Toy Story 2 (1999)

TOY STORY 2 (1999) ***1/2

With the voices of: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Kelsey Grammer, Joan Cusack, Jim Varney, & Wayne Knight Director: John Lasseter Running time: 85 minutes Rated G

By Blake French:

In an era where audiences are given such few family movies, and in a time where such films are seldom given decent scripts, "Toy Story 2" is a jolt of lightening in the fast fading genre of unobjectionable entertainment. Over the past several years we've received filmmaker's poor attempts at granting us enjoyment with an orphaned raised by jungle apes, bouncy green slime, a massive gorilla reeking havoc on a major city, a child fending off robbers by himself near Christmas, a small boy's attempts to rescue a battered dog from his cruel owner, a canine playing football, a colony of ants in trouble, a talking mouse, and even a film version of an old cartoon about a man filtered with countless gizmos. None of those desperate family tales work. I think you can understand through these examples that when a great children's film does finally open, and entertains adults equally as much as it mesmerizes its target audience I give it the honor of being one of the years best movies.

"Toy Story 2" continues the traditional lives of the characters brought to our attention in the original movie released in 1995. What makes "Toy Story" unique is the fact that the characters are mostly toys. The familiar faces include everyone's favorite cowboy Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Hamm the piggy bank, Mr. Potato Head, Rex the cowardly Tyrannosaurs Rex, the Army Sergeant, Little Bo Peep, and the Slinky Dog. The sequel film introduces several new characters in its presence consisting of Prospector Pete, Jessie the Cowgirl, and antagonists, a greedy human named Big Al and robotic video game figure called Zurg. The plot has to do with several of the toys rescue attempts to save Woody from a money hungry thief who intends to sell him to a different country.

Just a few days ago I screened the somewhat similar, although unsuccessful, family comedy "Stuart Little." That movie failed because it attempted to blend our human world with the likes of pure fictional fantasy; a talking mouse that acts like a human. It is hard to except something like that without an explanation--giving the filmmakers no choice but to get into a complicated, logical explanation that would bore the majority of an audience. "Toy Story 2" needs none of that explication. It contains its illusion outside of our world, creating a tale that inspires our imagination. The filmmakers do not try to compare the likes of toys being alive with reality. It creates its own atmosphere which seems unfamiliar and magical. It is a place that lives within our dreams; everyone has hoped for their toys to come alive at one time or another. "Toy Story 2" brings this world to life to the quality of the original "Toy Story." This movie is a landmark in the gender of animated family comedies that should be treasured for all that its worth.

Brought to you by Walt Disney Pictures.