TOY STORY 2 ***** (out of five stars) A review by Jamey Hughton
Voices of-Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger and Kelsey Grammer Director-John Lasseter Rated G Walt Disney Pictures
MOVIE VIEWS by Jamey Hughton http://Welcome.to/MovieViews
Walt Disney has dominated the Thanksgiving movie season for many a year, but since 1995, the prime justification for this has been their collaboration with Pixar animation studios. The merging of Disney and Pixar brought us the original `Toy Story', a computer-generated marvel that wowed children and parents alike with it's astounding visual style and instantly lovable characters. This last year, `A Bug's Life' was released to a similar amount of prosperity at the Thanksgiving box office. It seemed as if Disney and Pixar could never miss the target, and the thoroughly delightful `Toy Story 2' is additional proof of that fact.
I truly cannot imagine a more quality family film than `Toy Story 2'. It's an endlessly imaginative visual feast, brimming with colorful humor, endearing characters and offering a wonderful surprise around each new corner. Director John Lasseter has crafted yet another visual phenomenon, but it's also an emotionally fulfilling experience, guided by a sure-footed approach that layers on the adventurous satisfaction. For viewers of all ages (including adults with no child accompaniment), it could be the most enjoyable cinematic experience of the entire year.
Lasseter opens with space ranger Buzz Lightyear (voice of Tim Allen) battling the evil Emperor Zurg on a distant planet. This sequence is, alone, worth the price of an evening admission. Meanwhile, cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) and the remainder of the toy gang are preparing for an upcoming yard sale. During a rescue mission, Woody is abducted by a deranged toy dealer (Wayne Knight) who recognizes the cowboy doll as a rare collector's item. He stumbles upon surprising information about his past: part of an ancient 50's television show called ‘Woody's Round-up', he rode a horse named Bullseye, romanced a pretty cowgirl named Jessie (Joan Cusack) and was mentored by the wise old Prospector (Kelsey Grammer). With the entire ‘Woody's Round-up' gang in his collection, Al the toy dealer realizes the set could be worth a pretty penny.
At time same, Buzz and company are organizing a search party to find their beloved cowboy friend. Yes, all those lovable characters from the original `Toy Story' have made a triumphant return: the irritable Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), Hamm the piggy bank (John Ratzenberger), the cowardly dinosaur Rex (Wallace Shawn), and Slinky Dog (Jim Varney) himself. As they travel across the city searching for Woody, it seems as if each new visual setpiece is more amazing than the last. Just one example is when the toy squadron attempts to cross a busy street, shielded only by pylons to divert the oncoming traffic. `Toy Story 2' is easily the most visually exciting movie of 1999; the human characters, especially, are animated with an amazing level of delicate detail. They look real, people.
This sequel is definitely on par with the original `Toy Story', and, in several aspects, it surpasses it. No one in the audience should be detached from the storyline for one minute. The humor is both clever and thoughtful, as Lasseter directs with wonderful motion that had me completely involved from the get-go. All of the actors are remarkable with their voice-overs, particularly Hanks, Allen and Wallace Shawn - who is all-too perfect for the voice of Rex and delivers laughs at a rapid-fire pace. And, with an agreement made with Mattel, Barbie has a cameo appearance in a toy store.
Family entertainment of this caliber is very hard to come by nowadays. I applaud `Toy Story 2' for it's ability to present a mature and effective story, and to generate so much excitement that is derived from friendship and morals instead of conventional violence. I am certainly past the age of watching movies about talking dolls, but this quality feature is one of the year's best films. Here is one excited moviegoer hoping that the collaboration of Disney and Pixar continues for years to come. After all, no one is ever too old to play with toys.
(C) 1999, Jamey Hughton
MOVIE VIEWS by Jamey Hughton http://Welcome.to/MovieViews
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