Giovanny The Godfather (giovannythegodfather)

Having made such a remarkable impact on the world of animation, swapping sentiment and dodgily-etched 2-D stereotypes for something distinctly more multi-dimensional - while creating the same sort of real-life demand for its screen playthings that it portrayed in the movie - it was inevitable that a sequel to Toy Story would appear at some point.

Originally envisioned, however, as one of the straight-to-video efforts that have proven so successful for Disney (to wit: Aladdin follow-up The Return Of Jafar, and The Lion King sequel Simba's Pride), the folks at Pixar sensibly decided this film was worthy of a big screen outing first. And right they are, for Toy Story 2, while lacking the immediacy of its predecessor and taking just a little too long to switch into high gear, is a highly superior sequel. In the States it zoomed its way to $150 million in just four weeks, kicking off with a not-to-be-sniffed-at $80 million opening weekend - proof, then, that this sort of thing may well come with a built-in audience, but at the same time, a little quality and thought goes a very long way.

This time around it's the summer after the original movie and Andy is heading off to cowboy camp, Woody in tow. Until, that is, Woody is incapacitated in a playroom accident and left on a neglected top shelf, along with a broken penguin, for repair. A further string of mishaps, mainly involving Woody's attempts to save the dusty bird from a yard sale in a brilliant rescue sequence, see him landing in the clutches of toy collector Al (of Al's Toy Barn fame), and finding out facts about his past life, involving a crap 50s black-and-white telly show, a bunch of new characters - cowgirl doll Jessie, boxed gold prospector Stinky Pete and mute pony Bullseye - and one of the biggest merchandising opportunities since, well, Toy Story. Meanwhile, Buzz and his pals set off to the toy store in order to bring Woody back to Andy's room, encountering a string of obstacles - from Tour Guide Barbie to a whole shelf of other Buzz Lightyears - along the way.

While Toy Story's plotline depended largely on Buzz Lightyear's refusal to believe in his action figure origins, this time around Lasseter ups the stakes; the underlying story strand, treated in one of the movies handful of songs, gets the toys pondering their fate once they become broken or outmoded, or their owner simply outgrows them. Knowing that the characters have only a limited lifespan lends proceedings a rather curious poignancy, although it doesn't detract from some quite sensational animation which, as it was first time around, is the major selling point. Here the detail is evident in everything from the amazing opening sequence, pitting Buzz against his arch nemesis, Emperor Zurg, through to the monolithic shelves of Al's Toy Barn. However, its the little touches - such as the thick dust layer adorning Woody's new shelf-top home - which stick in the mind longest.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Toy Story 2, however, is the amount of care that has gone into creating a film which is every bit as impressive as its predecessor, rather than delivering something vastly inferior that can be sold on the strength of its characters. Lasseter and new arrival Brannon have skilfully woven their way around the lack of surprise element to create new characters that charm and convince, set-pieces galore - leading up to a finale every bit as breathtaking as its predecessor - and a whole range of new and original jokes, not least of which is a canny repetition of Buzz's space ranger delusions to hilarious effect. Toy Story 2 doesnt quite knock The Godfather II from its best-sequel-of-all-time perch, but it still provides the kind of exhilarating cinema experience that leaves you gasping in admiration and actually wanting a third instalment. If only all sequels were this good.

Ever wonder how toys apparently get from one place to another with no human help? Toy Story, Disney's first feature-length foray into computer animation, postulates that they do it all by themselves. Toys have their own magical world which comes to life any time the lights are out or people aren't around. Any who doubt this should take a look at Toy Story. You'll never again feel quite the same way about Mr. Potato Head, Monkeys in a Barrel, or Slinkies.

Of course, the visual aspect is the centerpiece of Toy Story. The computer-generated effects are a marvel. Rich in unexpected detail (the grain of a wood floor, fingerprints and chipped paint on a door, reflections in polished surfaces, and so on...), this colorful and brilliantly-rendered aspect of the film would alone be worth the price of admission. It's something of a bonus that the characters, dialogue, and story provide entertainment value of their own.

Toy Story is a buddy movie/adventure tale with an understated lesson about the value of friendship. Parents might also be able to use some of what transpires to encourage their offspring to put away toys after playtime. While the screenplay isn't a marvel of originality, it is capable of holding the attention - light, undemanding fun that never gets too immature or syrupy. There's also quite a bit of intelligent wit that will go above the heads of younger viewers - that stuff's for Mom and Dad.

