Unlike its predecessor, generally a fun, light-hearted film, Toy Story 2 pushes for a bit of emotion. Woody (Tom Hanks) has a nightmare about Andy (John Morris) dumping him into a trashcan of broken toys. The sequence, with harsh lighting, dramatic music, and slow motion, is surprisingly terrifying, even a little off-putting.

Of course, the film recovers, containing a scene where newcomer Jesse (Joan Cusak) reminisces about being played with before being found by a toy collector. How any film about talking toys could possibly elicit a strong sense of happiness and sadness is baffling. Leave it to Pixar. The sequence is beautiful, letting adult audiences reminisce about their favorite toys, and easily resonating with a younger set who still cling to their favorite piece.

Beyond those diversions, Toy Story 2 is everything a sequel should be, even a baseline for how a follow-up should be done. Characters return with their same personalities, the new ones fit logically into the story (and not just for marketing purposes), it is loaded with properly timed/placed jokes from the first, it looks better, and the adventure is larger in scale.

More importantly, this sequel is just as entertaining. The little gags add up, particularly the Star Wars references as a new Buzz Lightyear battles nemesis Emperor Zurg on an elevator. Wonderfully crafted sequences are numerous, especially the street cone crossing that causes a massive traffic accident.

Toy Story 2 is no less creative than its predecessor either. Many of the dropped concepts for the original are apparently crammed into this sequel with no ill effects. You can still see that same level of ingenuity come alive on screen. The entire product line for Woody’s Round-up, based off the fictional TV show Woody was featured on, is just spectacular. The “snake in a boot” is especially classic. These look like logical, real products from the era, perfectly designed to fit within the world of Toy Story.

Toy Story 2 was originally meant to go direct-to-video. Both Disney and Pixar realized the error of their ways, giving the film additional time and going for an all-out theatrical release. While the film does contain some elements of the sadly familiar Disney video sequel (the opening re-introduction of the characters is done with little subtlety), that is reaching for something to complain about. This is that rare sequel with as much energy, vibrancy, and entertainment value as the original.

Movie ★★★★★ 

There was a four-year gap between films, and if this reference quality AVC encode proves anything, it is how far animation had advanced in that short span of time. Immediately apparent is the stronger, focused lighting. While the original produced tremendous depth, it almost pales compared to level of dimension showcased here. As the second Buzz is hanging in the elevator shaft and the camera shifts to the toys hanging from his utility belt, you begin to wonder why 3-D TVs are even needed. The image, pardon the cliché, leaps off the screen.

Colors are brilliantly realized, from the vibrant greens of the digital plant life to the reds and pinks of Barbie’s introduction. The opening scene taking place on an alien planet is drenched in incredibly rich blues, and the same goes for the nighttime search for Woody led by Buzz. The flashback of Jesse contains intentional blooming that only makes the beauty of the fall-ish color palette more beautiful to admire.

Detail is increased, particularly apparent in longer shots. Back to the opening, Buzz becomes surrounded by hundreds of alien robots, all of them clearly visible, defined, and detailed deep into the frame. Grass is always defined, producing individual leaves. Furniture, cloth, and wood showcase tremendous texture. Look at the cotton swab used to clean Woody’s eyes during the restoration. Every strand seems clearly visible, and sharply so.

If any flaws are noted, it is likely of the source. As with the first film, aliasing around the round space suit of Buzz returns. At 1:12:28, the car grill flickers wildly. The same problem exists during most of the baggage chase near the finale on the plane. These are marginal problems in what is a true stunner for Blu-ray.

Video ★★★★★ 

While huge action movies filled with blood and gore are fun for demonstrations, what if someone brings their kid along? You pop in the opening scene to Toy Story 2. Buzz Lightyear’s “video game” is a technical audio marvel. His descent through the atmosphere is aided by a fantastic level of bass that extends as deep as possible. Even the logo panning into the frame produces a satisfying rumble.

Objects whiz by the viewer, especially during his flight through a canyon. When the aliens fire their lasers, shots come from all sides. Directionality is nothing short of perfection. Pans across the front soundstage are flawless, and any front to back movement is perfectly captured.

And that’s just the first five minutes or so. Clarity is spectacular, and all elements are kept prioritized throughout. During the final frames, Wheezy begins singing his version of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” which is full of energy. The surround bleed is exquisite. The echo inside the vents as the toys maneuver through Al’s office is not only free of any distortion it is immersive as well. The trek across the street via traffic cones has a massive concrete pipe barreling towards Mr. Potato Head, beginning with a light bass level before becoming completely engaged with a thunderous rumble.

