Truly one of the greatest sequels of all time.

Rating: 8/10 (26 August 2008)

So here we are again, Woody and Buzz Lightyear return for another adventure on the big screen. All their friends have made a triumphant return as well, but they've brought along a few new faces for the ride. With sequels, new characters are usually tacked on carelessly for no good reason, but with Toy Story 2, these characters actually make sense in the film's world. Not only that, but they're *gasp* integral to the story! This is one of the things that makes Toy Story 2 a great sequel. Although I can't say why Pixar wanted Kelsey Grammar to do the voice of the Prospector, an ornery old mountain-man type. Taking into consideration his personality throughout the film though, it makes a lot more sense. Moving on... As always, Pixar excels in the emotion department. It's rare that a film can make you give a crap about the characters, and Pixar continue to achieve exactly that. You may find yourself sympathizing with Woody during the film, you may even find yourself torn between different emotions, just like the characters involved. I've noticed recently that there are parental issues holding the backbone of this film. Woody is afraid of Andy outgrowing him just like parents are afraid their children will outgrow them. In this way, it speaks to parents in a way that even more adult-oriented films cannot. These kind of issues are what made other Pixar films like Finding Nemo and The Incredibles so great. The film is chock full of references to the first. It's so full of them in fact, that it sometimes feels forced. This is especially strong when the characters have a chance re-encounter with the vending machine aliens from the first movie. Also, the whole Star Wars reference mini-scene seemed to come from nowhere, go nowhere and have no real purpose. But these are really the only complaints I have, very minor ones at that. But when it all comes down to it, it's amazing that Pixar managed to make a worthy sequel to one of the greatest animated films of all time. And I do mean it when I say this is truly one of the greatest sequels of all time. Mind you, it doesn't have a lot of competition in that field, but it still comes out on top by a landslide.