Toy Story 3

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

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.

I was about 10 or 12 when I watched the first Toy Story in the cinema with my little brother and sister. We were all enchanted! Years later Toy Story 2 came out and it was a blast! Again we all went to the theater to see it and we were so thrilled and excited after the movie! Im 24 now, and just yesterday I was at the Bulgarian gala-premiere of the film. My brother was fortunate to win an invitation for two (he took a photo of himself with our small collection of Toy Story toys and sent it to the website), and we had the chance to see the third part on its first screening... and for the 1st time in 3D! No doubt that the animation is better than ever, the guys from Pixar constantly push the limits, but that's kinda natural for them. But still it feels like 100% Toy Story, with all the improvements, somehow I don't feel this 15-years-wide gap between the first and the third part.

What matters more is the (Toy) Story itself! And it is just fantastic! I had really high expectations of this film and honestly, after seeing it, my expectations were surpassed! The plot is really emotional, with so many nostalgic moments... Being kinda grown-up myself, but doing my growing-up with the first two parts of Toy Story, I couldn't relate more with this one! I was really touched! I just wish the theater was empty. Then I could stop holding back my tears! And it's not just t the big story, but also all those little things that go on around it! I don't know how many of those references and gags were in the script and how many were put in there in the making process, but it's just amazing! Even if it's the most dramatic and the darkest of the 3 (as dark as Toy Story can get) the comedy is still there, and I was laughing out loud all the way through! It's a wild roller-coaster, and I'm not even sure who will have more fun with it, if it will be the kids, or their parents! There's just so much more in there for you to notice, admire and laugh at! And I'm sure that after watching the film again I'll find out even more! There's also a really neat Totoro cameo, and it's great of Pixar to pay homage to their old friend, Miyazaki san.

The old lovable characters are all here, and they are joined by an army of new ones, and each one of them has his real personality and you can recognize in them characteristics of someone, both visually and with their attitude they express different things and you instinctively feel what these toys stand for. It's really funny to recognize in them some movie archetypes or features of people that you know.

I realize that I just poured out tons of superlatives, but there's nothing else you can say about this film! It has everything! (And about how many 3rd parts you can say that?) The only thing I could criticize is that there is one really freaky baby-toy, that can give the creeps to the smaller kids, but it's done on a purpose and for me it was really an enjoyable touch to the atmosphere of the film.

To wrap up this review, I will just say - Thank you, Pixar!

Since I felt none of the other reviews here do the movie justice, I became compelled to write my own. It is the most inspired film I have ever encountered.

The creators of Toy Story 3 have an imagination that is unparalleled. I cannot begin to compare any of the other animated movies that I have ever seen to it. It is a fantasy in an unconventional sense: aside from the talking toys, the environment and settings are typical; commonplace. Yet, the Pixar Team manages to cram every last drop of energy into the incredibly clever story and inventive plot devices out of just common household objects. The animation is so brilliant that it captures shading, lighting, and textures that have yet to be seen on film.

Then, Toy Story 3 becomes a beautiful elaboration on the first two, with very clever character development. Its maturity of relationships is concise but witty: Woody, the wise sheriff, leading the other toys with courage and finesse; a spaceman winning the love of a cowgirl; the loyalty of the dog, slinky; the grumpy married potato and his devoted wife; the superficial relationship of Ken and Barbie; the broken spirit of a lost teddy bear. At the same time, Pixar uses a metaphor that is so strong that it drives the audience to love these characters with all of their hearts. It is a similar emotional complex to a happy puppy who is brought into a home and has nothing on its mind but playing with its youthful owners. But these toys never age, and as its owners, once in their playful youths, leave for work and college, these toys still know nothing more than their youth and happiness of living to one day play again. As you leave for work every morning, your dog doesn't know where you go. And every day, he does nothing more than pray that you come back to see him, every day waiting for you to bring out the ball again for a game of fetch.

Finally comes Pixar's ability to integrate so many emotions - fear, love, action, and comedy, among others - with each having so much vigor in its own right, that the movie becomes a roller coaster of animation and adventure, wound together by the constant movement of setting and storyline, always keeping the audience guessing on what might happen next. It is a brilliant tale; a perfect movie for children and adults alike. I cannot wait to see it again.

The only Disney movie I cried in was Lion King. The other Disney film that came close was Pixar's WALL E. I did not cry during Toy Story 3. I went home walked into my room a realized that my Optimus Prime is not at the foot of my door, my Sylvester the Cat stuffed toy was not on my bed, and my McDonald's Sonic the Hedgehog toy was not on my shelf. My conner only housed my stack of video games. I asked myself why did my mother give away my toys without my permission? At THAT moment is when I thought about the last 30 minutes of Toy Story 3 I started to cry. This film was a carelessly thoughtful stoke of genius! It keeps both children and adults entertained. Lots of drama, lots suspense, and lots of toys! Disney and Pixar outdid themselves with this one. Toy Story was a smash hit when it first hit the screens. Toy Story 2, in my opinion, was not as good as its first installment but it was a film that almost never hit theaters so I'll give them the benefit of doubt. But Toy Story 3 set the bar "to infinity and beyond!" The VA cast was pheNOMenal. The visuals were stunning! The script was enjoyable! This movie reached all corners of film greatness (and its a kid's movie). I have no idea how Disney and Pixar knock out great movies like this (they make it look easy). I related to Andy in this film just as I did in Toy Story 3. The ending was so tough to watch without sniffling because if you watched Toy Story at around Andy's age during the time and you watch Toy Story 3 around Andy's age now (he was 17 and I am 22 and went through roughly the same hassle as he did when he was moving out for college), you would feel a wallop of emotion. Toy Story 3 is a MUST SEE. If you don't have children to take to go see this film then take friends who saw the first two films.