Audio ★★★★★ 

Special features seem familiar to the first film, because they mostly exist as extensions or continuations, such as the Toy Story 3 preview which now focuses on the characters. The commentary track is slimmed down to just co-directors John Lasseter and Ash Brannon, editor Lee Unkrich, and writer Andrew Stanton.

Buzz Lightyear is back to provide a look at the International Space Station for the younger set. Paths to Pixar focuses on additional staff members telling their stories of how they wound up at the studio. Three more stories come from deep inside Pixar in Studio Stories. Pixar’s Zoetrope is a far too short two-minute look at Pixar’s own animation Zoetrope they made for Toy Story 2.

Celebrating our Friend Joe Ranft is a retrospective on the story designer (and voice of Wheezy) who sadly passed away after Cars was finished. The rest of the extras are pulled from the Ultimate Toy Box DVD edition. These include three making-of featurettes, a selection of outtakes, deleted scenes, a section on design, another on production, followed by music/sound and publicity. Loads of trailers and BD-Live access remain.

Extras ★★★★★ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Toy Story 2 Review

Half of the fun of A Bug’s Life does not come from the story, but from the environments. All of them are filled with imaginative ways bugs would carry on their lives, assuming they had human-like intelligence.

As Flick (voiced by Dave Foley) enters into the bug city, the film comes alive. Popcorn boxes are skyscrapers. A broken tin can is a seedy bar. Street lights are holiday lights, manned by a lightning bug to direct traffic.

Completing the illusion is wonderful, witty writing. A fly cries out inside the bar, “Hey waiter, I’m in my soup!” Painfully groan inducing, but wonderfully implemented.

Bug’s Life story is simple enough to satisfy, concerning a mafia-like horde of grasshoppers dominating an ant clan for food (in a weird take on Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai). Kevin Spacey voices Hopper, leader of the grasshoppers, a hefty insect with a heavy scar across his eye. Pixar’s color schemes are beautiful, giving a blueish/purple hue to the ants, and drab brown to their enemies.

Ten years later, despite technology passing it by, the film looks wonderful. The animation is as lively as the writing. As Flick uses his newly invented machine and accidentally knocks over the entire food stack, he begins a panicked dance as the grain falls into a river. Despite the desperateness of the situation, it generates a strong laugh. It is a wonderful set-up to Flick’s general clumsiness despite his enthusiasm.

As with nearly all of Pixar’s efforts, A Bug’s Life appeals to all. Minor adult gags that will go over the heads of small children (including extensive talk of death) are consistent. Some cheaper gags still work without pulling the older viewer out of the film, mostly because these small gags seem appropriate given the scale of the world.

Maybe that’s another reason A Bug’s Life works. The opening visual is of a tree on a small hill, with the computerized camera zooming into a blade of grass. From there, the camera is locked into this miniature world for the duration, or at least until the final shot brings the movie full circle. The sense of scale is never broken or lost, keeping the viewer in this vibrant, lush ant world without trying to escape. You buy into it, somehow forgetting these are ants, and hoping their struggle ends.

Movie ★★★★★ 

Movies such as A Bug’s Life are difficult to discuss in terms of their video. They offer a picture so pristine, so rich, so bold, that those few statements sum up the entire experience.

While the previous Disney DVD was a high point for the format (the first digital-to-digital transfer), this Blu-ray decimates its compressed, flat predecessor. Tiny textures, from the defined rocks of the ant’s lair, to the sheen of their digital exoskeletons, come through in startling clarity. Sharpness is rock solid, and the bright contrast causes the image to pop off the screen.

Colors are bold and saturated, creating rich greens that dominate the area outside the ant lair. Deep blues in the underground are wonderfully realized. The AVC encode shows no signs of banding or artifacting, even on the difficult long shots where individual blades of grass are clearly defined. This is outstanding material.

Video ★★★★★ 

Disney labels the audio as a DTS-HD 5.1, but it comes through as DTS-HD 6.1. Like the video, this is an outstanding aural presentation. From the start, Randy Newman’s score bleeds into all channels, and the sound of various tiny insects making noise hits each speaker.

