Disney Pixar DVD Three-Pack (Toy Story/A Bug's Life/Toy Story 2)
Toy StoryThere is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about  late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces-- we smile at the spell it puts us under and are refreshed, and nary a word needs  to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie  magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer-animation  feature. Just a picture of these bright toys on the cover ofToy Storylooks intriguing, reawakening the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter's shorts  (namelyKnickknackandTin Toy) illustrate not only a technical  brilliance but also a great sense of humor--one in which the pun is always  intended. Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator  second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney. Lasseter's story is  universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy  Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the  other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the  birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz  Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a  crucial flaw, though--he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy.  Bright and cheerful,Toy Storyis much more than a 90-minute commercial  for the inevitable bonanza of Woody and Buzz toys. Lasseter further scores with  perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace  Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar® for  "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible  the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is  great.A Bug's LifeThere was such a magic on the screen in 1995 when the people at Pixar came up  with the first fully computer-animated film,Toy Story. Their second  feature film,A Bug's Life, may miss the bull's-eye, but Pixar's target  is so lofty, it's hard to find the film anything less than irresistible.  Brighter and more colorful than the other animated insect movie of 1998  (Antz),A Bug's Lifeis the sweetly told story of Flik (voiced by  David Foley), an ant searching for better ways to be a bug. His colony  unfortunately revolves around feeding and fearing the local grasshoppers (lead  by Hopper, voiced with gleeful menace by Kevin Spacey). When Flik accidentally  destroys the seasonal food supply for the grasshoppers, he decides to look for  help ("We need bigger bugs!"). The ants, led by Princess Atta (Julia Louis- Dreyfus), are eager to dispose of the troublesome Flik. Yet he finds help--a  hearty bunch of bug warriors--and brings them back to the colony. Unfortunately  they are just traveling performers afraid of conflict. As withToy Story,  the ensemble of creatures and voices is remarkable and often inspired.  Highlights include wiseacre comedian Denis Leary as an un-ladylike ladybug, Joe  Ranft as the German-accented caterpillar, David Hyde Pierce as a stick bug, and  Michael McShane as a pair of unintelligible pillbugs. The scene-stealer is  Atta's squeaky-voiced sister, baby Dot (Hayden Panettiere), who has a big sweet  spot for Flik. More gentle and kid-friendly thanAntz,A Bug's  Lifestill has some good suspense and a wonderful demise of the villain.  However, the film--a giant worldwide hit--will be remembered for its most  creative touch: "outtakes" over the end credits à la many live-action  comedy films. These dozen or so scenes (both "editions" of outtakes are  contained here) are brilliant and deserve a special place in film history right  along with 1998's other most talked-about sequence: the opening Normandy  invasion inSaving Private Ryan.Toy Story 2John Lasseter and his gang of high-tech creators at Pixar conjure up another  entertainment for all ages. Like the few great movie sequels,Toy Story 2comments on why the first one was so wonderful while finding a fresh angle  worthy of a new film. The craze of toy collecting becomes the focus here, as we  find out Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is not only a beloved toy to Andy but also  a rare doll from a popular '60s children's show. When a greedy collector takes  Woody, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) launches a rescue mission with Andy's other  toys. To say more would be a crime because this is one of the most creative and  smile-inducing films since, well, the firstToy Story. Although the toys  look the same as in the 1995 feature, Pixar shows how much technology has  advanced: the human characters look more human, backgrounds are superior, and  two action sequences that book-end the film are dazzling. And it's a hoot for  kids and adults. The film is packed with spoofs, easily accessible in-jokes, and  inspired voice casting (with newcomer Joan Cusack especially a delight as  Cowgirl Jessie). But, as the Pixar canon of films illustrates, the filmmakers  are storytellers first. Woody's heart-tugging predicament can easily be  translated into the eternal debate of living a good life versus living forever.Toy Story 2also achieved something in the U.S. that two other  outstanding 1999 animated features (The Iron Giant,Princess  Mononoke) could not: it became a huge box-office hit.--Doug Thomas