Marathon UpdateToy Story 2
Woody once risked his life to save mine, and I couldn't call myself his friend if I wasn't willing to do the same.
I said this morning, I haven't a clue what I can tell you here that would be worthwhile. I've watched Toy Story 2 at least 3 times a year. It'll go into my DVD player at the drop of a hat. I like how this continues/expands the adventures of Andy's toys. The quality of the animation is leaps and bounds better than the original, and they let you know it right from the Buzz Lightyear video game opening. It's not as funny or as heartfelt as TS1, but it comes real close. Some of the pop culture references feel dated after a while, but I still laugh when Slink is in a dog carrier and has to pretend to bark. I enjoyed how the finale here is played much more for laughs and adventure than the climax of TS3. And Stinky Pete...
SPOILER ALERT he's the best villain of the series.
Still great. Always great. It fits nicely in my Top 50.
Singin' in the RainDignity. Always, dignity. This was kind of disappointing. There are 5 or 6 musical numbers that still rank among the greatest cinema I've seen. If you haven't seen Gene Kelly dance, you owe it to yourself to marvel at his graceful athleticism. You feel that Fred Astaire could spin you safely around a dance floor, but hoofing with Kelly is like playing basketball in the 90's against Michael Jordan.
Off the dance floor, everything's very stiff and overly broad. This isn't Kelly at his hammiest, but it's there and it's infectious. The rest of the cast is equally equipped to showboat. There's a lengthy musical number that doesn't feature the cast and it's deadly dull, as is the Broadway Melody. Far too long a sequence. This type of show stopper played much better when it was the climax of An American in Paris.
Taken in its entirety I can't put Singin' in the Rain in my Top 100, but it'll hang just outside in the on-deck circle.
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Next Up:Bonnie and Clyde
Charade
Dangerous Liaisons
The Day of the Jackal
Sunset Blvd.