Toy Story 2 Puts the Fun Back Into Movies.

Rating: 9/10 (8 December 1999)

I didn't see Toy Story 2 the day it came out, but every review and every person kept repeating the same thing over and over: "Toy Story 2 is better than the original". I decided not to pay too much attention to the hype until I saw the movie myself and form my own opinion.
Here it is: Toy Story 2 is better than the original.
Don't get me wrong. I thought the first movie was fantastic, but this movie was a blast to watch from the second it started to the end credits. I laughed out loud at several points in the movie because of the in-jokes, fast one liners, visual gags and the not-too-subtle parodies of Star Wars, Jurassic Park and even the original Toy Story. A lot of lines were reused from the first film, but the context of how they were used in these new situations were clever. This is an intelligent movie and doesn't talk down to the viewer, regardless of age. Did I mention the CG effects (the movie itself?) in this film were even more of a technical "wow" than the first movie?
I liked the new characters, which fit in with the old favorites and the storyline without seeming like there were an overwhelming abundance of characters. Each character made their own contribution to the plot, however minor, and the story never seemed to drag on for me.
Overall, this was a fun movie to simply sit back and enjoy. It's thoughtful, funny and yet another quality animated movie from 1999. This year seems to be the one that the animation genre truly gets its due. If a Part 3 is ever made, I hope Disney maintains the quality that the first two films of the series have set.
Incidentally, Jessie's song will probably make a lot of people feel really guilty for ever abandoning an old toy. It certainly pulls on the emotional heartstrings.