When I first heard of a third Toy Story movie being in the works, I was admittedly a little skeptical. Sure, Pixar has had such a masterful track record in the past, so why should one worry? The studio that captured audience imaginations everywhere with the original Toy Story has never had a serious misstep. I've always felt that Cars and Ratatouille have garnered more of a niche following more so than its other works, but both were equally fantastic and inspired. But this was different. This was Toy Story... a film that when it came out in '95, instantly became a part of my storied childhood. I really didn't want to see the tarnishing of a film franchise with a "cash in" second sequel that played down to an audience. Now that I have seen one of the most anticipated animated movies in a decade, I can safely say that the brilliant minds at Pixar have done it again. The saga that is Toy Story continues to be held in high esteem.
I found it pretty shocking to realize that the first time we were introduced to Woody and Buzz, I was eight years old. I remember seeing it in the theaters and just knowing that it wasn't your standard run-of-the-mill animated flick. There was a certain magic and originality so evidently present that you couldn't help but take notice. Just as the original spoke directly to me as an eight year old, this third (and most likely final) chapter speaks just as much to me at 23.
Just as time has gone by for us, the clock has also been ticking for the characters we know and love. Andy is no longer the same person we see playing with his toys in the opening flashback minutes. Just like everyone else, he has grown up. Woody, Buzz, and others have been cast to the toy chest to collect dust. The bedroom, almost a character itself, has seen its array of changes. When Woody calls a staff meeting, only a few beloved toys are still around to hear what he has to say. Just as the posters and wall hangings begin to be stripped as Andy heads off to college, the toys have been stripped over the years as well.
As I just mentioned, Andy is heading off to college. As moms are prone to do, his forces him to make a decision about what to do with his old toys. A dilemma ensues as he has three choices: trash them, hide them away in the attic, or donate them to Sunnyside Daycare. Unable to permanently part with his toys, he banishes the majority to the attic, while also deciding to bring Woody to college with him. But, thanks to the fact that we still need a plot to fill 90 more minutes of film, the toys are mixed up and end up being given away to the daycare center by mistake. Not wanting to abandon his plastic counterparts, Woody follows suit.
At the daycare we meet Lotso (as in Lotso Hugging Bear). Just like a wal-mart greeter, Lotso is there to welcome the new batch of recruits and to show them the ropes. It's sort of like the toys going off to their own version of a nursing home. There are areas for relaxation and pampering, as well as a place for broken toys to be repaired. That's right, there are plenty of spare parts and batteries to go around. It all seems too good to be true, and for our heroes, it is. You see, they are being used as toddler fodder. Instead of getting the kids who play with their toys in a nice manner, they are thrown to the hyperbolic wolves, the wee ones that enjoy mashing their toys against a wall or pulling apart their arms and legs instead of hugging them. If this torture goes on any longer, Buzz and the gang will end up looking worse than the toys in Sid's yard, so they decide to make a break for it. We find that getting out isn't easy, and what they're going to do once they get out (now that they're orphans) remains up in the air. You'll just have to see it yourself to find out their exact fates.
Toy Story 3 is a tour de force of creative filmmaking. Nothing can match the originality and creativity of the first film, but this one comes damn close. The screenplay, written by Michael Arndt, is bulging with so much depth, humor, and emotion that, at certain moments, it pulls at our heartstrings. The film isn't afraid to get dark either, with one of the most spectacular looking action sequences taking place on the way to the incinerator.
There's so much to love here. The voice acting is top notch once again with the old cast of favorites returning, as well as notables like Michael Keaton as a Ken doll. The moments between Ken and Barbie are some of the funniest in the film. I also loved the little twist they pulled with Buzz lightyear, first restoring his factory setting, and then making him a spanish speaking space ranger. Also the Sunnyside jailbreak sequence contains some of the most clever and ingenious plotting placed in an animated flick. Oh yeah, and the ending made me tear up. Between this and Up, I might have even needed a tissue or two. The film isn't just about toys trying to find their home. It's about anybody that's ever felt lost, abandoned, or plain just forgotten about. I believe there are a lot of people who can connect with this message, which is why Toy Story is so good at appealing to a mass audience. The kids may come for the talking cowboy and space ranger dolls, but the adults will leave with the understanding of how important it is to love, and be loved in return.
Toy Story 3 is smart, it's funny, and it has got a huge heart. In a summer full of mediocre movies, Toy Story 3 stands out as a hugely entertaining and emotionally charged piece of filmmaking. It's also the best movie of the year.
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