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Kiersten DeBold
Mr. Newman
English 101: Rhetoric
22 October 2014
Toying With Reviews
Disney-Pixar Animation Studios is extremely well known for creating some of the most
creative and possibly the best animated family movies of all time. Some of their best sellers
include Walt Disneys Toy Story one, two, and three. Toy Story 2 was released in theaters in
1999 by director John Lasseter. Even though Toy story 1 had set a high bar in 1995 for a creative
storyline and amazing animation, viewers were still astounded by Toy Story 2. In the movie
Woody is faced with many obstacles including being put into a garage sale box by Andys mom
and then being kidnapped by a toy collector. With the help of his friends Woody finds him way
back home and is and is helped by his friends to overcome his insecurity of not feeling loved
anymore. The movie has a storyline that is entertaining for both parents and their children.
While Roger Ebert and Peter Stack both give credit to the actors that voice the characters in Toy
Story 2 and to Pixar for outstanding animation, they differ in how the main and extra characters
are introduced in the movie.
The review raves about the actors from Toy Story 1 coming back once again to voice
their favorite characters in Toy Story 2. Stack suggests the movie is Funny and action-packed,
its also got that rare thing, heart. He asserts that Pixar has once again outdone themselves with
the amazing computer animation in this dramatically rich sequel. Referring to two main
characters in this film, Woody and Buzz, he believes the story takes on dramatic tones that lead it
to hit it big in the movie theaters, suggesting everyone should enjoy this movie from kids to

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grandma and grandpa sensing that everyone can relate to this movie whether its a child viewer
or an adult being reverted back to their childhood and appreciation for their toys. Although Toy
Story 2 is a sequel, he enjoys the fact that the characters are put into new situations giving it a
fresh new twist. Stack speaks on the fact of a female character being introduced more center
stage into the film, Jessie. He claims this answers the notion that girls may have gotten left
behind in the first movie and that Jessie has her own touching story in the movie. He also states
that the film also has brief appearances of Barbie Doll inspired toys. Stack believes the story line
in the movie is a terrific one, tugging at the heartstrings of its viewers as they watch Buzz try to
help Woody shake off that ever terrifying feeling of abandonment and the feeling of not being
wanted or needed any longer as Andy grows older.
Ebert agrees with many of the points Stack makes in his review of the movie, even as far
as saying how he forgot about ...the love, pity and guilt that a child feels for a favorite toy and
that this movie quickly reminded him of it. Ebert concurs with Stack on Woody feeling
abandoned and forgotten and the struggles in the movie with his emotions on that topic. Just as
Stack claims Ebert believes Woodys best bud Buzz is there by his side to help him through it.
Ebert as well as Stack feel that Pixar did another fabulous job with the animation in this movie.
Ebert unlike Stack speaks of the importance that this film was intended to be released on video
instead of in the theaters saying that because of the switch to theaters more detail and complexity
went into the animation. He discusses with more detail on how [t]he movie once again features
the enchanting three-dimensional feel of computer-generated animation and that it makes the
viewer much more interested. Also unlike Stack, Ebert only briefly touches on the character of
Jessie saying she is the newcomer but she is the first leading role in the series to be a female
who is a little less domesticated than Mrs. Potato Head.

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The reviews by both Stack and Ebert seem to primarily focus on the same topics, the
heart touching storyline and the fact that it can propel even an adult back to their childhood
affection for their toys. The amazing job Pixar did on the computer animation is not in question
by either review. Stack seems to focus more attention on the fact of a female character being
brought to center stage possibly making it more appealing to the female audience. Were as Ebert
talks more about the computer animation and its original purpose of being for video instead of
theater and that because of that switch the animation had more detail than intended.

Works Cited
Ebert, Roger. "Toy Story 2." Roger Ebert. N.p., 24 Nov. 1999. Web. 14 Oct. 2014.
Stack, Peter. "`Toy'-ing with Emotions / Funny, Action-Packed and Heart-Warming Sequel
Draws Viewers into the Lives of Woody and the Gang." Sf Gate 24 Nov. 1999: n. pag.
Web. 14 Oct. 2014.