"Life is only worth living with the love of a boy", says Buzz Lightyear to Woody.

Rating: Null/10 (25 November 2000)

And that quote in my summary, above, is the whole essence of "Toy Story 2". This happens during an encounter in the toy store where Woody has to decide whether to go to Japan with his "sidekicks" and be admired through plexiglass by millions, or stay with Andy as he grows up and eventually discards his toys. Woody has decided to go to Japan.
The story starts with Andy going to camp and Woody being left behind because of a rip in his right shoulder stitching. Mom throws a yard sale, and picks the penguin to sell. As Woody rescues him, with the help of the family pup, Woody falls off and is stolen by a dishonest local toy store owner who had been looking for an original "Woody" to complete his set. Including Jessie (Joan Cusack), Stinky Pete (Kelsey Grammer) and the horse. Jessie does a nice song, voiced by Sarah Maclaughlin.
This is a very fun movie, the allure being the various "chase scenes" and narrow escapes - the toys commandeering a vehicle, crossing the busy intersction under hazard cones, the elevator sequence, the airport baggage sequence, the daring runway escape from the jetliner baggage compartment. Animation and dialog are great all the way through. The central message is good, that cooperation, loyalty, and "family" are important to happiness. However, that theme and exciting action and escape sequences are now the central ingredient in all successful animated films of late.
Still, my favorite "animated" film is Disney's "Tarzan", followed by "A Bug's Life" and the clay-mation "Chicken Run", then "Toy Story 2." All of them are great, and a "favorite" comes down to personal preference. I rate "Toy Story 2" an "8" of 10, and I certainly don't think it deserves #30 all-time, which is where it currently sits on the Imdb.