The low-end rumbles as the ants sound their warning horns, and as the grasshoppers invade, their destruction to the lair likewise satisfies. The city is lively, with insect cars perfectly moving through the available channels. In the third act, each new development is a moment of audio bliss, from the bird attack to the rain showers in which each drop of water delivers a sensational thud into the subwoofer.

Audio ★★★★★ 

Extras are mostly carried over from the two disc DVD, with two new additions. A filmmakers roundtable has John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Darla K. Anderson, and Kevin Reher discussing their experience. This is newly filmed, so this group is able to look back at the challenges and fun they had creating the film. The second new feature is the original story concept, narrated by Dave Foley and animated in storybook fashion.

A commentary from Lasseter, Stanton, and editor Lee Unkrich is just as lively as it was back on DVD. Grasshopper and the Ant is a classic Disney short that inspired the Pixar crew and has now been remastered in HD. The results are pleasing.

Four separate making-of sections cover story, abandoned concepts, test footage, loads of galleries, animation, and promotional material. A separate section on the outtakes at the end of the film (one of the best parts) discusses the idea, and showcases an additional set. The latter material in this paragraph totals over 80 minutes of content, and that’s not even including the usual Pixar short, Geri’s Game. Simply awesome material.

Extras ★★★★★ 

Note: This disc was selected as a reference quality Blu-ray by DoBlu in association with ReferenceQuality.com.

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

A Bug’s Life Review

Pixar can do no wrong when they take inanimate objects and spring them to life. Cars is the next in line after their resounding success with Toy Story and Toy Story 2. While it’s not as funny nor does it carry the wide appeal, it’s a fine animated effort with heart and the expected charm.

A loaded cast, including racing greats, leads this fast-paced “learn to care about others” story. Lightning McQueen is the typical sports star of the day (only a car) who ends up in a small, dying town in need of some help. The predictable narrative is enough filler for the sharply written one-liners and loads of small visual gags spattered throughout.

The film feels like it has a focus on marketing at times, introducing characters for a brief moment to make a quick joke and then disappearing. Whatever lands them on a toy seems good enough here. Those that are developed, including Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), are genuinely memorable, fun, and always likable.

It’s also surprising to see the accuracy of the races. The physics, camera angles, and animation look stunningly real. Given that the cars have mouths and eyes, that’s saying something.

Pixar seems to be aiming younger with this release, as the small amount of brief humor that would go over a kid’s head but appeal to an older crowd seems to be dwindling. That’s not to say adults won’t enjoy Cars, but it would be nice to have that appeal back. This is another success for Pixar regardless, and they consistently prove their worth. Cars is yet another resumé-worthy piece.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

Unsurprisingly, this is a stunning, flawless translation to the hi-def format. Cars is a masterwork of home cinema, with unheard of clarity, sharpness, and detail. This is what the HD format is all about.

For the extremely fussy, some minor aliasing can be found if you’re looking for it during brief long shots. However, these moments are minor enough that only the most die-hard videophiles will take note. Sharpness is incredible, and the bursting color is bright enough yet never bleeds. Everyone will be staring dumbfounded by the amazing reflections, captured flawlessly by the added resolution. This is everything animation should be on Blu-ray.

Video ★★★★★ 

Likewise, Cars can pump out some intense PCM audio. The race sequences are more immersive than a live broadcast of the sport could ever wish to be. The movement captured in the five channels is remarkable. Bass during crashes delivers the added punch to complete the mix. This is, like the video, a flawless presentation.

Audio ★★★★★ 

Five deleted scenes are comprised mostly of storyboards. Seven documentary shorts range from three to six minutes, covering various aspects of production. One specifically on logo designs used for the world of Cars showcases a lot of details you missed as you watched the film.

“Cine-Explore” is a picture-in-picture feature which runs as you watch the film. It provides a massive bar on the bottom of the screen that cuts into the picture, allowing you to swap between two fun commentary tracks, or watch the extra features during the movie. Since commentaries can be swapped without this mode, and the featurettes are accessible outside of the menu, this is truly a waste of time.

Two of Pixar’s always funny shorts are included here, along with a Carfinder game. Like Cine-Explore, this one runs with the movie and is aimed at the younger set. Pictures of various cars show up on the bottom of the screen, and you need to select which ones are appearing on screen. It’s simple, but enough to keep the kids quiet as they watch the movie for the hundredth time. 

Extras ★★★★☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Cars Review