Toy Story 2

Toy Story 2. The film is a 1999 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by John Lasseter, it is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story and the second installment in the franchise. The story follows cowboy doll Woody as he is stolen by a greedy toy collector, prompting his friends, led by space ranger action figure Buzz Lightyear, to mount a rescue mission.

Plot

While his owner, Andy Davis, is away at cowboy camp, Woody is stolen by Al McWhiggin, the proprietor of Al's Toy Barn. Al intends to sell Woody to a museum in Tokyo alongside other toys from the 1950s television show Woody's Roundup, including cowgirl Jessie, trusty steed Bullseye, and the prospector Stinky Pete. Meanwhile, Buzz Lightyear leads a rescue team consisting of Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Rex, and Hamm. Their journey takes them across the streets of the suburb and into the high-rise offices of Al's Toy Barn. Woody grapples with the existential fear of being abandoned as he learns the fate of his former co-stars from Woody's Roundup, ultimately choosing to return to Andy with his newfound friends.

Production

Development began shortly after the success of the original Toy Story, with initial story ideas from John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, and Joe Ranft. The project was originally conceived as a direct-to-video sequel but was upgraded to a theatrical release following impressive early footage. A major crisis occurred when an erroneous command deleted nearly 90% of the film's data, which was fortunately restored by technical director Galyn Susman from her home backup. The animation team, led by supervising animators Ash Brannon and Doug Sweetland, pushed the technical boundaries of RenderMan, particularly in animating complex elements like human hair and clothing. The voice cast, including new additions Joan Cusack and Kelsey Grammer, recorded their sessions under the direction of John Lasseter and Lee Unkrich.

Release

The film premiered on November 13, 1999, at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles. Its wide theatrical release in North America began on November 24, 1999, distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. It was accompanied in some markets by the theatrical short Luxo Jr., a classic Pixar film. The home media release on VHS and DVD in 2000 set sales records, becoming one of the best-selling DVDs of the year. It was later re-released in 3D in 2009 alongside a double feature of the original Toy Story, and again for a limited theatrical run in 2019 for its 20th anniversary.

Reception

Upon release, it received widespread critical acclaim, with particular praise for its emotional depth, animation, and voice performances. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports a near-unanimous approval rating. It won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for Randy Newman's "When She Loved Me". Commercially, it was a major success, grossing over $497 million worldwide against a $90 million budget, significantly outperforming the original Toy Story. It is frequently cited in lists of the greatest animated films by publications like Empire and the American Film Institute.

Legacy

The film solidified the franchise as a cornerstone of modern animation and demonstrated the viability of animated sequels. Its themes of purpose and obsolescence resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike. It was followed by two sequels, Toy Story 3 (2010) and Toy Story 4 (2019), both of which were also critical and commercial successes, with Toy Story 3 winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The characters introduced, particularly Jessie and Bullseye, became permanent fixtures in the series and expanded Disney's merchandising lines. The film's production crisis and subsequent data recovery have become a legendary cautionary tale within the computer animation and data storage industries.

Category:1999 animated films Category:American films Category:Pixar films