Toy Story 3

Posted In: Toy Story 3

Raymonde Hudson says...

I know that title will stir up some controversy, but I can not think of a more consistent trilogy that has gotten better with each installment with the third film being the best of all! Pixar has done it again and is really starting to show up the competition with their latest classic animated tale Toy Story 3. What a track record!, Have these guys ever bombed? .....OK Andrew let's just leave Cars out of this! ;-D ....it's not that bad, just not as good as their greatest works.



Pixar's Toy Story 3 is really a beautiful film to behold, both visually and metaphorically. I've shed more tears watching their animated films than most live action films combined in recent years. I guess the original Toy Story being somewhat crude by today's animation standards only had one way to go, up! That doesn't mean it was an easy task, but it is the one that started it all and put Pixar on the map. To improve on the original in the sequels, things like expectations and topping what they did last time have to be carefully balanced and of course the story must include a believable growth of the characters.



It is all these areas that Toy Story 3 succeeds with flying colors! It's an incredible film that is both funny and heartfelt. One of the great things about this series is the nostalgic aspect, remembering all those cool toys and the in jokes that only adults will get. I do think this film is rather intense for younger kids at times, but most of the great one are. These films are really made with adults in mind which in nothing new to animation. Disney classic and Bugs Bunny cartoons where always constructed for adults as most kids wouldn't get half the jokes in them anyway.



This is something for parents to consider before they let their kids see this or any other film like it. I know I grew up watching Pinocchio and Bambi and I never felt traumatized by them and they are some of the most frightening animated films out there....the same could be said about Finding Nemo which has some very scary scenes in it.



Since parents tend to shield children from this stuff nowadays, well........ the choice it yours, but I don't think shielding them from this stuff is protecting them....that doesn't mean any of this stuff is meant for 3 year olds. The same case can be made for PC versions of these and other cartoons. I think having open discussions with children rather than hiding life's negatives is a much better solution.



The four disc edition is loaded with interesting goodies and of course the film is includedin formats Blu Ray, DVD and Digital copy, which all look exceptional.

Posted on December 4, 2010

Anette Seifried says...

"Toy Story", the film that would earn animation company Pixar Animation Studios the reputation of being the finest animation studio in the world and would literally bring Walt Disney Studios to enter new generation of animated films created entirely in CGI but also would earn the love and praise not only from the critics but the fans who wanted more and more.



Released in 1995 and budgeted at $30 million, the first film would go on to make $351 million worldwide (and still making money with the recent Blu-ray release).



In November 1999, the sequel "Toy Story 2" was released in theaters and the $90 million dollar film like its predecessor did extremely well in the domestic and worldwide box office making over $485 million.



But it has been more than a decade since the release of a "Toy Story" film and 15 years since the first film, fans have been clamoring for a new "Toy Story" film and sure enough, Disney/Pixar released the third and final film of the trilogy, "Toy Story 3" in June 2010 and not only did it surpass the box office returns of the first two films combined, earning over 1 billion dollars, the second Disney film to earn over a billion after "Alice in Wonderland" (also released in 2010).



"Toy Story 3" literally shattered box office records and became the 5th highest grossing film of all time worldwide and the 9th highest grossing film in the US (and obviously the highest grossing film of 2010) and is an ultimate success for Disney/Pixar.



VIDEO:



When I watched "Toy Story 1" and "Toy Story 2", I easily noticed how CGI had improved between 1995 and 1999, especially with how fabric started to show more detail and we started to see more of a surface to Mr. Potato Head and T-Rex.



But "Toy Story 3", eleven years later, you would expect CGI to take a dramatic leap forward and needless to say, "Toy Story 3" is visually impressive.



Presented in 1080p High Definition (1:78:1 aspect ratio), the first thing you notice with "Toy Story 3" are the vibrant colors and then overall detail.Everything shows detail and as we learn from this Blu-ray release, the animators wanted to make sure that the characters themselves do not look like toys, that they wanted to make sure the characters and toys are distinguished and the animators succeeded in every way possible.



