Skip to main content

Review: Toy Story 3


We all knew it had to end eventually. It's been eleven years since Toy Story 2 waltzed into theatres and managed to captivate me again as a small child on a Thanksgiving weekend wishing that the sequel would be as good as the first. Now, 20 years old, I could only hope that this final installation in the series could strike me as it did so many times before.

Toy Story 3 centers on the plight of the toys this time, leaving Andy out of the focus past the initial twenty minutes. Given the choice between the attic, trash or donation Andy says goodbye to Buzz, Rex, Slinky, Jesse, Bullseye, and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head and bags them up for the attic, Woody manages to land in the box of college items. The bag manages to find its way to the garbage truck instead and only by Buzz's quick thinking they manage to escape back to the house. Feeling left out they decide that Sunnyside Daycare is the only way to go. Andy will never play with them again and maybe this way they will feel appreciated.

Worry not as Toy Story 3 is the final conclusion that we were all waiting for. Trilogies rarely end as well—with the exception of the Lord of the Rings series). Pixar has yet to lead moviegoers astray and judging the quality of the films put out recently Ratatouille, WALL-E, UP, they never will. The film gets more harrowing as it continues and one wonders whether or not the crew will make it out of this adventure alive. Those familiar with a particular heart-breaking scene in UP will recognize the same pang of sadness and fear that Pixar isn't afraid to steer toward.

Tom Hanks and Tim Allen nails their respective roles as Woody and Buzz. Woody, always the righteous leader of the group does them right in the end, and Buzz keeps it light when he finds himself in Spanish mode.

Newcomer to the series, Michael Keaton, steals the show as Ken doll (I never thought that one day Batman would manage to capture the essence of a Mattel plaything). As for the 3-D it looked very nice during the short film Night and Day, but its effect was negligible during Toy Story 3.

Aging along with this trilogy has provided an unique look at Andy and growing up. With time childish things have to be put away, but the responsibility of what to do with those playthings is what makes you an adult. Coming of age films have come and gone, but none have so successfully made letting go of others and growing up look so beautiful.

***1/2 out of ****

Popular posts from this blog

The Best of the Decade

Over the last ten years, the cinema has given us a great deal to be thankful for: a rebirth of the Batman franchise, a series of examinations of what it means to live in this particular decade, and a mass of character studies whether they be animated or popcorn thrillers. As much as I have enjoyed the offerings, a list must be culled together for the end of the year. Except this year is different, this year ten films must be selected from hundreds. Below are some of the best of the aughts. Enjoy! 10) There Will Be Blood Paul Thomas Anderson's magnum opus, a scathing look at extremism in America and the evils of greed and profiteering from religion. It also features the best performance of the decade with Daniel Day-Lewis as oil-man Daniel Plainview. 9)  Up A beautiful tale that entrances all ages,  Up managed to captivate children and tell a tale that adults cherish as well. 8) The Dark Knight Maybe just a comic book film, but it is the best comic book film

Paprika vs. Inception

Months before Inception hit the theaters forums were alive with rumors that Christopher Nolan either accidentally or intentionally stole some details from another film, the Japanese anime Paprika. The biggest point of comparison for some bloggers and forum runners was the fact that both of the films featured a device that allowed a person, or people, to travel into another’s dreams and delve into their subconscious. Minor points of comparison include scenes in Paprika where the character Paprika breaks through a mirrored wall by holding her hand to it, as well as a scene where a police detective falls his way down a hallway. Claims have been made that Inception abounds with imagery similar to or exactly like the anime movie, but with the recent release of the film on DVD and Blu-Ray, and with Paprika available for several years now, an examination of the two plots can be made more fully. Let us begin with the primary claim— Inception stole the idea of a dream

Armond White's Top Ten Films on Flickchart

Armond White is film criticism’s most famous contrarian. At one moment he writes  a review declaring  Toy Story 3  to be the most obscene excuse for toy commercials  he has ever watched, and then two weeks later types out  a glowing review of  Resident Evil: Afterlife . He is of split-mind for sure. But what does his Flickchart look like? Read the rest at Flickchart !