Toy Story 3

I attended a special screening for Toy Story 3. I went in with HIGH expectations. I LOVED the first two Toy Stories movies. Toy Story is a beloved franchise that almost everyone that I know loves the first two films. Now how about the 3rd film? Well all I could say is that it lived up to my unbelievably HIGH expectations and then some. This is such a good film. It has the laughs, magic and best of all the entertainment. The new characters in the movie feel like they were in the previous two films, they were that engaging and really worked well in the movie. The best part of the movie has to be the ending, I almost cried and was moved to just about to tears. I truly believe that this is one of the best Trilogies of all time. It might even rival the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

This movie has a real chance to become the First Animated Film to win Best Picture. I surely would not be surprised.

10/10 An Amazing End to a Fantastic Series Go Watch It

The best magic tricks in the world are ones that cannot be unraveled, reverse engineered or dissected to figure out exactly how they are pulled off. This philosophy is doubly applicable to Pixar's "Toy Story 3", the storyline-ending outro of the beloved Toy Story, uh, story.

I feel it relevant somehow to divulge my age, as it somehow validates the powerful emotions evoked throughout the film. I am a 28 year old male, who, fifteen years ago, was fresh into the teen years of supposed adolescence at the release of some weird, 3d animated movie (wait, they can animate with computers?) entitled "Toy Story". This was a pretty bold move, a calculated stroll to the edge of the cliff and a daring leap off into the thin air of creativity and innovation. And it was a hit, ensuring 3d animation a place right alongside (more or less) 2d animation. And naturally, Pixar would be at the forefront, leading the cavalry charge of digital animation ranging from great to gawd-awful.

"Toy Story 3" starts off as comfortably as possible, with our friends Woody and Buzz Lightyear doing what they do the best...playing with Andy in his world of make-believe adventure. We are then treated to some familiar Pixar progression, like abandonment, solidarity, coming back to friends, and the passing of the torch. Clearly, in the eleven years between this point and when "Toy Story 2" wrapped, a computer revolution or four has occurred, allowing a world of unsurpassed clarity, reality and imagination to shine through like never before. TS1's spark is TS2's candle, and that in turn is TS3's blazing sun.

Roll the last fifteen minutes of film. It became clearly obvious that the figurative tables have been turned, because a good number of the adults in the audience (including myself) were sniffling and teary-eyed, while the kids were looking up, likely thinking "jeez mom and dad, they're just toys, get over it".

Wasn't it conventional wisdom that just the kids get emotional over losing plastic playthings? With "Toy Story 3", Pixar has shown us one of the greatest magic tricks in modern showbiz history, likely not to be outdone or duplicated, that we all have very real and deep connections to our childhoods and to the things and people that allowed us as kids to be free, and innocent, and pure, and most importantly, to dream. This, to me, is a life lesson worth remembering, to infinity and beyond.

"Toy Story 3" gets 10 of 10 blazing stars

Star Wars. Indiana Jones. Fistful of Dollars. Bourne. These are all incredible trilogies that can, will, and should stand the test of time. Yes, I am neglecting the fourth Indiana Jones. Upon the mention of the third Toy Story, I was deathly afraid. Afraid because it has some major, major shoes to fill. The original is a masterpiece that changed animation forever, and the sequel is among the best in the history of film (I mean that). The first two Toy Story films are among the best movies of all-time and to this day entire animation studios have failed to duplicate an ounce of the magic contained in Toy Story. Could part 3 even come close to the original two? My friends, I am very happy to say, the answer is a resounding yes.

Toy Story 3 does exactly what the first two did, delivered on all cylinders, all aspects of film-making and entertainment. The humor is back, the heart is back, the delightful cast of characters is back. This time, thanks to an incredible script, there's more suspense, more drama, and many more surprises. Like any spectacular trilogy, it wraps up all loose ends. It literally is difficult to find any flaw or any slow moment in this movie, and even if there is, it will immediately be forgiven by the next major laugh or the next major revelation. The predictability factor in this movie is low, and the payoff to all the suspense is extremely high. Guys, this is the go-to movie of the summer, and makes up for any disappointment you have seen this year or last.

Just like Toy Story 2's subtle and underlying themes, Toy Story 3 revolves around the group of toys and their latest adventure, but dwells far deeper than that. On the surface, this movie is about the toys in a series of circumstances, winding up in a daycare center that isn't all it seems. At the same time, Andy is heading for college, but Woody isn't quite ready to let go of his owner and the memories that follow. The deeper aspects involve aging, growing up, and moving on. Michael Arndt, the Oscar winner that wrote Little Miss Sunshine, was behind the spectacular screenplay in this third trip in the world of toys. Then with the help of John Lasseter and Lee Unkrich (who serves as the director), we see plenty of references to Pixar, other movies, the previous Toy Story installments, and even we even see nods to the influences of the entire animation studio (Miyazaki).

The writing wasn't the only thing that was on par with the first two Toy Story movies. The voice acting cast was once again phenomenal, with popular actors, underrated talent, and great character actors filling the bill. Come on now, just read em': Tim Allen, Tom Hanks, John Cusack, Wallace Shawn, Jody Benson, Estelle Harris, Blake Clark, John Ratzenburger, Ned Beatty, Jeff Garlin, and Michael Keaton. Unlike what Dreamworks pulls off on a yearly basis, Pixar carefully chooses their voice cast in terms of pulling off the best performances, not to generate more money. Because honestly, was there even a point to Angelina Jolie voicing the tiger in Kung Fu Panda? On the other hand, very few can pull an authentic Barbie like Jody Benson (a.k.a. Ariel in the Little Mermaid). It takes reliable and authentic acting to pull at the heartstrings, and everyone definitely was on their A-game.

