Hey folks... Now if you read my long ranting introduction to THE POKEMON MOVIE (Click Here To Read) then you know what state of mind I'm currently in. This upcoming nephew or niece will most definitely be raised on the work of John Lasseter and his crew at Pixar. On February 5th, 1998... the day it was announced that TOY STORY 2 would not be a straight to video release... but was instead coming to a theater near you... Well, I was writing up a review of the script, albeit an early one, for TOY STORY 2. (Click Here To Read That Review) When I started writing it, I had not seen the press release and I was advocating that the film be released in Theaters because... frankly... The script and the story was better than the original film. And this is coming from a fella that has a 6ft Buzz Lightyear standee in my bedroom and Woody doll ready to play. And folks... If you are running a little low on cash this month, and you can afford taking your family to only one family movie this month... Don't take em to POKEMON... Take them to TOY STORY 2.... I haven't seen it yet, but having read the script.... seen the trailers and reading the advance reviews... FOLKS... Trust me on this one.
TOY STORY 2
Directed by John Lasseter and co-directed (!) by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon from a screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Rita Hsiao, Doug Chamberlain & Chris Webb.
Featuring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Jim Varney, Wayne Knight, Kelsey Grammer, Jonathan Harris, Jodi Benson, Annie Potts, Estelle Harris, Laurie Metcalf, R. Lee Ermay, John Morris, Joe Ranft, Jeff Pidgeon, and Andrew Stanton.
Rated G. Opens Nov. 24.
**** (out of four)
Brace yourself now for a couple of big, scary, sweeping statements.
“Toy Story 2” may be the best comedy sequel ever made. It is, in fact, a bit better than the original -- and the original “Toy Story” was, at least in my estimation, wildly and purely wonderful.
“2” is one of those rare follow-ups that not only equals its source in entertainment value, but deftly expands upon the premise and characters that made its original so popular. AICN has (favorably) reviewed this computer-animated marvel twice before, so let me dispense with a plot recap and point up a few details on why this is absolutely, positively a can’t-miss enterprise.
1) We learn, to hilarious effect, all sorts of surprising things about Woody and Buzz. Our lead toys, it turns out, are more clueless about their backstories than Luke at the beginning of Episode IV.
2) The characters of Hamm (the John Ratzenbergery piggy bank), Rex (the Wally Shawnesque dinosaur) and Mr. Potato Head (who continues to sound much like Don Rickles) are far more fully realized as supporting players, and each contributes a number of genuinely witty bits of business.
3) Several new characters make their debuts here, but none more adorable than Jessie, a kind of Annie Oakley-ish long-lost kid sister of Woody’s. As voiced by the great Joan Cusack, big-eyed Jessie is not only a great new foil for the cowboy hero but without question the big, tender heart of the new film. As Jessie’s singing voice, Sarah McLachlan contributes vocals to a new Randy Newman song titled “When She Loved Me,” which will probably make my eyes well up each and every time I hear it for the rest of my life. Jessie’s story is at least as poignant as Buzz’s was the last time around -- which is saying a lot.
4) Other new characters prove equally first-rate sources of mirth, including sweatily avaricious toy retailer Al McWhiggan (voice of Wayne Knight), a tour-guide Barbie doll (Jodi Benson), a Lightyear nemesis named Emperor Zurg (screenwriter Andrew Stanton) and a less-enlightened clone of Tim Allen’s Buzz.
Add it all up and realize that “Toy 2’s” high-octane comedy is perfectly relentless. From beginning to end, one finds oneself pounded into laughing fits by a barrage of terrifically resonant jokes; even some of its throwaway lines continued to provoke giggles on the drive home. Like its predecessor, “Toy 2” closes with an eye-popping action finale -- but, this time around, the big finish is as funny as it is exciting. Credit Stanton (who also co-wrote the original) and co-writers Rita Hsiao (“Mulan”), Doug Chamberlain and Chris Webb for lashing together a precision guffaw-generator of a script.
Don’t wait to unwrap.
I warn you not to defy me!
I am … Hercules!
