Film Review of Toy Story 3

The Godfather Part II of Pixar Films (5 out of 5 Stars)
A Film Review by Matt Brigner

The Players: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Laurie Metcalf, Bonnie Hunt, Whoopi Goldberg

What’s Going On: All good things come to an end and Andy’s toys realize that with him leaving for college their days are numbered. With their options being the trash, the attic, or the daycare the toys decide to take matters into their own hands. They sneak into the donation box to be taken to the daycare center and arrive to the playhouse of their dreams. It looks like everything is going to be perfect until they realize that everything is not as it seems.  

Why You Should See This Movie: Of all the movies I have seen this past year this one is the best by a far stretch. This movie has it all! Humor, sadness, action, romance is all sewn together seamlessly and the result is a great story which holds onto us for its entirety. As every intricate plotline was brought to a close I was quietly hoping that the movie would not end. The animation is superb, voice acting is top notch, and Pixar has shown us once again their commitment to storytelling which they have consistently displayed since the first Toy Story in 1995. This movie should get nominated for a Best Picture Oscar and has a great shot to be the first ever animated movie to win that title.

Why Is It So Good: Toy Story 3 builds its story around the simplest concept. Life shifts and changes around us all the time. As kids grow up they go to college and leave behind their families and familiar faces from their high school days. They want everything to be the same, but there is that sinking feeling that everything will change and there is nothing that can be done about it. Toy Story 3 recognizes these moments in our lives and this serves as the life of its story. There is nothing flashy or overly dramatic here. Just the simplest and most difficult of concepts to accept: Life goes on. The Writers and Director of Toy Story 3 approach this topic aware of its power and use it to their advantage.      

Be Prepared: Have the tissues on hand when you watch this movie. The emotional scenes are different than the ones in UP, but still have plenty of power to openly invite tears. If you are a fan of the franchise like me, be prepared to cry a little more.

New Additions To The Toy Box: There is Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty) who is the toy leader at the daycare, Buttercup the Unicorn (Jeff Garlin), and aspiring thespian Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton), and Ken (Michael Keaton) who steals the show! He lives in the coolest of places and has a pretty impressive wardrobe. All of your old favorites return and continue to provide the most memorable moments.