Rating: 
Summary: Tons of fun for EVERYONE
Review: I had fun with Toy Story - I really enjoyed the animation and the movie was fun... but when my children wanted to see number 2 I was not as excited. Did I laugh? There is something in this movie for everyone! Lots of humour that the children did not even catch on to, and I get a bit more each time I see it!This movie is better than the first, and has even more for the whole family than the first!
Rating:
Summary: Groundbreaking (again)!
Review: I remember watching Toy Story at the movies and being amazed at the quality of the graphics and the sheer brilliance of the story. Then along came A Bugs Life which took computer-animation to the next level. I held my breath when Toy Story 2 came along - surely it would go the way of most sequels ... I had forgotten how much I loved it at the cinema but had this horrible feeling that it seemed to have been more of an adult movie than for kids. Well I guess I just underestimated it. My kids (6 and 7) were glued to it (as was I). The movie references were great for me and the action was great for my kids. And to top it all, another great Disney message about toys, belonging and growing up. This movie is oustanding and I get three DVDs (ok I have Toy Story on video but it is wearing out - that's my story)! These Pixar guys must be pumped up on creativity. How else do you explain two Buzz's, the best way to cross a street I have ever seen and some great outtakes. And now Barbie gets in on the act (well done Mattel - hope you sacked your foresight person after Toy Story). Do I need to tell you the story? I hope not. Do I need to tell you to buy this, cherish it, put it somewhere safe so no-one can damage it? NO. WATCH IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN with your kids, the kids next door the kids down the street, anybody's kids, and just LOVE IT.
Rating:
Summary: A great sequel to the orginal movie
Review: Toy Story 2 picks up right where the original left off. The animation is fantastic, the story is great and the character interactions are terrific. The movie also has great references to such films as Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Jurassic Park, and, of course, the original Toy Story movie. In one memorable scene, Buzz Lightyear meets another who is still new and in the box. The new Buzz, of course, still thinks he's a Space Ranger and hasn't learned yet that he's only a child's toy. It was fun to watch (our) Buzz wondering how he could have ever been as stupid as the new Buzz. There are two additional bonuses that come with this tape. First, you get Pixar's first short film, Luxo Jr. This adorable short film will appeal to anyone with a heart (and especially parents of small kids). Secondly, Pixar included "outtakes" in the closing credits, as they did with A Bug's Life. (Spoiler ahead!!) Watch for a hilarious Bug's Life/Toy Story crossover outtake in the closing credits. One additional benefit for the parents of small children: This movie, unlike the first one, had no characters that might give little children nightmares (such as the disturbed little boy or the monster creature-toys he created). In short, a film that will be loved by grown-ups and children alike.
Rating:
Summary: The best DVD set you can buy. Period.
Review: If you're an "extras" hound like me, "Toy Story & Toy Story 2 - The Ultimate Toy Box" is the promised land. Hands down the best goodies of any DVD to this date. Oh yeah, and you get two excellent movies too! :) I won't spend time on the movies themselves, except to say that they're two of the most entertaining films ever made. Instead, let's focus on why to get the 3-DVD set instead of the 2-DVD set. The third DVD is truly impressive. You'll find fully-animated deleted scenes; funny & interesting interviews with cast, crew, animators, etc.; an absolutly hysterical debate on "Who's the best character?" with Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and the whole cast; some very detailed explanations of the techniques used to create the movies; and so much more. I've spent over three hours on Disc 3 alone so far, and there's a lot more to go! There are even cool hidden features. For example, on Disc 3 choose 'Toy Story 2.' Under the 'Story' section, choose 'Jesse's Song.' On the next screen that appears, press the 'Left' arrow key on your remote control & you'll see a question mark. With the question mark highlighted, hit 'Enter' for a outtake with an introduction by the directors. The sound & picture quality on all three discs are the best I've seen on DVD. Helps when the whole movie was CREATED digitally, eh? :) All in all "The Ultimate Toy Box" is the best DVD set around, bar none. Well worth the extra money!
Rating:
Summary: Family Quality 2 in 1 from Disney
Review: "Toy Story" was a great innovation in cinema animation. "Toy Story 2" continues that innovation and goes beyond. To be successful an animated film should not only deliver images that complement the story, but the story itself should have inherent qualities that enhance our own lives and those of our family. "Toy Story 2" achieves that and in the original "Toy Story" we see the creative processes coming together. This is one of the best family packages from Disney. I think Walt would have been proud.
Rating:
Summary: Toys on the Side.