Lee Unkrich directed this movie with incredible pacing and just as much heart and dedication as Lasseter, who was in charge of the first two. The truth is, Pixar directs the movie together, as they share ideas and suggestions amongst each other. This fact can be traced to the similar pacing and directing styles seen in Pixar's better works like Ratatoille, Finding Nemo, and Up. They all have the similar technique of incorporating just as many tears as laughs. But unlike all the other Pixar movies (with the exception of The Incredibles), Toy Story 3 has a heave dosage of suspense and peril, which is climaxed by one of the most exciting animated sequences this side of Castle in the Sky (a Miyazaki adventure masterpiece). Other reviewers have noted this before me, but this Toy Story is quite scary in depth and in imagery at some instances, so be wary of this while watching this with the kids. With so much time invested with these toys, the drama runs a bit high.

Bottom Line: Toy Story 3 secures its place in cinema brilliance by becoming the best third installment since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the best sequel since Kill Bill Vol. 2, and the best movie we've seen this year. This movie is usually hilarious, sometimes thrilling, and sometimes downright tear-jerking. And yes, just like Up's opening 10 minutes, there is that one major sequence in which Pixar will play with your heartstrings like Eric Clapton playing tears of Heaven. If you enjoyed the first two Toy Stories, there's no need to worry about the third and hopefully final chapter in the quality-filled saga. How Pixar manages to deliver yet again is absolutely beyond me.

Walt Disney may not be one-hundred percent proud of his company if he were alive to see it now, but he would be absolutely delighted at seeing what beautiful art Pixar has delivered ever since 1995. Pixar has re-created Walt Disney 's magical methods of storytelling and movie-making, and arguably has taken it a step even further by adding depth to the characters and depth to the overall stories presented. The direction was fantastic, the writing was Oscar-worthy, and the overall production is Best Picture caliber. This is Pixar's best work since Finding Nemo, and a must see by any means necessary. Despite my cynical nature, there's no way I can grade this any less than perfect. Just no way.

Is there Life after playtime? Can you handle a film in which the toys are playing with us, the audience? The third chapter of the Toy Story saga asks some tough questions of viewers, but the rewards of seeing this remarkable film outweigh the emotional toll.

It's the last week of summer before Andy heads off to college, and Woody (Tom Hanks) and the other remaining toys in Andy's bedroom find themselves in fear of what's to become of them. It looks like the attic, but events conspire to throw them a day-care center called Sunnyside. It looks swell enough, at first...

"You'll never be outgrown, or neglected," the toys are informed by the chuckily plush play bear Lots-O (Ned Beatty). "Never abandoned or forgotten. No owners means - no heartbreak!"

It's odd to see a film series that started out as an animated lark turn into "Watership Down", but there's always been some existential angst at the heart of the enterprise, c.f. the fragile buddy system employed in the first "Toy Story", Sid's hapless victims, and talk of rummage sales. The second film pushed these buttons a bit harder, to the point of losing the humor.

This time the drama is stronger than ever, yet the film amazingly manages to stay refreshingly clever and hilarious. We meet Ken (Michael Keaton), who introduces himself to Barbie saying "We were made for each other". Ken must deal with wisecracks about being a girl's toy, or as Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles) puts it, "an accessory, a purse with legs." The daycare center is also fabulously realized, a cacophony of misfit toys all showing signs of wear from constant play. Every now and again we break away to see Woody in his new situation, being played with by a girl named Bonnie who is very nice but has a left-field imagination. "We do a lot of improv here," another toy tells him.

All this is very funny, and director Lee Unkrich and the Pixar writers and artists find brilliant ways to keep humor close to the center of things throughout. Yet this movie is no lark. One of the funniest scenes the first time I saw this movie three weeks ago, involving a cutaway to a clown staring at a window, got hardly a laugh when I saw it again tonight. I think it was because the rest of the audience, like me, knew what was coming; a sad story about cosmic indifference and cold-hearted abandonment which sets in motion the real emotional undertow of the film.

Set against this is Woody's firm if shaken resolution to "be there for Andy", even when it seems he and the other toys are no longer wanted by their owner. It's a message of faith you relate to, yet it also brings out another point, the notion of change, even painful change, as needful. The toys know they'll be neglected, perhaps forever, if exiled to the attic, but prefer it to the unknown. This actually makes sense. What can happen out there isn't very nice, but even in the face of extinction the film suggests a certain nobility through acceptance can be still possible. It's a pretty heavy message to take away from watching a G-rated comedy.

The film doesn't leave you on a down note, but it's a funny thing. In the past, I always looked forward to the post-credit goof scenes as something to laugh at on my way out of the theater. This time, I appreciated it just as much as a chance to wipe my eyes before I got out of my chair. It still felt good, though.

Toy Story 3 in my opinion is by far the best of the trilogy! It is the most emotionally investing out of all the Toy Story installments and is an outstanding entry to the Pixar library!