Review: Toy Story 3

The first Toy Story became the gold standard of animated films after it hit theatres in 1995 and put Pixar on the map as the studio to watch. It wasn’t just the amazing computer animation, but how well they presented the material with charm, humour, and real emotion. Toy Story 2 followed suit in 1999 and became one of the best sequels of any genre of movie ever made (some put it in the same category as The Godfather II and The Empire Strikes Back). So does Toy Story 3 keep the tradition alive? More than I ever expected, and I’d even go as far as saying it’s the best one in the series.

Andy (voice of John Morris), the boy from the first two films, is now 17 and getting ready to move away for college. As he packs his room, his few remaining toys worry as to what’s in store for them. Buzz (voice of Tim Allen) and Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) think they’ll be stored in the attic and all will be okay. Jessie (voice of Joan Cusack), Rex (voice of Wallace Shawn), Hamm (voice of John Ratzenberger), Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (voices of Don Rickles and Estelle Harris), and Slinky Dog (voice of Blake Clark), believe they’ll be thrown in the trash, never to be heard from again. Both parties are wrong as they are all accidentally donated to Sunnyside Daycare and put into the crazed toddler room by the leader of the daycare toys, Lotso (voice of Ned Beatty), a purple bear that smells like strawberries and appears to be cuddly but, in actuality, is a rather nasty dictator.

From there, the film turns into a prison break movie with Woody, Buzz, and the rest of Andy’s toys trying to escape the clutches of Lotso and his team of demented soldiers, which include a baby doll named Daisy, the robot Sparks, and a Ken doll (voice of Michael Keaton). Referencing classics like Cool Hand Luke and The Great Escape, the jokes and adventure come quick and hard with some amazing action scenes thrown in. And then there is the emotional aspect of the story. I got choked up when the toys came to accept that Andy was no longer a little boy and would never play with them again. There were also some really sweet moments that made my chest tight and, let’s just say, I was glad I was wearing 3-D glasses.

Speaking of 3-D, which Toy Story 3 is presented in, after about 10 minutes I didn’t even notice I was wearing the glasses because I was so absorbed in the story. Instead of trying to hit you in the face, the filmmakers used it to add depth to the image and it works just as well, if not better, than the 3-D in Avatar. I usually complain about 3-D movies losing the brightness and colour due to the tint of the glasses, but this was pretty flawless; Pixar was planning to use 3-D from the beginning and delivered a vibrant, beautiful image.

Out of all the films I’ve seen this year, Toy Story 3 stands out as the best, and I’d be surprised if it doesn’t earn Best Picture at the next Oscars. Since there is absolutely nothing I can find wrong with it, I’m giving it my highest rating. Believe the hype and go enjoy this wonderful experience.

***** out of 5 stars

Rated G
Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Michael Keaton, Joan Cusack
Directed by: Lee Unkrich
Official Site IMDb

brian.mckechnie@citynews.rogers.com

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Top image: A scene from Toy Story 3. Courtesy Walt Disney Pictures.