The 1992 film, ‘Toys’ by Barry Levinson is an unappreciated gem of a film.
I noticed it was available on Hulu and watched it for the first time since VHS was king. I didn’t appreciate the art direction; it is beautiful. The movie is very surreal and looks amazing. It has many stars of today (Robin Wright-Penn, Joan Cusack, Robin Williams, and MICHAEL GAMBON! Dumbledore is in this movie!
It has a great score and a fantastically also-surreal soundtrack. If you watched this back in the day and dismissed it as ridiculous…give it another try.
You may still find it ridiculous, but you just may find an amazing experience.
Rhys Martin is an author and photographer from Tulsa, Oklahoma. His love of travel was awakened in 2009 when he sold all of his possessions and left the country. For ten months, he lived out of a backpack and explored southeast Asia and Europe. When he returned home, it was with fresh eyes for his home state.
As he drove the back roads of Oklahoma, Rhys discovered the significance of historic Route 66 to the greater American story. He has traveled all 2,448 miles of the Mother Road and continues to seek out the quiet Main Streets of the Midwest.
Rhys's travel writing and photography has been featured in numerous publications, including Tulsa People Magazine, This Land Press, ROUTE Magazine, Nimrod Journal, The Oklahoman and Tulsa World. He wrote the book Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, which features the stories of nearly 50 iconic eating establishments from the city's past. He has also been a contributing author to multiple Route 66-based travel and history books.
Rhys is the President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and serves on multiple boards and commissions related to the Mother Road and its upcoming Centennial in 2026. He loves to connect with people and share his experiences.
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