Toy Story 1 & 2 Review

Toy Story BD & DVD Combo Pack and Toy Story 2 BD & DVD Combo Pack

Own the Blu-Ray Combo Pack on March 23, 2010
SRP $39.99

Also Available: Toy Story Special Edition DVD and Toy Story 2 Special Edition DVD
Available May 18, 2010, at an SRP of $29.99

The “Toys” Are Coming To Life — Like Never Before!

Disney*Pixar Present For the Very First Time In Blu-ray™ High Definition
TOY STORY and TOY STORY 2

Fantastic Blu-ray Debuts Allow Fans to Experience the Hilarious Adventures of the “Toy Story” Gang with Blu-ray’s Eye-Popping Picture and “Buzz”-Worthy Sound!

Releases Include Exciting Sneek Peeks of This Summer’s Eagerly Anticipated Toy Story 3

TOY STORY BD & DVD COMBO PACK *ALL NEW* BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:
• The Story: An Exclusive Sneak Peek at Toy Story 3
• Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: Blast Off
• Paths to Pixar: Artists
• Studio Stories: John’s Car
• Studio Stories: Baby AJ
• Studio Stories: Scooter Races
• Buzz Takes Manhattan
• Black Friday: The Toy Story You Never Saw
• Plus BD-Live movie chat, movie mail, movie challenge and more! (Only Available on the Blu-ray Disc)

TOY STORY 2 BD & DVD COMBO PACK *ALL NEW* BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:
• Characters: An Exclusive Sneak Peek At Toy Story 3
• Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: International Space Station
• Paths to Pixar: Technical Artists
• Studio Stories: Toy Story 2 Sleep Deprivation Lab
• Studio Stories: Pinocchio
• Studio Stories: The Movie Vanishes
• Pixar’s Zoetrope
• Celebrating our Friend Joe Ranft
• Plus BD-Live movie chat, movie mail, movie challenge and more! (Only Available on the Blu-ray Disc)

Toy Story and Toy Story 2 ‘Special Edition’ DVDs include all the above special features, except for the BD- Live Portal Features.

I just attended a double feature. Hubby and I viewed Toy Story 1 and 2 for the first time. What great comedies! What brilliant technology! What scripting!

Did you know that Toy Story 1 was the first ever only computer generated animated movie? Its buddy story characters personify people and their character flaws. That is what makes the movie so touching. We may not want to admit it but within each of us lies some of cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks). We know the devastation the jerk experiences when his owner Andy replaces him with another toy Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). We may not approve of his actions; still we understand them.

Woody schemes to get rid of Buzz. His pranks and plotting backfire. Toys move from their own safe world within Andy’s room into an outside one, dangerous and overwhelming. Sid Phillips and his vicious dog Scud are out to destroy the toys. Mutant ones work to foil his plans. With Andy’s family moving, will Woody and Buzz be left behind? The touching score including “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” sums up the theme. The catchphrase “To infinity and beyond” is what relationships are all about.

The cast voiced its roles to perfection.

* Tom Hanks as Sheriff Woody
* Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear
* John Morris as Andy Davis
* Erik von Detten as Sid Phillips
* Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head
* Wallace Shawn as Tyrannasaurus Rex
* JimVarney as Slinky Dog
* John Ratzenberger as piggy bank Hamm
* Annie Potts as porcelain Bo Peep
* R. Lee Ermey as Sarge, an Army man
* Laurie Metcalf as Andy’s mother.
* Sarah Freeman as Sid’s sister Hannah

After a brief intermission, a drink and snack, Toy Story 2 was on our home screen. This sequel continued the antics of toys that come alive when humans aren’t watching. Most of the original characters and voices return. New ones include:

Joan Cusack as Jessie, cowgirl
Kelsey Grammar as Stinky Pete the Prospector
Wayne Knight as Al McWiggin, toy collector
Estelle Harris as Mrs. Potato Head
Joe Ranft as Wheezy (speaking voice)/Heimlich the Caterpillar (outtakes)
Robert Goulet as Wheezy (singing voice)
Jodi Benson as Barbie
Andrew Stanton as Emperor Zurg
Jonathan Harris as Geri
Jeff Pidgeon as Squeeze Toy Aliens
Dave Foley as Flik (uncredited, in the outtakes)
Mary Kay Bergman as Jessie (yodeling voice)
Andi Peters as Luggage Handler and Male Baggage Handler 2

To recap the story, injured Woody tried to save Wheeze from being sold at Mrs. Davis’s yard sale. One of the customers, Al McWiggin, unsuccessfully tries to buy him, but when Mrs. Davis refuses steals Woody. Woody meets Jessie, Bullseye, and Stinky Pete, other collectibles. Al plans to sell the complete collection off to a museum in Japan. As Buzz and the rest of the toys go to The Toy Barn to save him, Stinky Pete sabotages efforts to escape. Along the way Buzz and the toys must deal with Buzz’s updated model and the Emperor Zurg. Woody, Jessie, and the horse realize that they are happy and meant to be played with by children. Everything ends happily because even when Andy grows up, the toys know they still have one another.

Parting thought. I can hardly wait to see Toy Story Part 3 coming to theaters this summer.