A Nutshell Review: (DVD) Toy Story 2 (1999)

Rating: 10/10 (10 October 2006)

There are few sequels that can equal or even surpass its original, and for an animated feature, perhaps Toy Story 2 is the first of its kind that didn't end up going direct to video. I'm unsure why I hadn't caught this in the theatres, given that I've thoroughly enjoyed the first Toy Story. I've taken 7 years to finally watch this gem, and of course, to include myself into the legions of Pixar fans out there who have watched every single animated feature they produced.
Toy Story 2 remains the only sequel that Pixar put out, though I'm rooting for The Incredibles to make another appearance on the silver screen. Bringing back its stellar voice cast like Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, and favourite characters that have endeared themselves to us, I'm thrilled that there is so much more story that can be told of our favourite toys in Andy's room.
What worked, at least for me, is that the story and characters appealed to the child inside. I own quite a number of toys as a kid, and yes, I outgrew them, although most of them are still stored in boxes somewhere around the house. Perhaps some of them are small collector's item in their own right, and as a child I did wonder if the toys do come alive to wreck havoc around the room before they retire in time and clean up before I wake up.
Of course toys do not come to life (or do they?) but here in this sequel, the exploration of the friendship theme takes on a different dimension when Woody finds himself with other toys from the same collection as he is - a cowgirl Jessie, his trusty steed Bullseye, and a prospecting character known as Stinky Pete. The dilemma he faces is whether to cast aside his constant fear of Andy abandoning him for good, and opt for life with his new found family in some museum somewhere, where he'll be appreciated for many moons to come, or to return with Buzz and his friends for the life he has grown so accustomed to.
The adaptation to change, loyalty, abandonment, friendship - a lot of themes for a children's movie, but that again is the appeal of Toy Story, that it can be viewed at different levels, for a child who can enjoy the animation and the story at one level, and for adults to reminisce and enjoy it on another. By deftly handling the different themes, and appealing to different segments of audiences with the same movie, Pixar exhibited exactly why they're top dogs in this field.
As always, the music and animation are excellent, and given that I'm watching this now and found it enjoyable, I think they have a film that can stand the test of time. I hear of rumours of a third Toy Story movie, and if that were true, I'd say bring it on!