Reel Critics

CHARACTERS MAKE SEQUEL A HIT

Spencer Beers of Glendale is the stepfather of fellow Reel Critic

Jonathan Rosales.

In this second installment of “Toy Story,” the animators dazzle us

with as much computer wizardry as possible. While this gets us through

the slow moments, it’s ultimately up to the characters to make the movie

a success. And succeed they do.

As before, Woody, Buzz, Mr. Potato Head, et. al. make the themes of

courage and friendship come alive, as they battle enemies both human and

toy. Wonderful sight gags and verbal references to other movies abound,

though these were appreciated more by the adults in our audience.

While lacking some of the freshness of the original, “Toy Story 2”

retains enough of its predecessor’s charm to make it a delight for young

and old.

A WORTHY FOLLOW TO GREAT MOVIE

Jonathan Rosales is a 10th-grader at Hoover High School and is the son

of Spencer and Maritza Beers.

It’s often considered a difficult task to create a sequel that lives

up to the greatness of the original. While Disney/Pixar didn’t quite

succeed in doing so with “Toy Story 2,” they came awful close.

Like the original, the toys must leave the security of their owner’s

bedroom and venture into the city to save another toy. This time around,

drawstring cowboy Woody gets kidnapped by a greedy toy collector hoping

to make a fortune. It’s up to his pals Buzz Lightyear, Hamm, Rex, Slinky

the Dog and, my favorite, Mr. Potato Head, to save the day.

The original “Toy Story” is my favorite animated movie, and the sequel

is a worthy successor. While the plot may sound similar to that of the

first, clever scripting and new characters help “Toy Story 2” become an

entirely new movie, and a great movie at that. Not to be missed.