Scope widens on Pixar's toy universe

Rating: 8/10 (25 January 2019)

These days we're not so surprised when an animated sequel lives up to or surpasses the original, especially when it's made by Pixar, but it was an unusual feat for 1999 when "Toy Story 2" did it. Although a bit more repetitive and fan-serving than boundary-pushing, the film's ingenuity, commitment to its characters and emotional themes made it a loveable continuation of the groundbreaking work of the original.
The story sees Andy going away to cowboy camp, during which his mom holds a yard sale. Woody, during a valiant attempt to save an old toy penguin named Wheezy (Joe Ranft), is unexpectedly stolen by a greasy toy collector (Wayne Knight), forcing a rescue team comprising Buzz, Hamm (John Ratzenberger), Rex (Wallace Shawn), Slinky (Jim Varney) and Potato Head (Don Rickles) to find and save him.
With Andy swept aside, most of the action takes place out in the world, widening the scope of "Toy Story" and creating exciting new scenarios for the characters. By the same token, it loses a little bit of the realism that made the initial concept special. Toys sneaking across major city roads hiding under traffic cones is closer to slapstick than wonder-inducing. In the first film, when Woody and Buzz sneak about Pizza Planet in fast food containers, the same idea is in place, it just feels more high stakes and believable than in this movie, which blows the lid off the toy chest.
Getting a little overly imaginative is a small knock on a film that nurtures a deeper love of its characters and furthers their story. Woody discovering his origins and meeting other characters in cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack), horse Bullseye and Stinky Pete the prospector (Kelsey Grammar) introduces the concept of collector's items into the "Toy Story" universe, while Buzz, free of existential crisis, finds the tables have turned from where he was opposite Woody in the last movie. The story aims to enrich its original themes with new notions that speak to the purpose of toys in our lives.
The film's most poignant moment comes accompanied by - yet again - a beautiful Randy Newman song performed by Sarah McLachlan, which reveals an obvious truth to the audience but one that's painful for toys: abandonment. The song puts the larger story into perspective, in addition to making you cry and feel guilty for any toy you ever moved on from.
Preposterous as it gets, Pixar's crew has a ton of fun with "Toy Story 2" and it shows. Having fun while keeping characters at the center and employing genuine themes that go deeper than kid-friendly morals, they strike gold yet again for all ages.
~Steven C
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