h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Interview with a member of the target audience for "Toy Story 2".

What happens to toys? Out there in the landfills and tips or lying forgotten and ruined under houses long abandoned, lie the remnants of childhood. Objects that you once treasured now compressed, buried, and lost. But still there - somewhere - in the real world. Non-biodegradable, archaeological relies of childhood from our own personal stone ages. We grow up, move on, put away childish things and all that ... then along comes a film like Toy Story, and now its sequel Toy Story 2, to remind us of that lost world of favourites, cruelties and obsessions.

Brilliantly computer-animated, intelligently scripted, witty and moving - it's easy to see why adult reviewers have fallen for these films. In the new one, the character Woody falls into the hands of a toy collector - the arch bore of the adult world - and must be rescued by his fellow toys and returned to his child owner. The bittersweet implication being that Woody must choose between an eternal life with no meaning and being loved to death. As another collectible toy asks: "Will he take you to college, or on his honeymoon? You can go, or you can stay with us and last forever."

This is poignant stuff, but what will the target audience make of it? On the weekend we asked the resident almost-five-year-old for his response to the Toy Story phenomenon.

What is Toy Story about? "Um ... toys."

What happens to them? "They get stolen? Only Woody does, though."

Are we talking about Toy Story or Toy Story 2? "Toy Story 2."

But you haven't seen that yet. "I know."

So how do you know what it's about? "I've seen the ad. Mr Potatohead takes off his eyes and puts his shoes on his eyes!"

I see. What about the first Toy Story, what happens in that? '"Andy likes Woody, then Buzz comes and Andy likes Buzz and ... I know what Woody says."

What? "Howdy partner."

What's the best bit in the film? "What's a film?"

A movie. "Oh. You know that dog? The bit where he bangs into the door is funny, 'cause he's bad, and when stuff happens to bad people, good people think it's funny."

Do toys really talk in real life? "No."

Are you sure? How do you know? "Because I've never heard one talk."

What do you think happens to toys when they get old? "They break."

Which one is better out of Toy Story and A Bug's life? "Um. I know. Antz. Because, um, in Antz they're real ants because they've got two [back] legs on each side and on A Bug's Life they've only got one like you and me."

What's your favourite Movie" "Pokemon."

You haven't even seen that. "I mean on telly. That's a movie."

No, it's a programme. Are you looking forward to Toy Story 2? "Yeah! I saw the guy who steals Woody and he's got an orange shirt on and he's fat."

Uh-huh. So, you know how you said toys break when they old. Is that sad? What do you think happened to all my toys from when I was a kid? "They broke and you cried."

Did they get thrown away? "No. 'Cause some of my toys are really old and they're not thrown away."

So where do they go in the end if you don't throw them away? "I'm going to keep them for my own kids."

Thank you. Now go and tidy your room.