Toy Story 2, a perfect delight

Oct 23, 2003

The release of Toy Story in 1995, changed the face of animated motion pictures

Film: Toy Story 2
Rating: G (Nothing offensive)
Voices of: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Kelsey Grammer
Directors: John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich, Ash Brannon
Review by: Sebidde Kiryowa
Showing at: Cineplex, Garden City on Saturday, Sunday at 12:00, 2:00pm

The release of Toy Story in 1995, changed the face of animated motion pictures.

The three-dimensional work became an international sensation, grossing $360m at the worldwide box office and selling more than 22 million video cassettes in the U.S. alone.

It also became the first animated feature ever to be nominated in the best screenplay written directly for the screen category. Toy Story ranks as the third highest grossing animated film of all time (behind The Lion King and Aladdin).

In 1999, the toys got back to the silver screen. While not as innovative as the original Toy Story 2 proved a worthy successor. In Toy Story 2, Andy’s mother decides to have a yard sale, and collects a few old toys from her son’s room. Since one of these discards is a member of the moving toy gang, the cowboy, Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), goes to the rescue, leaving the safety of the house for the uncertainty of the front lawn to bring the toy back.

His mission is successful but a toy collector named Al McWhiggin (voice of Wayne Knight) spies Woody while hunting through the wares at the sale. The cowboy toy represents the final collectible needed to complete his collection of merchandise from the old TV series, Woody’s Roundup.

If he can acquire Woody, Al can ship everything to a toy museum in Japan for a huge profit. So, after Andy’s mother refuses to sell the wooden cowboy, Al steals him, and it’s up to the other toys, led by Buzz (voice of Tim Allen), to go into the city to save their friend.

So, Buzz, Rex (voice of Wallace Shawn); Hamm (voice of John Ratzenberger); Mr. Potatohead (voice of Don Rickles) and Slinky (voice of Jim Varney) find themselves faced with busy streets and other Buzz Lightyear toys.

“One would have to be a hopeless bore not to be entertained by Toy Story 2’s remarkable visual style, quick-moving storyline, endearing characters, and witty dialogue. What has been included for kids and what’s there for adults is perfectly balanced,” a critic sums it up.

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