Mr. Potato Head, you literally see the surface like the actual toy, down to its seams.Look at the hardwood floors in Andy's room, so much detail on the floor that it looks realistic, even some outdoor scenes look photorealistic (especially the animation and CG shown during Lotso's past, wow!).And the fabric of the clothing, you can see the threading, the weaves and how much detail went into the clothing. One scene with the monkey, it looks like a stuffed monkey with its detail, the detail of it's clothing and scary eyes, these models look fantastic!Also, see the dirt and grime on the animals, that was awesome how they captured that in the film.



The hair even was well-done, the wear and tear that the toys go through at Sunnyside Daycare is evident through the nicks and scratches and also looking at Andy's trunk and seeing the little chips on the trunk to the paint and we can see the brush strokes on the walls, "Toy Story 3" just looks magnificent on Blu-ray and I don't see how any videophile can say anything negative about how this film looks on Blu-ray.



And facial expressions of the human characters such as Andy, his sister, his mother to Bonnie, these were well-animated and rendered.



I did notice some banding but times I did see it were short.For example, when Woody is back at Sunnyside, he is holding the red phone receiver and the banding is evident in that one scene but again, the scenes you do see it are seconds long and does not distract you from how fantastic this film looks.



This is the best looking Disney/Pixar film to date!Vibrant, detailed and everything about the picture quality is going to make videophiles swoon!It's that impressive and easily a reference quality Blu-ray release for picture quality!



As for the accompanying DVD, the DVD is presented in Widescreen (1:78:1).



AUDIO & SUBTITLES:



"Toy Story 3 " is presented in English 7.1 DTS Master Audio and English 5.1 DTS Master Audio.Also, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital EX is included as well as English 2.0 DVS.



All I can say is that "Toy Story 3 sounds magnificent.The first action scenes that startoff the film will show you how awesome this film sounds in lossless.From Mrs. Potato Head's voice coming from the surround channels, sounds coming from the rear surround channels, LFE being utilized for the evil Dr. Porkchop's laser beam or when Mr. Potato Head has Slinky Dog turn on its force field and Jesse calling on T-Rex, this is just impressive to hear the sound coming from all channels.



Dialogue is crystal clear and music is just as clear!And you then hear how the sound is utilized during the children's rush to get the toys as they slam them all over the place, the garbage dump as everything is being compacted and you can hear flames pattering, the garbage truck coming from the distance, tiny footstep sounds throughout the room... really, there are so many sounds that are well-utilized throughout this film, it's very impressive!Sure, the film is not 100% action-based but action and non-action scenes, the film sounds fantastic on Blu-ray and I didn't even notice a lot of these sounds at the theater when I watched this film this past summer.



So, you really experience agreat, immersive soundscape with "Toy Story 3 from all channels, especially via LFE. Not only is picture quality hitting the high marks for reference quality, the lossless audio is just as magnificent and audiophiles should be happy with this Blu-ray release as well!



Subtitles are in English SDH, French and Spanish.For the special features, some extras have other subtitles included.



As for the accompanying DVD, the DVD is presented in English 5.1 Dolby Digital EX and 2.0 DVS.Subtitles are in English SDH.



SPECIAL FEATURES:



"Toy Story 3" includes the following special features:



DISC 1:



* Day and Night Theatrical Short - (5:58) The Day and Night short animated film that was shown before "Toy Story 3" in theaters.

* Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: The Science of Adventure - (4:25) Buzz teaches Hamm and T-Rex about space and people working in space to benefit science on Earth.

* Toys! - (6:38) The crew guess of how many toys are in this film.And also an introduction of the new toy characters in "Toy Story 3".



DISC 2:



* The Gang's All Here - (10:46)The voice talent and crew of "Toy Story 3" reflect on the past and present and working on "Toy Story 3" and reuniting with everyone and also bringing in new voice talent/characters.

* Goodbye Andy - (8:02) A featurette about John Morris reprising his role as Andy and information on the animation and storyboarding of those Andy scenes.

