dilation. There’s a rich history of character-out-of-time heroics: Captain America, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, to name a few. “They say you can’t live in the past, but what if you could?” continues MacLane. “We all wonder what it would be like to go back in time, but instead we’re jumping forward in time. That’s the truth I wanted to build for ‘Lightyear’—nostalgia for the past while rapidly jumping into the future.” According to producer Galyn Susman, Buzz Lightyear gave filmmakers a rich opportunity for exploration. “Ever since we met the character, Buzz has had this inherent and interesting tendency to view the world in a unique way,” she says. “His version of reality is never quite the same as everybody else’s, and there’s something superentertaining about that. “He’s an aspirational character,” Susman continues. “And the world really needs more aspirational characters right now.” The film kicks off with accomplished Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear, his commander Alisha Hawthorne and a crew of more than 1,000 scientists and technicians heading home from their latest mission. Approximately 4.2 million light-years away from Earth, a sensor signals their proximity to an uncharted but potentially resource-rich planet. Buzz makes the call to reroute their exploration vessel (aka the Turnip) to T’Kani Prime—a swampy planet with aggressive vines and giant swarming bugs. Efforts for a quick exit go horribly awry, culminating in a crash that shatters their fuel cell, leaving Buzz, Alisha and their entire crew stranded on the less-than-welcoming planet. “Buzz is the guy who’s been at the top of his game for a while,” says executive producer Andrew Stanton, who contributed to all four “Toy Story” films. “We’re witnessing in this movie his first fall from grace. He’s never experienced that before.” Marooned on the decidedly hostile planet, the crew settles in for the long game. Says Jason Headley, who’s a screenwriter on the film, “Nobody’s going anywhere until the resident scientists can create a new ‘hyperspeed’ crystal that holds up to a test flight. It’ll be years of trial and error.” Buzz blames himself. “Burdened with the guilt of having made a critical mistake, Buzz is consumed by the desire to rectify it,” says Susman. “Our story takes place in space—but it’s still something we all face at some point or another. We make bad decisions, but if we spend our lives regretting those bad decisions instead of investing in what’s in front of our eyes, is that really living?” Adds MacLane, “Life is never what we plan for. It’s not about dwelling on the past and wishing things were different—that seems like a waste of time. While Buzz is obsessed with righting his wrong, Alisha decides that she’s going to do her best with where she is right now. She wants to make the most of her time regardless of what planet she’s on.” Time. Among Buzz’s battles with guilt, technology, chemistry
