TOY STORY 2 NEWS
 The sequel: could it really top the original, like we've been hearing? |
The world premiere of Toy Story 2 took place on Saturday, November 13 at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, Cailfornia. The event was aired on the Internet via a live webcast at Disney's Official Site. They didn't show Tim there, but many of the film's voices were there. Tom Hanks (voice of Woody), John Ratzenberger (Hamm), Wallace Shawn (Rex), Jim Varney (Slinky Dog), Wayne Knight (Al the toy collector), Jodi Benson (voice of The Little Mermaid's Ariel, Tour Guide Barbie in this film), John Morris (Andy), Joan Cusack (Jessie), Estelle Harris (Mrs. Potato Head). It wasn't just the Toy Story 2 cast who showed up for the huge event. Also there were Randy Newman (the writer and performer of songs from both Toy Story films), Steve Jobs (the president of Apple computers and one of the founders of Pixar), the film's co-directors Ash Brannon and Lee Unkrich, and Roy Disney himself. Other stars who Disney interviewed in the webcast include Ryan Stiles from "The Drew Carey Show", "Boy Meets World" stars Will Friedle and Rider Strong, Ming-Na Wen (the voice of Mulan), Haley Joel Osment (the young star of The Sixth Sense), Haley Eisenberg (the little girl from with the big voice in Pepsi commercials), TV star Christine Lahti, Marie Osmond from "Donny & Marie", Riders in the Sky, Ron Howard (director of such films as Apollo 13, as well as Richie from "Happy Days"), actress Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting), and astronaut Buzz Aldren, the second man to walk on the moon. |
 Pixar's TS2 site: shouldn't we expect more from the maker of computer animated films? |
So far, Toy Story 2 has graced the covers of at least five magazines. In early October, TIME magazine featured Buzz and Woody on the cover as part of a feature on Steve Jobs. In late September, the business weekly Brand Week featured none other than Buzz Lightyear in a cover story on the many marketing tie-ins of the film. And the November issue of Nickelodeon magazine features our favorite cowboy Woody as part of an interview with Tom Hanks. Most recently, Buzz and Woody appeared on the cover of the December issues of Disney's Adventures and Disney Life magazines. |
 Soundtrack, books, toys, and much more available from the TS2 store. |
It was reported in Brand Week that McDonald's would have a peel-and-win Toy Story 2 game similar to the Inspector Gadget game that ran this summer. However, the fast-food chain hasn't shown any signs of this yet. If it's gonna happen, it's gotta happen really soon. Meanwhile, Toys R' Us stores are currently running a Toy Story 2-themed sweepstakes, called "Buzz and Woody's Toy Roundup." UPC codes are printed in weekly circulars. If you bring in the UPC code to Toys R' Us, you can find out if you have won $1,000,000. Tropicana is running a "Search for Woody" under-the-cap game on its various Orange Juice containers. The sweepstakes features a bunch of toys as a prize. Many General Mills cereals are featuring Toy Story 2 boxes with activites on the back and purchasing offers (a Buzz Lightyear clock, for example). I suggest you buy a couple of boxes of Cheerios, if you are a Toy Story collector. That is because inside boxes of the cereal are special compartment spoons that feature either Woody or Jessie. They are similar to the spoons that cereals gave away for A Bug's Life last Thanksgiving. |
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Disney Stores around the nation have updated their themes to become jam-packed with items from the film. I've visited two and they both had a moving cardboard Buzz Lightyear with a cone display outside. The many items available to buy in the stores include mugs, cups, sticker books, activity books, magic towels, toy dolls, sweatshirts, pajamas, and t-shirts. The video games are soon to be released, as will a Toy Story 2 ice cream flavor, Hallmark Christmas ornaments, and much more. Toy Story 2 frenzy is certainly here!...Disney is basically finished updating the official Toy Story 2 site. For now, it contains a Shockwave game, the trailers, some basic info, and a few special features. The Shockwave game is the most recent addition. In it, you are Buzz Lightyear and you have to make your way through a toy store to rescue Woody. |
LINKS TO ARTICLES AND
REVIEWS
Animated Sequel Fins New Level of
Imagination -
Janet Maslin's positive film review for The New York Times
Roger Ebert's Chicago Sun-Times
Review - the film
critic gives Toy Story 2 three-and-a-half stars
Chicago Tribune's Four-Star Review - Mark Caro says the movie blows
the latest Star Wars sequel out of the galaxy
Play On! "TS2" is
Terrific - Jami
Bernard, New York Daily News' four-star review of the film
New York Post's Film Review - Jonathan Foreman gives the
sequel three-and-a-half stars
Seeking the Meaning of (Shelf) Life - Kenneth Turan (Los Angeles
Times) gives the movie a (guess what) positive review
"Toy" More Animated Than
Ever - Jay Carr
(Boston Globe) calls TS2 "everything you could want
in a sequel" in his 3-star film review
"Toy Story 2": Not Just
Kids' Stuff -
Washington Post staff writer Rita Kempley says the sequel is
"richer, wittier, and a wholly unique adventure"
At the Movies: Toy Story 2 - Newsday's Associated Press'
review by Malcolm Ritter
No kidding, 'Toy' is fun for
adults, too - Rene
Rodriguez, Miami Herald, gives the closest thing to a negative
review with (only) two-and-a-half stars
Cartoons of Character - Ann Hornaday gives the sequel
another four-star review, this one for the Baltimore Sun
"Toy Story 2" Slips in
Values With Fun -
Steven Rosen gives the movie three stars for The Denver Post
'Toy'-ing With Emotions: Funny,
action-packed sequel draws viewers into the lives of Woody and
the gang - Peter
Stack, San Fransico Chronicle, calls TS2 "the most
entertaining movie of the year"
Toying With Collecting - Claudia Puig, USA Today; article
on whether toys are meant to be kept in good condition or played
with
The Toys are Back in Town - Wesley Morris' 3-star review for
the San Fransisco Examiner
Dogged Attention Brings Characters
to Life - USA
Today article which discusses the technical aspects of Toy
Story 2
Toy Stars Find Life Difficult in
"Toy Story 2" - Bob Tourtellotte, Yahoo (Reuters) article
on the film
Toying With Your Wallet - Robert Dominguez, NY Daily News;
article on the film's extensive merchandise
Creating a New Buzz - Michael Mallory's LA Times
article about Toy Story 2
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