* Accidental Toymakers - (3:56) A story of how most toy manufacturers never wanted to take on "Toy Story" in the past and how the toys became a mega hit for a small toy company (Thinkway Toys) and the plans for making the toys for "Toy Story 3".

* A Toy's Eye View: Creating a Whole New Land - (5:14) A featurette on bringing the "Toy Story" characters to the Disney theme parks and creating a new "Toy Story" land for the Disney theme park in Paris.

* Epilogue - (4:23) The final epilogue from the film.

* Cinexplore - (1:42:30) While watching the film, you get a picture-in-picture screen featuring the storyboard sketches, concept art and CG models with commentary by director Lee Unkrich and producer Darla K. Anderson.

* Beyond the Toybox - (1:42:30) An alternative commentary track the Supervising Animators, Supervising Technical Director, Production Designer and Stor Supervisor of "Toy Story 3".Featuring leads from story, tech, art and animation.

* Roundin' Up a Western Opening - (5:42) A featurette about how the western opening was developed and what the original conception was for the film and how it changed in the final cut.Also, how to reintroduce the characters and making the introduction action-packed.

* Bonnie's Playtime: A Story's Roundtable - (6:26) A roundtable with director Lee Unkrich and crew in a roundtable and creating the Bonnie scene and the challenges they faced and the goals they wanted to accomplish.

* Beginnings: Setting a Story In Motion - (8:13) An animated featurette on creating a script from scratch by "Toy Story 3" screenwriter Michael Arndt and doing it the Pixar way.

* Life of a Shot - (6:57) Producer Darla K. Anderson talks about modeling and how hundreds of people worked in this film and showcases various staff talking about colors, sets, painting, styling, animating, effects, shot lighting, music and more for "Toy Story 3".

* Making of Day & Night - (2:00) The creation of the "Day and Night" short animated film (which was screened right before "Toy Story 3" in theaters).

* Paths of Pixar - Editorial - (4:38) Featuring the editing staff at Pixar and what their jobs were in "Toy Story 3".From the story, cutting, adding and the various work done in the editing department and the various jobs by the editor and the control in filmmaking that they have and communicating with the director.Also, learning how the staff began in their job and more.

* Studio Stories: Where's Gordon - (2:16) A story by a man named Gordon talking about working at Pixar and discovering a secret room (in which one must crawl through a vent to get through) and how that room became a party room at Pixar.

* Studio Stories: Cereal Bar - (1:36) Life at Pixar and having a cereal bar at work and why cereal is important at Pixar.

* Studio Stories: Clean Start -(3:05)The crazy things that staff did near the final stages of "Toy Story 3".

* Toy Story Trivia Dash - A trivia based game featuring questions from"Toy Story 3" or "Toy Story 1-3".You only have a certain amount of time to answer and you use your number pad on your Blu-ray remote (or PC) to choose the correct answer.

* Grab Bag - (4:00) Various publicity clips of the "Toy Story 3" characters in how would "Toy Story 3" would be in 3D?".

* Ken's Dating Tips - (1:30) Short publicity clips for "Toy Story 3" featuring Ken giving dating clips.

* Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear Commercial 1 - (:30) A "Toy Story 3" viral ad l featuring Lotso in a '80s style toy commercial.

* Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear Commercial 2 - (:30) A Japanese '80s style toy commercial (viral ad) featuring Lotso.

* Making of the Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear Commercials - (1:28) The making of the 1983 Lotso commercials and challenges they had in making the commercial.

* Internet Chat - (1:00) A "Toy Story 3" commercial featuring Buzz and friends using Internet chat.

* Security Cam - (1:12) A "Toy Story 3" commercial ala security camera.

* Gadgets - (:58) A "Toy Story 3" car commercial featuring the previous and new characters.

* "Dancing with the Stars" at Pixar - (2:21)A featurette on how the crew at "Toy Story 3" worked with "Dancing with the Stars" dancers Cheryl Burke and Tony Dovolani for the dancing scenes.

