It's hard to believe that already fifteen years have passed since Pixar reached a moviemaking milestone with Toy Story's dazzling computor animation that charmed all of its viewers. The adventures of Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), and their playtime friends have found a special place in the hearts of each audience member with every installment in this adored series. Toy Story 3 is Pixar's eleventh tour de force film, and never does it show that they are losing their touch. Nothing in the film feels stale. It all feels as fresh as if it has been unwrapped for the first time. Pixar can set the bar as high as they'd please, and still have the potential to have our expectations greatly exceeded. As expected, they did just that with Toy Story 3, the film that concludes the trilogy that has depicted the childhood experience and the wonders that toys can have on the imagination.
In this installment, Andy is finally headed for college. Hard to believe, right? It really goes to show how much we grew-up with him and this trilogy. The toys are stressing over their possible fate of being thrown in the trash. When Andy's mom mistakes them for being garbage, not realizing Andy's real intention of storing them in the attic, the toys feel unwanted and sneak into a box that's set to go to Sunnyside Daycare. While there, Woody, Buzz, and company deal with the importance of family, friends, and faithfulness, as well as problems such as separation-anxiety and abandonment. They then set out on a perilous journey to be reunited with the owner they love before he leaves for college.
The film has its share of colorful new characters, such as Lots-o'-Huggin'-Bear (Ned Beaty) who is the leader of the daycare toys, an eerie-looking doll named Big Baby, and most notibly, Barbie's (Jodie Benson) significant other, Ken (Michael Keaton). Watching their love for each other blossom is a treat to witness, seeing as their relationship is being portrayed on screen after their huge popularity in toy stores. What could be more appropriate for a movie series titled Toy Story? One of the movie's other highlights is an exciting sequence of the toys trying to escape the dreaded daycare center that's highly reminiscent of John Sturges' 1963 film, The Great Escape.
Toy Story 3 gives its viewers a lovely pattern of emotions throughout the adventure. There's the feeling of immense delight at the first frame of the movie when we're reunited with our favorite playtime buddies, and when Randy Newman's Toy Story anthem, 'You've Got a Friend in Me,' begins to play; as well as the feelings of gloom and apprehension that come with thinking about the possible separation of the toys from Andy along with the bleakness of their future. Between it all, there are some truly funny moments to give the thought that maybe, just maybe, Woody and his family might be all right in the end after all.
Pixar has accomplished something wonderful: creating a trilogy where all three films possess the same amount of rich storytelling magic. Given Pixar's track record, they could easily make a fourth entry in this series; however, all would probably deem that highly unnecessary, because this film provides a perfect ending for the toys' three-part epic journey. Although many of us that saw the first Toy Story as young children are now adults and have grown out of playing with toys, we could never get too old for Woody, Buzz, and their gripping adventures that have tugged at the heartstrings of anyone who has joined them.
Final grade: A
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