Techtite DVD Reviews

3-Disc, Special Edition Set

Regular 2-DVD set

The Film : Is there any professional critic who did not like Toy Story 2...? Not according to the popular review-consensus site, Rotten Tomatoes; not one single unfavorable (rotten tomato) review was delivered, with tons of tons of praise. It was a simple, sweet story, with more than enough fun for anyone of any age. I might even ponder the Academy Award's decision to not at least offer it a nomination for Best Picture (like they did for Babe and Beauty & the Beast). However, it did win the Golden Globe for Best Comedy/Musical of the Year, so its rewards for being a great picture are there.

Many people after buying Bug's Life on DVD the other year were a little miffed as to why Disney/Pixar didn't release Toy Story (#1) on DVD. They correct that error by not only releasing it at the same time as the sequel, though as part of a matching set. In the first film, a cowboy toy named Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is jealous over the new toy in the room, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). Other toys, like a caustic Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), help Buzz and Woody as they both learn the true value of being a toy; Buzz still believes he's the actual Buzz Lightyear, while Woody wants to be #1 toy above all others. Many were surprised at how big of a hit this first film actually became. As "Tour Guide Barbie" puts it in the sequel: in 1995, short-sighted toy store owners did not have enough stock to meet demand for the many kids wanting a Buzz Lightyear action figure for their very own.

By Toy Story 2, Woody accidentally falls into a Garage Sale box, when trying to help an older toy. He's shoplifted by a nefarious Toy collector (voiced excellently by Seinfeld's Wayne Knight), who needs this toy to complete his Woody collection and sell him to a museum in Tokyo. Woody, as it so turns out, is a rare collectible, along with faithful horse Bullseye, cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack) and the shifty-eyed prospector Pete (Kelsey Grammar).

A hilarious subplot ensues, where Buzz and other toy friends try to help bring back Woody. The bigger story here, is when Woody must decide if he wants to keep being a mere plaything --soon, inevitably, to be discarded-- or to be a rare collectible in a museum forevermore, even if stuck behind glass. Once again, the true meaning of loyalty, friendship, and "fair play" is at stake...and the results are often a riot and frequently, even quite touching. In short, a great film.

The one thing you'll notice with the two films back to back is how far CGI digital animation has come, in just a few years. The evil toy collector, Al, almost looks like a real person. The family dog has what looks almost like real fur. When a flashback shows Jessie dragged from the bottom of a child's bedroom, you can even see the dust bunnies on her face. So impressive was the look of TS2 (and the excellent script, of course), that Disney decided to transfer this project from direct-to-video-sequel status to a full fledged film in theaters. Looking at the finale result, one can certainly see why; it's inarguably one of the most critically acclaimed films of 1999.

The DVD : The DVD comes in two forms. The good news is, both include Toy Story 1, and 2! The better news is, bonus materials relevant to both are in both collections, on each of the two DVDs. The collector's edition, however, includes a whole additional DVD of added features, and with the addition of a way-cool box and slipcover to keep them in, I'd recommend putting in the extra cash for the 3-DVD set.

That isn't to say that the 2-disc set isn't already filled to the brim with bonus features! On the disc for Toy Story 1 is the original animated short, Tin Toy, which helped inspire Toy Story and was one of the the first big hits for the Pixar animation group. Behind the scenes materials includes audio commentary from the filmmakers --a feature that is sorely lacking in many Disney animation film DVDs-- as well as a behind the scenes featurette, "The making of Toy Story," answering the big question of how they did all this. Best of all, though, is a mock "on the set interview" with Buzz and Woody, as well as a complete collection of all (yes, all) of the many short clips that Pixar was asked to put on during Saturday Morning Cartoon commercial breaks, once the film became such a smash hit.

The Toy Story 2 disc has an intriguing nature to its bonuses in that they are totally unique and different from the first. The animated short offered here is the Academy Award Winning Luxo, Jr., which many may never had the chance to see before. One amusing addition are "outtakes," which were apparently to be used much like A Bug's Life, during the credits, as a mock blooper reel. These outtakes were removed from the credits of the film in theaters, and are available here for the first time! A sneak peek at Pixar's next film --Monsters, Inc.-- seems to show that they will have another hit on their hands. Lastly, there are the audio reels, including another audio commentary track.

All the above is available, in both DVD boxed sets; they are offered on the film DVDs themselves. The collector's edition includes a third disc, which has several additional features. The most impressive is a 360 degree "virtual tour" of the CGI sets used in the films. "Abandoned Concepts" includes a low-res representation of scenes that were suggested yet never used. "Deleted animation" is of scenes that were decided to be cut at the last minute; though only two, they include one cute shot of Rex acting like Godzilla, then Woody accidentally falling off the roof onto the garage sale below (it was later decided that his attempt at rescuing the old toy, Wheezy, was a cuter sub-story). "Moviemaking secrets" is half of the reason I bought the Collector's set, and shows how magnificent a job they have, and how well they perform it.

Either version is worth the money. However, for me I preferred to cough up the added dough to get the 3-Disc collector's edition. Not only does it have that intriguing third DVD of bonus materials, though it's put in a nice looking box, complete with a slipcover so the DVDs don't slip out. However, as I said, either set is worth the money.

3-Disc, Special Edition Set

Regular 2-DVD set

Techtite's DVD Reviews!

Toy Story 1,

Toy Story 2

A Techtite Review