Product Description
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Double pack featuring the award-winning, computer-animated
Disney adventures about toys which come to life as soon as their
owner, Andy, leaves the room. In 'Toy Story', pull-string cowboy
Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is Andy's favourite toy until sci-fi
action figure Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) arrives. Buzz really
believes himelf to be a space ranger, and is unwilling to accept
the jealous Woody's assertion that he is merely a child's
plaything. However, the duo are forced to put their differences
aside when they find themselves stranded in the real world, far
from the safety of Andy's bedroom. In 'Toy Story 2', Woody is
kipped by toy collector Al, who plans to sell him to a
Japanese toy museum. Buzz, Mr Potato Head, Slinky Dog and Rex the
Dinosaur set off to the rescue, but when they get to Al's store
Buzz is mistakenly boxed up and his place taken by a new,
flashier Lightyear model - complete with utility belt! Meanwhile,
Woody has discovered that he was once the star of a popular
children's television show, and is no longer sure he wants to
return to Andy's toy cupboard.
.co.uk Review
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Toy Story
There is greatness in a 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--you smile at the spell it puts
you into and are refreshed, and not 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 of Toy Story looks intriguing as it reawakens the kid in
us. Filmmaker John Lasseter's shorts illustrate not only a
technical brilliance but also a great sense of humour--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 favourite 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 Story is 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 O "For the
development and inspired application of techniques that have made
possible the first feature-length computer-animated film". In
other words, this movie is great. --Doug Thomas
Toy Story 2
John Lasseter and his gang of high-tech creators at Pixar create
another entertainment for the ages. Like the handful of other
great movie sequels, Toy Story 2 comments 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, Toy Story. Although the toys
look the same as in the 1994 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 for forever.
Toy Story 2 was deservedly a huge box-office success. --Doug
Thomas, .com