The two main characters are toys: cowboy Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), the old-time favorite, and space ranger Buzz Lightyear (voice of Tim Allen), the battery-operated newcomer. The supporting cast includes a dinosaur (voice of Wallace Shawn), Mr. Potato Head (voice of Don Rickles), a piggy bank (voice of John Ratzenberger), a slinkie (voice of Jim Varney), Little Bo Peep (voice of Annie Potts), and an army of tiny plastic soldiers who scout out the new arrivals on birthdays and Christmas. The humans who appear in Toy Story are intentionally rendered to look artificial. In this movie, people are "unreal"; all the vividness and multi-dimensionality is saved for the toys. But that's a typical convention of animation.

Toy Story opens with Buzz's arrival. Woody is upset that this high-tech neophyte has usurped his rightful place on the bedspread and in his six-year old owner's play time. The disgruntled cowboy comes up with a plan to eliminate Buzz, but it backfires, and soon the two rivals are out in the real world, forced to help each other in their struggle to escape the clutches of a toy-torturing juvenile delinquent.

How does Toy Story compare to Disney's more conventional animated features? They're really very different types of productions. This film is less artistic and more technologically impressive. Despite a few Randy Newman songs, it's not really a musical. Of course, the target audience is the same, and everything from Disney embraces "family values", but it's difficult - and unfair - to make an effective contrast of the two film making styles.

The one big negative about Toy Story involves Disney's overcommercialization. Already, Woody and Buzz dolls line store shelves. Burger King is coming out with figurines. It won't be long before the movie is drowned in hype. So, from the perspective of pure entertainment, it's a good idea to see Toy Story before the deluge of promotions becomes so excessive that it turns off every adult. Frankly, the movie deserves a less ignominious fate than the marketing overkill which will surely overcome it.

Marlon Brando is Vito Corleone, also known as "The Godfather", who is head of one of the most powerful mafia families in America. Don Vito is a fair but ruthless man who runs much of his business by doing favours and expecting favours in return. The Corleone family are drawn into a bitter and violent war with other mafia families over their refusal to participate in the lucrative but dangerous drug trade. Don Vito is shot but the attempt on his life does not succeed - he is seriously injured rather than killed. While Don Vito is in hospital, control of the family passes to his eldest son Sonny (James Caan). Sonny is a hot-head, and with his contributions the war continues to escalate. Don Vito's youngest son is Michael (Al Pacino). He has stayed outside the family business, and his father had aspirations of him holding some legitimate position of power, perhaps through politics. When Don Vito is shot, however, Michael returns home to do what he can to help the family through the crisis. He protects his father against the killers trying to finish what they have started. Michael starts to show promise in this violent world. He takes his revenge against those trying to kill his father, shooting them during a meeting at a restaurant. Ultimately, Sonny is shot and now it is Michael who finds himself with all the responsibility. It may not be possible for a film to be faultless, but this certainly comes close. The ensemble cast are wholly convincing, and there are a string of well-known names involved who weren't at all familiar until this film. The story progresses at perfectly measured pace, moving almost gently between moments of calculated violence. The cinematography and direction are picture-perfect, with immaculate attention to detail. Every aspect of life in those turbulent times is faithfully recreated with great accuracy. "The Godfather" is a credit to all involved.

This second part to the epic tale of the Corleone crime family stars both Robert De Niro as young Vito Corleone and Al Pacino as his son Michael, in two separate storylines set in different times. Michael's story starts after the events of "The Godfather". Now becoming an ever-more-capable crime boss, he is attempting to expand his family's influence in Las Vegas, Hollywood and revolutionary Cuba. Problems emerge when there is an attack on Michael and his family, and it appears that the family were betrayed by Michael's older brother Fredo (John Cazale). There are also the inevitable conflicts with other crime bosses to deal with. Michael has been trying to make the family business legitimate, which is what his wife Kay (Diane Keaton) wants, but that is not easy. And now Michael has to find out who really was behind the attack on him Looking back into the past, Vito's life before the events of "The Godfather" is that of an immigrant trying to make good. Family business in Sicily when Vito is a small boy results in the killing of the rest of his family. The boy immigrates to America, though it is hard to see how he could survive - he is a sickly child on arrival. However, even as a boy Vito is resourceful and learns to get by. Soon he is being noticed by many of the people in his ghetto neighbourhood - they know him as someone who can do almost any favour for those prepared to do him a future favour in return. It is extremely rare for a sequel to be as good as the film on which it is based, especially when that film may be one of the greatest ever made, but "The Godfather - Part II" very nearly does so. The twin threads of Michael and Vito's stories, which could have been confusing, are each distinct and coherent due to strong direction. The two stories are both interesting, and fill in the background to the Corleone family as well as show the changes life has wrought on Michael. Like its predecessor, it is beautifully made with immaculate attention to detail, and once again the strong cast give the story depth and substance. It may be that "The Godfather" pips this one to the post, but only by the narrowest margin.