* TS3 Silence Trailer - (:40) A commercial promoting silence when watching "Toy Story 3".

* TS3 Antipiracy Trailer - (1:04) An anti-piracy trailer.

* TS3 Teaser Trailer - (1:44)The "Toy Story 3" teaster trailer.

* TS3 Trailer 2 - (2:21) "Toy Story 3" theatrical trailer #2

* TS3 Trailer 3 - (2:30) "Toy story 3" theatrical trailer #3

* TS3 Japan Teaser Trailer 1 - (1:02) Japanese teaser trailer (with English subtitles)

* TS3 Japan Trailer 2 - (2:44) Japanese theatrical trailer (with English subtitles)

* Character Intros - (2:00) Featuring several commercials promoting the new characters of "Toy Story 3".

* Poster Gallery - Using your remote, you can cycle through the various posters of "Toy Story 3".



EXTRA:



Included in the "Toy Story 3: 4-Disc Combo Pack" is a DVD version of the film and a digital copy of the film.The digital copy of the feature film works with iTunes and Windows Media Player.Also, a slip over cover comes with this Blu-ray release.



JUDGMENT CALL:



I'm sure that "Toy Story 3" hit people a lot harder emotionally than some viewers.Some look at it as the next level of wonderful CGI graphics for Disney/Pixar animated films, others look at the film as another successful film for the studio but I'm going to go even farther and say that this film caught my attention, not because I grew up with the previous two films but the fact is that like the character of Andy, during my late teens, it was time to say goodbye to all the toys that I once owned.



Memories of having friends overnight to play with these toys, memories of opening the old department store catalogs and hoping my grandparents would get me the latest toy that I picked out and then to open it in Christmas morning.Suffice to say, when it came to my toys... I was very fortunate to have such a memorable time playing with them and having caring family to help support that habit.But unlike Andy, I did not have the moment to say goodbye, it was more like, turn 16 and my parents made the conscious decision to throw out all my toys and force me to sell all my comic books and prepare for graduation and SAT tests and so forth.



Needless to say, it was not necessarily a traumatic moment but it was a defining moment...OK, who am I kidding, it was one of the saddest moments in my life.



So, "Toy Story 3" for me, was just a magnificent film that took me back to those old days of playing in my room and like Andy, having these wild adventures that I could conjure in my head and sooner or later, we grow older, become interested in different things and sooner or later, we say goodbye and prepare for our next stage in our lives as young adults.



I watched this film knowing that it was going to be successful and along with my wife, my son and my nephew, watched it in 3D the first day it came to theater.But watching it on Blu-ray, without the usual audience distractions, my experience this time around was heightened.Watching "Toy Story 3" in 1080p, I was amazed by how vibrant the film looked, how much detail was showcased.From the little tears in Andy's toy chest, the clothing of the characters, the dirt and grime on the toys, the wonderful lossless audio and then for me to watch the special features in three days because there are a good number of them included, I can't help but feel that this is truly a perfect release.



Yes, I am sure the videophiles will say there was banding on the picture quality but those banding moments were few and were short.Really, everything you love about the film, you get that and more in the "Toy Story 3: 4-Disc Combo Pack". It's important for people to know that if you don't need the accompanying DVD or the digital copy, you can also purchase the Blu-ray two-disc version as well.



Personally, I can't find one significant flaw with this Blu-ray release.There is something for everyone in this release, may you be a fan of the film, a person wanting to learn about the animation business and learn from the awesome team at Pixar, there is just so much to love about this release that it's definitely one of the top 10 Blu-ray releases of 2010 and that is pretty tough as this year alone had many significant releases, especially coming from Disney.If anything, Walt Disney continues to raise the bar for its Blu-ray releases and I suppose since this is finale farewell for the "Toy Story" series (which I would imagine is not set in stone because "Toy Story" made an insane amount of money for Disney and "Toy Story 3" made over a billion dollars worldwide, I just can't see this being a 100% final farewell), they had to go out with a bang for this Blu-ray release.



