Toy Story 2 (1999)

Up to this point, sequels were a rarity for Disney. The only true sequel on the books was The Rescuers Down Under, which underperformed, and who honestly counts Fantasia 2000 as a sequel? Ordering a Toy Story sequel from Pixar must have been a very carefully calculated risk. It paid off handsomely though, as Toy Story 2 brings back everything audiences loved about the original and added even more things to love. Its status as a sequel prevents it from feeling as fresh as its predecessor, but our second romp with Buzz and Woody has plenty of pop and sizzle.

While rescuing a fellow toy from the yard sale pile, Woody is snatched up by a toy collector. Buzz and the gang set out on a rescue mission that takes them across town. Meanwhile, Woody meets new faces in the collector’s apartment and learns that he is an extremely rare and valuable toy. As a complete set, the Woody’s Roundup team will be on display for toy collectors to appreciate for years to come. Without Woody, they will be put back into storage potentially forever. This leaves Woody to wrestle with the decision to stay loyal to Andy or join his new friends on their quest for immortality.

Unlike a lot of sequels, Toy Story 2 is very good. Some people believe that this film is better than the original. They are entitled to their opinion but I disagree. The animation certainly has improved, with more detail, higher quality, and the incorporation of camera pans, zooms, and tricks found in non-animated films. The story is fresh, but it’s a little too heavy at times. Half of it is (if your honest) a retread of the first film, only this time Buzz saves Woody. The other half deals with issues that are going to go way over children’s heads.

The filmmakers don’t get nailed for the recycled rescue story because Buzz brings along a number of the other toys. This gives the supporting characters and voice actors plenty of time to shine as they struggle to work together as a group. Buzz encountering another Buzz Lightyear action figure that is not yet aware that he is just a toy is amusing. Woody’s arc, however, is substantially less fun. The new characters of Jessie, Bullseye, and Stinky Pete provide an interesting perspective as collectibles but they deal with and discuss issues that are very adult. Immortality, rejection, duty- all of these are heavyweight philosophical concepts that kids can only scratch the surface of understanding.

It certainly looks better but Toy Story 2 is not the feel-good tale that the original was. At times it is a steady gut-puncher that makes older kids and sappy, nostalgic adults feel guilty about giving up on their beloved childhood toys. Or is it really an allegory for how we treat other people? If so, Toy Story 2 is perhaps the darkest kids’ flick of all time. Therein rests the kicker. When I watch a movie billed as family-friendly entertainment and targets hard towards children, I don’t want to watch something designed to make me feel bad. That’s what European cinema is for.

Pixar delivers a fun, albeit outlandish, adventure that straddles the line between kids’ and grown-up entertainment. The development of Toy Story 2 was rushed, which might explain why there is a lot of polish overtop of a slightly weaker story. This review may sound very negative but I did indeed enjoy this film. If you loved the original Toy Story, this sequel is like an old pair of shoes that you can slip right into without any adjustment period. Sit back and enjoy.

RATING: 3.75 out of 5

Toy Story (1995)

A lot of times, animated films are either popular or high in quality. Heck, that can be said about a lot of live-action films too. Disney has been lucky over the years to repeatedly create animated flicks that are both high in quality and popularity. Toy Story continues that magic, be it luck or something else. The first full-length feature computer animated film is not only a crowd-pleaser, but it is also a technical marvel.

Sheriff Woody is Andy’s favorite toy. When his owner is out of the room, Woody and his fellow toys come to life. Being a toy and playing with children is serious business for these toys and every year brings new challenges. On Andy’s birthday, a new toy arrives. Buzz Lightyear is bold, flashy, and quickly replaces Woody as Andy’s favorite. Jealous of being relegated to the toy box instead of Andy’s bedside, Woody takes drastic measures to regain his position in the pecking order. His actions, however, lead Woody on a quest for rescue, survival, and redemption.

Some of you may already be harping on me about how this is a Pixar movie, not a Disney movie. Let me address this first and foremost. Yes, Pixar handled the computer animation, which means they were responsible for all the technical details- animation (colors and textures), direction (“camera” movement and cinematography), and all the special effects (audio and visual). Pixar did a fantastic job in all of these arenas. But, to me, it’s still a Disney film because Disney commissioned it and they held strict supervisory rights over the story. So now, I don’t and will not discuss the Pixar movies as if they exist in their own realm. They are a Disney product.

Let’s heap some love on this film, shall we? The computer animation shows its age only because Pixar and other animation studios have made massive amounts of progress in adding more intricate textures, patterns, and camera techniques to their arsenal over the years. This takes away none of Toy Story’s magic or beauty.

For a film marketed primarily toward children, this is a remarkably deep and mature story. Jealousy, replacement, and fear of abandonment are heavyweight issues to throw at kids. Presenting these themes through the actions and emotions of toys makes it approachable for kids and palatable for adults. Think about it- would you or your kids want to line up to see a movie about kids dealing with these issues? They tried that with Where the Wild Things Are and audiences were split over it.

Essentially, the filmmakers found a way to transmit these ideas to children and families so as to not overwhelm them with a case of the heavies. It’s brilliant, even though Toy Story’s success ruined animated films for a while. Everyone tried to pump kid flicks with moral lessons for all ages, albeit less effectively. To my knowledge, they’re still doing it.

