For some crazy reason, Disney was originally going to release this one directly to video. What a mistake that would've been. Instead, the entire original cast is back, with a few great additions, in a sequel that is even better than the first. A big round of applause should go to the folks at Pixar Animation Studios for the wonderfully creative, witty, funny and touching story of a group of toys and the bonds between them and their child owner. Find a child to take if you're too embarassed to see this one alone, but just don't miss it. Its one of the best movies of the year.

If you enjoyed "Toy Story,"(I didn't) then you'll love "Toy Story 2." There's more of a plot(but not MUCH more,) and the Pixar Animation technology has advanced significantly, so that the toys seem to have human facial characteristics. What I find missing in these toy stories is the MAGIC that one finds in Disney's painted classics(e.g., "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "The Lion King," "Aladdin" and "Tarzan.") Maybe it's their timeless plots, or it could be the melodic Broadway-like scores, or perhaps it's the beauty of the incredible artwork. In any case, all of this adds up to MAGIC. All of the ingredients in "Toy Story 2," simply add up to clever and cute.