Overall, "Toy Story 3" is a film in which Pixar continues to their reign of innovation, their mark on quality of beautifully animated films and a well-written storyline that just pulls you in.The Blu-ray release is not just for those who love "Toy Story 3" but for those who loved the "Toy Story" trilogy.If you loved the first two films, then this is a no-brainer, this is a must-buy release.



"Toy Story 3: 4-Disc Combo Pack" is magnificent and is a true 5-star release!Highly recommended!

Posted on December 5, 2010

Cornell Mckinstry says...

Its finally here, the third installment to the ground breaking animated film. We all remember watching the first Toy Story when we were younger. Now we are much older and some even have kids who are just watching the series for the first time.



First off, the story is perfect. Andy is all grown up and going to college (we all have grown up) and the toys dont know what their fate is whether its the attic, garbage or donation. After a mixup, Woody, Buzz and the rest of the game find themselves in a strange and unknown territory...daycare. There they think they found their belonging. A place where they never get old as when kids grow up..new kids come. But soon they find out things arent what they seen.



For a kids movie, this can be considered scary with intense scenes that might scare some kids. Also at times, you have a tear in your eyes as the movie has its sad scenes.



Almost of the major actors return with the exception of Jim Varney (Slinky Dog) who died shortly after the 2nd movie. In his place is Blake Clark who sounds just like him.



Sometimes the movie gets weird..especially the character of Big Baby who kind of creeped me out a bit.



The movie is loaded with special features:

*Commentary

*Day And Night Theatrical Short- A very funny and imaginative cartoon that is very entertaining

*Bonus: The Gang's All Here-A documentary on the returning cast and new cast members.

*Toys!- A documentary on making the toys in the movie

*Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: The Science Of Adventure (with NASA)- A little short with Buzz talking to Rex, Ham and Mr. Potato Head about experiments in space with Nasa

*Paths To Pixar: Editorial- A short documentary with the editors talking about how they got into the business.

*Studio Stories: Where's Gordon, Cereal Bar, Clean Start- Short cartoons commentated by some of the crew about what went on during behind the scenes.

*A Toy's Eye View: Creating A Whole New Land- The making and contructing of the upcoming Toy Story park in Disney World.

*Alex Syntek (Mexican Music Video for You've Got a Friend in Me)



Great movie to own. If you love the originals. Get this. Its as good as the originals (if not better)

Posted on December 5, 2010

Kimberly Brauning says...

"Toy Story" was about sibling rivalry. "Toy Story 2" was about loving others, even if it means you might get hurt someday.



So what is "Toy Story 3" about? It takes the whole "kids + loyal toys" theme to its natural conclusion, by showing us what happens when the kids grow up and leave. While the first two-thirds of the movie are fairly pedestrian (for a Pixar movie!), the last part is both action-packed and emotionally wrenching.



Ten years have passed, and Andy is now a college-bound teenager. His toys are anxious about what's going to happen, so Woody keeps assuring them that they'll be put safely in the attic. But a misunderstanding leads to a date with the garbage truck. Since the toys believe they have been abandoned, they jump into the box of donated toys bound for Sunnyside Daycare.



They're greeted by the genial Lots-o'-Hugging Bear (aka Lotso) and the friendly daycare toys, and all seems to be well. But Andy's toys soon discover that Sunnyside is a nighmare -- they've been assigned the "Caterpillar Room" for wild abusive toddlers, and Lotso is the Godfatheresque overlord of the daycare. Once Woody learns the true horrors of Sunnyside, he must infiltrate the daycare and somehow get his friends out.



You know that the movie industry is officially in a slump when the cleverest, funniest and most touching movie of the summer... is a CGI sequel about toys. "Toy Story 3" starts off rather lightweight at first, with the toys being brought into Sunnyside and Woody setting off in another direction.



