Top Ten 3D Moments in Toy Story 2

The top ten 3D moments in Toy Story 2, re-released in cinemas in 3D on 22 January 2010

On July 23rd 2010, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Rex and co. will be back on screens in Toy Story 3D after a break of ten years. In a characteristic decision faultlessly marrying razor sharp commercial instincts with beautifully crafted animation, Pixar have decided to whet appetites for the third instalment by re-releasing the first two as 3D films, taking advantage of the burgeoning digital 3D scene and road-testing the look before trying it on all new material. Film4 went along to a screening of Toy Story 2: 3D to bring you our top ten 3D scenes in the new version.

1. Buzz Lightyear's Flight Through The Gorge
Buzz swoops through a valley on his nemesis Zurg's home planet, dodging meteors and floating debris as he ricochets his way to Zurg's fortress, only to be blasted in half by a ray gun. Game over man, game over! Turns out it's only a computer game being played quite badly by Rex - and as he points out, his arms are too short to jump and fire at the same time.

2. The Pizza Van Pursuit
Toy Story 2 is essentially a pursuit movie, as Woody's friends attempt to recover him from disgusting toy collector Al, voiced by Wayne Knight (you know, the chubby one in Jurassic Park). They've nearly succeeded, when he gives them the slip - they give chase in a thrilling pizza van pursuit, one toy per pedal.

3. Dodging Traffic
When you're six inches tall, crossing the road is something of a daredevil pursuit. Hiding under traffic cones may seem like a good idea, but as Mr Potato Head narrowly avoids becoming a splattered spud, the 3D rendering ups the threat as a giant concrete pipe rolls inexorably towards the imperilled potato and audience.

4. Woody's Nightmare
Andy returns from camp, finds Woody's arm slightly hanging off, and disappointed, throws him down into a trash can a mile deep full of the discarded limbs of toys trying to drag him down. Woody wakes screaming from the depths of his nightmare, a nightmare given more depth by this 3D cut.

5. The T-Rex Chase
Check those wing mirrors - a tyrannosaurus is closing in. Not Jurassic Park, but a great spoof of same.

6. Woody's Makeover
Most of the spectacular 3D scenes selected here are about scale and depth, but this Marathon Man spoof sequence, in which Woody is meticulously made as good as new by an elderly man with a fine array of instruments, is all about the fine attention to detail that digital 3D makes clearer and more defined.

7. Jessie's Song
Is this the first digital 3D music video? The sunlight drifting through the leaves sparkles right out of the screen and into our hearts. It's sentimental, but do we care when it's this sweet and sincere?

8. Woody's Round-Up
Old meets new in a perfect recreation of a black and white marionette show from children's TV of the 50s that recalls the UK's Muffin The Mule from Watch With Mother.

9. Buzz Lightyear's Battle With Zurg
For a tiny taste of what Luke vs Vader in The Empire Strikes Back would have been like in 3D, look no further.

10. The Gag Reel
Pixar gag reels are already the stuff of legend but 3D technology certainly fills out Stinky Pete's cooing twin Barbie groupies as they cuddle up to his rotund figure - they're the ones he promises a role in Toy Story 3 to, providing an opportunity for a delicious follow-up joke come July.


Click here to read the history of Pixar

Click here to read our review of Toy Story 2 3D, in cinemas 22 January