Movie Review - 'Toy Story 3'

Toy Story 3 Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Michael Keaton Directed by Lee Unkrich Rated G

This is truly a golden age of film animation, and it’s mostly due to John Lasseter and Pixar. His Toy Story, released in 1995, brought the film industry - kicking and screaming - into the computer animation age, and that’s the most outward contribution. It's also been the easiest for other studios to try to mimic.But in its ten films in the past 15 years, Pixar has done one more important thing: Its films have bar none the best, most consistent storytelling among any kind of similar series being generated by Hollywood.
Toy Story 3 is, for practical purposes, the after-the-fact conclusion to the first Pixar era. The shift began with The Incredibles, the marvelous film by Brad Bird that once and for all kicked the door in for adults. No longer were these films aimed at children, and three of the four films followed – Ratatouille, Wall-E, and Up – almost pay no heed to kids at all. But it’s fitting that, before the company becomes more adventurous with whatever is up its sleeve, Buzz and Woody are given a chance to say goodbye. The first 20 minutes of Toy Story 3 is a feeling out process. Though it’s not exactly clumsy, it merely serves its function of setting up the story without much in the way of laughs or innovation. But after that, enjoy the ride. Buzz (Tim Allen), Woody (Tom Hanks), and the rest of Andy’s toys haven’t been touched in years, and as Andy prepares for college, he has to decide what to do with his old friends. Will they go in the trash, in the attic, or in the donation box, headed to Sunnyside Day Care? Though not their intended destination, the toys all wind up at Sunnyside, where they’re greeted warmly by Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty), Barbie’s Ken (Michael Keaton), and a horde of other toys. But it’s not the paradise they think they’re walking into. Andy’s toys are relegated to the toddler room, where they’re all but destroyed. The solution seems simple enough: Just ask Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear to be moved to the next room. But Sunnyside has a dark side, and Lots-o’ enforces it, imprisoning the newcomers and setting the stage for the most daring escape involving Potato Heads and piggy banks ever filmed. Because Pixar has moved to more mature storytelling, the themes have become more complex and the consequences greater than ever before. The climactic escape features the biggest laughs and the most tension in the film. Visually, Toy Story 3 takes advantage of its 3-D much more effectively than did Up, which was just as good in the standard format. Randy Newman’s musical score, which had become rote in his past couple Pixar movies, is top notch, especially when the stakes are their highest. The notable additions – Michael Keaton and Ned Beatty – breathe new life into the familiar surroundings, with Keaton drawing major laughs as Ken and Beatty echoing his landmark monologue in Network with a crippling speech about the fate of all toys. And then, there is the closure. Trilogies usually find a way to end. Sometimes it’s a good conclusion or even a worthy one. But Toy Story 3 finds a beautiful, unforgettable goodbye, not just to characters but to the most significant chapter in animation since Disney’s post-war heyday. You might fight back tears; you might just let them go. But you’ll be moved, taken all the way back to the time you finally said goodbye to your own adolescence.

Comments

[Visu]

Hey Colin: Toy Story was released in 1995.

One observation: there seems to be many typos in the last few posts than before, may be because you have to rush it.

One suggestion: it would be nice if you added the runtime of the movie next to the movie rating.

[Honz Brix]

Going Sunday and F-ing Stoked!!

[agburns]

Taking my kids Sunday morning to pass the Toy Story torch to the next generation.

[common]

After all that and only 4 apes? What does it take to get 5?

[kstarler]

If I may answer for Colin, as I've heard him answer this on Holmburg's Morning Sickness back when he was on every Friday, 4 apes means the film is excellent but that there are a few minor or subtle things that he would like changed, added, taken out, etc. 5 apes essentially means that the film is excellent and he wouldn't change anything.

And if I'm wrong, may Colin strike me down harder than he would a Creepy E movie review.

[Get The Big Picture]

Well, as I said in the review, the first 20 minutes were slow to get going. That's enough. And yes, Five apes means I can't see what they could have changed to improve on the film.

[BeeZee]

I just saw it, and Pixar never ceases to amaze. Even with a sequel they are able to develop the existing characters even further than they already have and seemlessly mesh new new interesting characters into the mix. Not to mention find new storylines and they were able to find a great way to bring the Toy Stories to a conclusion.

Colin, I am interested to hear what you thought about Day & Night.

[rk]

I'm sorry, but if this film can't get five stars, then I don't know what can. I'm just glad I had my 3D glasses to hide my tears at the climax of the landfill scene.