But once Lotso is revealed as the villain, the movie takes a sharp turn -- it becomes a clever, complex "Great Escape"-style caper, with some moments of G-rated horror (THE MONKEY!) and hilarity (resetting Buzz ends up turning him into a flamenco-dancing suave Spaniard). And while the toys' attempted escape from Sunnyside is taut and genuinely thrilling, it's only the START of the climax -- a harrowing, genuinely scary chase scene that brings the toys together.



And there's a bittersweet core to "Toy Story 3": kids grow up, leave home and the people/toys they leave behind are both proud and sad. In the final scenes of the movie,we're quietly ushered through the emotional goodbyes and hellos of growing up.



And the adorable little cast of toys still remind us that what matters most is love and loyalty, particularly during a deadly crisis where they all fearfully join hands (it sounds sappy, but it isn't). There's also some endearing additions to the cast -- the foppish clotheshorse Ken, Big Baby, a Totoro, a giggly tricerotops, and the Shakespearean stuffed hedgehog Mr. Pricklepants.



Anyway, this blu-ray/DVD combo has a wealth of extras -- trailers teasers, theatrical shorts (oh look, Night and Day are scuffling!), "Cine-emplore," commentary, lots of making-ofs, behind the scenes stuff like "A Toy's Eye View: Creating A Whole New Land," a music video, and just lots of endearing odds and ends like Ken's dating tips. Er...



It hurts to say goodbye to Woody, Buzz and their friends, but "Toy Story 3" is a fitting farewell that brings the trilogy full circle. Best movie of the summer, hands down.

Posted on December 6, 2010

Rena Allie says...

My review is brief as others have almost said it all.I just want to say that I am 62 years old, and just the thought about the way I felt when I saw this movie in the theatre makes me tear up.It is a nostalgic feeling in a big way.Reminds you of your childhood and those special feelings about growing up.You want to grow up and get on to being an adult in the worst way, but thinking back now your childhood was such a very special time.So fleeting and if we're lucky, such a special time in our lives.

I highly recommend the purchase of this movie to add to your collection.

I honestly feel that the series should stop here.Perfect right where it was left.

Posted on December 6, 2010

Jonelle Bopp says...

This was the first theater film for my two year old daughter.She sat enthralled in her seat, munching popcorn from the first trailer through the credits.I was very impressed that TS3 held her interest from start to finish.We just watched this again on a recent Delta flight with the same result.



Toy Story 3 is a very good film that appeals on different levels to adults and children.Unfortunately, a few of those themes disturb younger audiences, so be prepared to explain some scenes to your younger children.



My personal favorite Toy Story film is the first episode but my daughter seems to enjoy TS3 the best.Jessie is her favorite character, so I assume that tilts the needle to TS3 for her.



I can't wait to see this film in Blu-Ray.

Posted on December 6, 2010

Jae Moxham says...

In terms of the bluray quality, there is none better.The picture and sound are both reference material and are flawless.A great movie to test out a home theater.The movie itself is very good.Pixar did a wonderful job of keeping the main characters around but still adding in great new additions, especially with Ken.I was very worried about how they were going to finish the series off, but was shocked at how great of a job they did.I'd prefer not to mention any details of the story, given I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't seen the movie, so the only thing I can say is the movie makes sense.Andy has grown up and once again his toys are faced with challenges in how to accept changes in life.It has a great moral backing and offers tons of well placed humor.Overall the movie is fantastic.Most importantly the ending is perfect.Nothing was forced and everything ends how it should.Toy Story fans should most certainly add the third to their collection.

Posted on December 8, 2010

Charlette Hilty says...

I went to the San Francisco Film Festival screening at Pixar Studios last night not really knowing what to expect. Toy Story has been with us for 15 years now (20, in terms of actual development) and I had a sinking feeling that maybe all the character potential had been used in the first two and this was some shameless plot by Disney to exploit the franchise ("Little Mermaid 3", anyone?). Well, shame on me for underestimating the capabilities of Pixar, who once again have shown how a small studio in Emeryville is a storytelling powerhouse that leaves the rest of the industry in the dust.



