The Perfect Studio Film!

Rating: 10/10 (28 March 2000)

1999 was undoubtedly one of the greatest years for film since the 1970's. It was the year that brought us the darkly brilliant "Being John Malkovich," the spellbinding film "The Insider," and the richly beautiful "Topsy Turvy" (Please note I am excluding the instant classics "The Talented Mr. Ripley," "The End of the Affair," "The Sixth Sense," "Boys Don't Cry," "The Straight Story," "All About My Mother," "The Cider House Rules," and "American Beauty" due to time constraints as I could write paragraphs on how much I adored each one of these films). Yet I make no apologies for saying that "Toy Story 2" deserves to sit with these amazing artistic achievments as one of the greatest films of the late 1990's. No, it does not offer any particular new insights into the human condition, or brim with originality. But what "Toy Story 2" is the perfect studio film. It is that perfect Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers dance that can be marvelled at time and time again, and coax tears out of the most cynical of souls. The film brilliantly interweaves a magnificent tapestry of comedy, fun, family entertainment, and pathos that is only rarely exhibited in today's cinema. As I watched the film in an audience full of laughing children I both found myself smiling so big that my face began to hurt, and gently crying.
I loved this movie. It is great for both kids and parents alike.