The animated adventures of toys that come to life when humans aren't looking continues as cowboy Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) is stolen by a greedy toy collector (voice of Wayne Knight), sending Woody's toy buddies, led by Buzz Lightyear (voice of Tim Allen), to a breathless rescue. Briskly directed by John Lasseter with even better animation, the lively cartoon sequel is a little less original but zippy action scenes and gentle humor should amuse small fry.  A-I -- general patronage. (G) 1999

Toy Story 2 (Full Review)

The adventures continue for the toys that come to life when their owners aren't looking in the zippy animated sequel "Toy Story 2" (Disney).

The original cast and characters are back, joined by some Wild West newcomers -- and a mean man who isn't above toynapping.

With youngster Andy (voice of John Morris) off to summer camp minus his toys, a garage sale proves disastrous for Sheriff Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), who is spotted by greedy toy store owner Al (voice of Wayne Knight). When mom (voice of Laurie Metcalf) decides not to sell Andy's favorite toy, Al simply snatches Woody and takes off.

Horrified, buddy Buzz Lightyear (voice of Tim Allen) rounds up a rescue posse and they're off. Surely with the help of Mr. Potato Head, Rex the dino, Slinky Dog and piggy Hamm, they can retrieve their lovable leader before Andy's any the wiser. But the plot turns out to be whether Woody will be willing to return, as he's found the family he didn't know he lost -- and they want him, too.

Woody is as torn as his tattered shirtsleeve. Dumped back in Al's apartment, Woody is stunned to discover he is a valuable toy collectible who had his own 1950s TV show.
 
What's more, his TV toy sidekicks welcome him -- sassy cowgirl Jesse (voice of Joan Cusack), prospector Stinky Pete (voice of Kelsey Grammer) and his trusty mare, Bullseye.

Meanwhile, Buzz and company have invaded Al's toy store after hours seeking Woody, only to be faced with hundreds more boxed Buzz Lightyears and the evil Emperor Zurg, who claims a very "Star-Wars"-like attachment to boisterous Buzz.

Director John Lasseter orchestrates a nice melding of snappy action sequences that propel the story forward with appealing character development as Woody re-examines his loyalties and cowgirl Jesse recounts the trauma of being discarded when her owner became a teen. There's a tenderness to their plights, offset by more humorous characters, like newlyweds Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.
 
The sequel may not be quite as imaginative as the 1995 original but, if anything, Pixar's computer animation is even richer, with excellent modeling and the frequently moving camera producing a more natural look. The toys are more expressive as well, and though the humans still look rather rubbery, Andy's dachshund Buster is a marvel of frisky animation. And the key scene in which Woody discovers his fame and newfound family is delightful.

All in all, it's a high-spirited sequel. The childhood bond between tots and toys gets added poignancy when the issue of children outgrowing their static playthings is dramatized through Jesse's story. Most of all, it still is fun for the audience to be in on the secret that toys play dead when humans play with them.

Unlike most lame sequels, "Toy Story 2'' is not one too many.

Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

The classifications are as follows:

• A-I -- general patronage;
• A-II -- adults and adolescents;
• A-III -- adults;
• A-IV**
• L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
• O -- morally offensive.
  

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