Toy Story 1 & 2 Special Edition Blu-Ray/DVD

Animé and Toons
Toy Story 1 & 2 Special Edition Blu-Ray/DVD
By Patrick Bérubé
April 1, 2010 - 21:30

39.99$ each
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen (voices)
Directed by: John Lasseter
Produced by: Disney Pixar
Running Time: 81 minutes and 92 minutes respectively
Release Date: March 23 2010

Have you ever wondered what your toys were doing while you were not there? Probably not but that's the premise behind Toy Story. For those who have not seen it yet, this movie is about Andy's toys and the lives they secretly live when no human is looking. So be ready to meet Woody the Sheriff, Mister Potato Head, Rex and the rest of the toy chest in an adventure that will take them as far as the neighbour's yard. Everything is perfect in the toys’ world especially for Woody, Andy's favourite plaything. But everything is about to change when, on Andy's birthday, he receive a brand new Buzz Lightyear space ranger action figure. It looks like there will be some changes coming as Buzz becomes the hot new comer and furthermore is convinced that he is a real space ranger and not just a serially made plastic figure.

In the second movie, things get even more fun. Just before leaving for summer camp, Andy realizes that Woody is almost missing an arm as a result of too much playing with him. He then decides to leave the toy behind, a first since he cherishes him. Because of that, Woody accidentally ends up in the garage sale boxes while he tries to save another toy from being sold. He is then be stolen by a greedy toy store owner. As it turns out, Woody is a rare and highly valuable toy. He is taken to the thief's home where he meets the rest of the toyline he is from and did not know existed. But being on display in a glass case is not a toy's fate and he will do everything to get back to the little boy to whom he belongs. Luckily for him, Andy's other toys are also looking for their missing friend.

I have to admit that I had a major apprehension when I started review Toy Story. I honestly could not find anything bad to say about any of the movies. The story, even if it is quite simple, is one of the most enjoyable I have seen in a while. The first time I saw this movie, I was a teen and could not care less about pretty much anything but it did not stop me from enjoying Buzz Lightyear's funny disillusion or Woody's acting way too serious in his role as a sheriff. More than 10 years later (and now a dad) I still enjoy the movie for other reasons, but I do still enjoy it. My little four-year-old daughter does too and that's what surprised me the most. I was at first afraid that the lack of princesses and fairies would quickly bore her but it was quite the contrary. She appreciated the humour, the story and the characters. It is probably one of the few movies I know that can appeal to such a wide demographic.

I also had another fear just before starting the movies. Toy Story is the movie that launched Pixar, but it was made almost 15 years ago. How would the animation compare to its newer productions? Well, it holds its own pretty well. I would even say that it's even better than most of today's 3D animation movies not made by Pixar. The textures feel rich, the characters have quality facial expressions (or as much as plastic toys can) and the background is rich with details especially with the 1080p definition the Blue-Ray offers.

If you haven't seen these movies yet or if you want to watch them again, these new special editions are a great way to do so. I recommend them for the whole family.

Dad's rating: 10/10 4 year's old daughter rating 9/10

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