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Click above to purchase "Toy Story 2 (Movie-Only)" at
amazon.com
Toy Story 2
(Movie-Only)
review by Zach B.
Rated G
Studio: Disney
Running Time: 81 minutes
With the Voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Wallace
Shawn, Jim Varney, Annie Potts, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammar,
Wayne Knight, Jodi Benson
Directed by John Lasseter
Retail Price: $29.99
Features: "Luxo Jr." Short, Outtakes
Specs: 1.77:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, English Dolby
Digital 5.1 EX, English Subtitles, Chapter Search,
THX-Certified
I understand that some people want to own "Toy Story 2"
seperate and don't want "Toy Story " (they're both great
movies and I have to say if you don't want both, you're
crazy but it's all opinion). Still, what Disney is doing
with this movie-only edition is pretty much a rip. But more
on that later. Let me talk about "Toy Story 2" first, a rare
sequel that lives up, or many believe (including me) is
better than the original.
Originally planned as a direct to video sequel, "Toy
Story 2" turned out to be so good the Disney suits had them
add more to it and release it in theaters. There were three
versions of the movie: One that lasted a little over an
hour, one that lasted about 75 minutes, and finally, the
theatrical one, which had more story and more characters
crammed into a little over 90 minutes.
"Toy Story 2" picks up right where the first one ended.
The toys are settled into Andy's new house, everyone knows
their place and they all get along really well. However,
trouble begins to brew when Andy's mom holds a Yard Sale,
and a little squeek penguin toy named Wheezy gets placed in
a box to be bought, Woody goes out to rescue him. It is a
succesful mission, but a greedy toy collector named Al
notices Woody in the sale. When Andy's mom tells him he's
not for sale, he goes out and takes Woody. It's up to Buzz
and some of the other toys to get Woody back before Andy
comes home from a summer camp. While Woody is with Al, Woody
learns he is a really rare toy and from a "Howdy Doody" like
show from the past, and Woody meets up with other, rare toys
from the same show. While Woody decides about his future, to
stay or leave, the other toys are well on their way to find
him with some exciting and often really hilarious events. By
the time the grand finale is reached, you'll be so impressed
at what Pixar has done and by the end of the movie, you'll
feel the impossible has been made possible.
Though I enjoyed the first "Toy Story" a lot, I found
"Toy Story 2" to be far superior to what already was a
cinematic achievment and movie landmark. The animation,
which looked great to begin with is even more detailed and
colorful. I thought the script was well written and the
story more enjoyable than the first, and the whole creative
process behind it amazing, plus the voice actors do another
job well done, with the whole original cast returning and
some nice performances from Joan Cusack and Kelsey Grammar.
What also makes "Toy Story 2" such a marvel is the fact that
it's no longer confied to a specific area, it's all over the
place. The original "Toy Story" was pretty much kept to
Andy's house, Sid's house, Pizza planet and a few scenes
outdoors. "Toy Story 2" is all over the place. The outside
roads with cars, "Al's Toy Barn" toy store, the elevator
shaft, outside Al's apartment, Al's apartment, it goes on
and on and on. Simply put, "Toy Story 2" goes beyond the
original and is one amazing movie, and one amazing sequel.
So many of us were really, really impressed with "A Bug's
Life" and the wonderful digital to digital transfer, and
"Toy Story 2" uses this same transfer method. It is properly
framed at 1.77:1 anamorphic widescreen, what you get is
probably the cleanest, sharpest, dazzling picture to ever
grace the DVD format. Everything is simply perfect and dead
on. Blacks are solid, colors don't smear but are really
bright and colorful, detail is amazing. I can rave on and on
about this transfer. Simply put, it ranks as one of the best
transfers ever. I did find a flaw in "Toy Story 2", though:
there is some really slight shimmer now and then. Still,
it's all jaw dropping and great eye candy. Bravo Pixar!
"Toy Story 2" is 5.1 Dolby Digital EX, and I found
surrounds to be more plentiful, wider and more dynamic. You
can feel the tension with Woody at the yard sale, when Buzz
and Zurg battle it out in the elevator shaft and of course,
that excellent opening scene is perfect to show off how
breahtaking and exciting the sound can be.
You get the set of Outtakes, complete in 5.1 Dolby
Digital EX (but full frame). These were used to lure people
back in the theater a month after the movie was released,
and I think this is a new Pixar tradition, to have outtakes
in their films. These outtakes are pretty funny and
enjoyable.
The short Luxo Jr., which was nominated for an
Oscar® in 1986, is presented here in widescreen. This
short has always been a favorite of mine, as we see the
father and son lamp Luxo Sr. and Luxo Jr. play a little
ball. Luxo is the lamp in the Pixar logo, in case you don't
know.
Disney, Disney, Disney... here's where you go wrong.
While "Luxo Jr." is a fantastic short and the outtakes are
funny, thirty bucks definently deserves more features.
Perhaps the "Toy Story 2" stuff from
The
Ultimate Toy Box? Considering that Disney put out
a two
pack, for ten bucks more you can get a whole other movie
and the features there. Again, I understand some want to own
just the movie, but for this price against the two pack and
the three disc set, it seems like a rip. If you buy each
film seperate, a bit more than ten bucks more will you get
the box.
I heard Disney is stop making the two-pack, so get your
hands on that while you can. Great sequel, incredible
presentation, but for thirty bucks and a little short as
well as the outtakes shown in theaters, you'll definently
want more, especially against the other sets that are out on
the market (again, check out my features sections how this
single disc holds up against the sets). Unless you have cash
to blow, don't care about features or other comparisons and
stuff, "Toy Story 2" by itself is here for you...
 (5/5 - NOT included in
final score)
(5/5)
(5/5)
 (.5/5)
 (2.5/5, NOT an average)
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