The characters are flat-out terrific. Tom Hanks gives Woody exactly the right maturity and straight-man factor. Tim Allen’s funny-man shtick works flawlessly when it’s played seriously by Buzz Lightyear. The combination of these two characters alone is comedy gold. Buzz and Woody are surrounded by one of the all-time greatest group of supporting characters for an animated film. A sarcastic piggy bank, an abrasive Mr. Potato Head, a loyal Slinky Dog, a neurotic T-Rex, and a troop of super-serious plastic Army men round out a supporting cast that makes this film a treat for all ages. Is there some non-contextual humor? Yes. Does it bug me this go around? Not so much. The toy characters have an adult-like seriousness that makes it acceptable.

Toy Story is a breezy tale full of sentimentality, heart, and fun. It never lingers over certain themes and never spins the tires on pace. While many imitators followed in its wake, none so far have managed to tell their story with such effortless ease as this film. Clichéd as it sounds, Toy Story is the real deal and has something for the whole family to enjoy.

RATING: 4 out of 5

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Leave it to a family gathering with my in-laws to derail my mission of watching every single Disney animated film in uninterrupted, chronological order! Then again, most of you probably didn’t even realize that I have been working towards this goal and it has been taking me longer than it ought to in the first place. Coupled with the fact that this is one heck of a fun movie, I don’t mind going off on a tangent just this once.

First and foremost, I must warn you that this is going to be something of an incomplete assessment of the film. It has been years since I last saw the original Toy Story and I have only ever seen bits and pieces of Toy Story 2. I have been assured by several people familiar with the whole series that the events of Toy Story 3 don’t hinge upon the events of Toy Story 2. If this is true, then it is already a good thing that Disney managed to make each film with a self-contained story. After being brought up to speed on a few of the carry-over characters from the sequel, our journey commenced.

Andy, the child to whom the toys belong, is all grown up and heading off to college. After all these years, Andy is still hanging on to some of his all-time favorites. Andy’s mom tells him that he needs to put whatever he is not taking with him in either the attic, the trash, or donate it to Sunnyside Daycare. Surprisingly, Andy elects to take Woody to college with him and puts the rest of the toys in the attic. The only problem is that he packs the toys in a trash bag, which his mother mistakenly puts out for collection. They narrowly escape but do not realize what Andy had intended.

Having seen the mix-up, Woody tries to convince the gang that Andy really still wants them. Not believing him, Buzz takes command of the dejected toys and they sneak into the box headed for Sunnyside. Woody gets taken along for the ride and they discover a brand new world. The leader of the Sunnyside toys, Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear welcomes them with open arms and introduces them to a paradise of endless play. Woody leaves, determined not to let his original owner down. The rest of the toys soon discover that Sunnyside has a dark side. Word of this gets back to Woody, who plots a daring break-out attempt.

While the story isn’t chronologically consistent (it’s been 15 years since the first and Andy definitely was not a toddler!) that doesn’t really matter. Nobody ever said that time has to pass at the same speed within this story world and that of the real world. All that matters is the story that’s being told. Said story is definitely not what I was expecting. While I recall the original Toy Story having a few dark moments, it was nothing compared to what’s in store for you here.

Toy Story and its sequel (from what I’ve seen of it) are about Woody saving Buzz or Buzz saving Woody. Those films were all about finding a sense of belonging. These themes are still at play here, only Woody is now trying to save everybody, but the sense of belonging plays second fiddle to the toys learning to cope with the fact that they are no longer needed like they used to be. They have to transition into a new role and it is difficult for them to accept their fate. These are far more adult concepts than the first film (and probably the second too) dealt with.

There is no question in my mind that this film was made for the generation that grew up with the first two Toy Story films. Sure, it exists to entertain the new generation that was born in the past 11 years but the Pixar team was wise to give the original devotees a little more than just another rescue to watch. While I usually despise adult humor making its way into children’s movies, none of the double-entendres go too far and there is still plenty of innocent humor for the kids.

Sad as it is that some of the amusing background characters from the first installment are no more, it’s a smart move. Had Andy held on to all of his toys, there would have been too much going on. Toy attrition opens up the door for a bunch of great new characters. Some of them only have seconds to shine, but shine they do! From a melodramatic, premium plush hedgehog to a flamboyantly metrosexual Ken doll, it’s clear that the filmmakers and actors had fun pulling out all the stops.

The animators even pull out a few stops of their own, adding to the Toy Story legacy. The first installment of the series was the first full-length feature film entirely created with CGI. It was bold new territory that looked amazing. The animators take full advantage of the advancements in CGI over the past 15 years and elevate their game even further. The toys have always looked spot on but what floored me scene after scene was the richness of the textures. Some of the materials the toys are ‘made’ out of look real enough to touch. I can only imagine how real it must have looked in a good 3-D showing.

Even though I haven’t seen Toy Story 2, I have to say that I was very impressed with this film. It doesn’t feel recycled or needless. The story is sharp and has something for every age demographic. There is plenty of humor for kids and grown-ups alike and the balance between the two is as good as it gets. The animation still wows and the action will keep you interested start to finish. The fact that, after 15 years, Disney is still capable of making us care about these toys is something special.

RATING: 3.75 out of 5