Review: Those marvellous Pixar people have triumphed again. With Toy Story and A Bug's Life, they took animation into a whole new dimension - both visually and narratively - and with their third computer-generated feature, John Lasseter and his team have pitched their tent even further up the mountain of excellence. There are bigger laughs, more thrilling set-pieces, a gasp-including array of life-like locations, a song that with break your heart and a hilarious homage paid to Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. In this rare case, the words 'classic' and 'sequel' belong side by side. Cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) takes the limelight this time, as he's swiped by unscrupulous toy collector Al (Wayne Knight, the techno geek from Jurassic Park) to be the centrepiece of a museum display in Japan. Captive in Al's apartment, the stitched Sheriff learns that he's actually a rare collectible from a Fifties TV Series called 'Woody's Roundup' and meets a trio of his toy co-stars - boisterous Jessie (Joan Cusack), crotchety old Stinky Pete the Prospector (Kelsey Grammer) and Bullseye, the happy horse. Meanwhile, Buzz and his plastic pals set off on an eventful rescue mission. It's a real challenge to find much wrong with this movie. The characters' facial gestures, movements and vocal performances are so bang-on, that after about 2 minutes, you're completely lost in the world of toys. Of course, the advantage of a sequel is that the audience's familiarity with the characters for a more plot-heavy adventure. This time there's an epic feel as the brave little toys chase all over town, eventually leading to double trouble for Buzz and an encounter with his galatic adversary. Although kids will probably enjoy seeing these playthings brought to life once again, there's a noticeably more grown-up feel to the story. Besides the movie in-jokes, a handful of action scenes provide for excitement than we're used to seeing in an animated feature. The sci-fi spoof opening, perilous traffic cone-assisted road crossing and Die Hard 2-style baggage fracas, are all indicators of the growing confidence of the Pixar artists and the realization that computer animation has the potential to go head-to-head with anything in a Jerry Bruckheimer or Joel Silver movie. And beyond.
Rating:
Summary: Disc 3 versus your Remote Control
Review: I bought the Ultimate Toy Box 3 DVD set. The 2 movies (contained on the 1st and 2nd disc) are superb and have good supplemental fillers themselves, such as the "Making of Toy Story" The 3rd disc contains additional supplemental material which is great for people who are heavily into the technical stuff. However, be forewarned: accessing the many features on disc 3 is a remote controller's nightmare. The material is broken into so many brief sub-segments that I was required to constantly click my remote control to access the features. To add to the frustration, there are these huge pauses that occur each time the DVD searches for a chapter. It really diminished my enjoyment of disc 3. In my opinion, it would have made more sense to have included some "play all" options that would have given the viewer the choice between uninterrupted viewing and single chapter selection. Better have some spare remote control batteries on hand. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious!
Review: I bought this movie for my 5 year old son (and me!) the day it came out and we have watched it at least 5 times so far. It is great!! I can't say how wonderful it is to watch a movie that is perfect for kids and that adults can sit through and laugh like crazy too. There are too many good things about this movie to even put down here, just get it and if you don't have kids, get it anyway, it is truly entertaining. Bring on Toy Story 3!
Rating:
Summary: A must for die-hard fans, the 2-disc is for everyone else
Review: This is a must for any die hard fan that just can't get enough of the genius that is TOY STORY. I must say that John Lassiter was a genius for capturing the magic of Toys and presenting it in a format that adults can enjoy. The 3rd disc is a really cool disc for those like me that just can't get enough, but for those that just like the movie I would not recommend this 3-disc pack, for those that like the movie but are not fanatic, I would recommend the 2-disc pack that still packs in plenty of bonuses.
Rating:
Summary: THIS SET IS LOADED !!!
Review: Great movies to say the least. Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are great computer generated animation backed up with great buddy stories that you will love as much as your children. Whereas Toy Story revolves around Woody's concern over Andy's affection for buzz, Toy Story 2 deals with Woody being kidnapped by a vintage toy collector and the other toys attempt to rescue him. Toy Story 2 also introduces us to some great new characters including Jessie, Bullseye, and even Mrs. Potatoe Head. What the Toy Box set offers is everything a diehard Toy Story and DVD fan could want. It is loaded with cut scenes, production notes, interviews with cast and crew and so much more. There is also a great section of joke references and hidden gags, many which center around Bug's Life. The third disc in this set has hours of great extras. Finally, what may be lost on some is the fact that these movies were made for the digital experience that DVD offers. You get great surround effect from your speaker package. The video is SO much clearer when viewed on DVD. You WILL notice the difference. Overall, two great movies with a ton of extras. Films that were made for DVD and a lot of extras for your extra money. Buy this boxed set for your kids and YOU. Enjoy.
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