Toy Story 3 is the tale of Andy, the toys' owner, going to college and their quest to determine their future - headed between the attic or a daycare center. If you've enjoyed the way the first two films blend character drama with innovative action and humor, this cocktail hits its stride in the third film, which draws on everything we already know about the characters and then adds two new entire sets of toys to the plot. There's a new villain, two very amusing romance sub-plots and a litany of visual gags that push the envelope even further. I'm not allowed to go into any details but the second half of the film is a familiar set piece performed in a completely new way that will forever change your view of certain toys and day care centers.



Apart from a level of animation that sets the bar in the industry and an attention to detail that makes you wonder what most "real" films actually do in pre-production, the real genius of the third film is to provide a satisfying conclusion that gives every character a completed character arc. About 20 minutes before the end, I was wondering how they would do this since there were some fairly dark moments (similar to those in Wall-E and Up), but naturally they manage to pull it together. There's literally not a single wasted shot, let alone a wasted scene, and the pace quickens throughout to keep the tension mounting.



Overall, this is another Pixar classic that easily has enough for both kids and adults (and movie aficionados). It's not difficult to see why each of their movies takes five years to complete - yet despite the technical wizardry, the success of their movies is fundamentally routed in their stories, a fact which most other studios seem to forget these days. As to whether the stage is set for Toy Story 4, I suppose they could always pull it off given the creativity at work here, but I think there was a deliberate attempt to make this the last in the series.

Posted on December 8, 2010

Glenda Rakers says...

I remember when Toy Story was first released and I actually had stock in Pixar.Sadly I sold the stock but Pixar just keeps making fantastic movies.I admittedly went into Toy Story III with low expectations.It is the third film in a series which usually marks the demise.Nothing ever seems as good as the original.Somehow Pixar avoids the clich

Posted on December 12, 2010

Janessa Ruehle says...

Funny how time flies.Once upon a time Toy Story's animation style was the leader of the pack and the state of the art, now it's considered standard fare.But that's ok; once the shine and polish wore off of it the true value in the franchise was exactly what the title says- the Toys' Story.Thankfully, that hasn't changed.



The movie opens with an incredibly over-the-top playtime fantasy starring the entire cast that leaves you a little breathless and kinda nostalgic with some of the cameos involved.The plot focuses upon the inevitable period of transition in life: Andy is heading off to college, leaving his childhood behind, and both he and his sister Molly have to decide what to do with their old toys. His destined for the attic, save Woody, whom Andy decides to take with him.Molly donates hers to the local day care, including her Barbie doll (raise your hand if you can see it coming!).A mistake has Andy's toys left out for garbage; Woody goes to rescue his friends and they manage to all end up at the day care center- a Garden of Eden for toys.But there are snakes in the garden as things are not quite what they seem, leaving them worse off than before.Now they have to find a way to escape and make it back to Andy's before he leaves.



The typically superior Pixar animation is flawless, and the script is excellent- I'd have to say this was more for adults than kids. Woody remains his loyal, inventive self and there's always the iconic Buzz Lightyear gravity (and logic)-defying flight across the room.Sight gags abound and one-liners zing, but the best laughs came from the running jokes about the inevitable `When Barbie meets Ken' scenario ("No one else around here understands clothes!"), as well as the age-old question about Ken- is he or isn't he?There's also some hilarious moments surrounding the romance between Buzz and Jessie the Cowgirl: Buzz gets brainwashed by the bad guys and his friends need to restore him to normal.A tip: try not to be eating anything once Buzz gets his buttons pushed.



The key to the Toy Story movies is they never take themselves too seriously even in their sentimental and poignant moments, and there were quite a few of those here.The villain's character arc is perfectly appropriate for a toy movie, and ties into the main plot of the toy's search for a new home.The ending definitely tugs at your heart strings but works very well; I honestly couldn't see it coming out any other way.And as is the current trend in movies, you definitely need to stick around for the credits!Toy Story 3 runs the risk of being overshadowed by other flicks this summer, but it shouldn't be. Go to Infinity and Beyond in order to see this one!

Posted on December 13, 2010