Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3

How does Pixar do it? The law of movies generally demands that a franchise get worse over time. While sometimes the second movie is just as good as the original, the third is generally a stinker. And yet Toy Story 3 is easily the best of the Toy Story movies.

Despite pressure from Disney, Pixar refused to make another Toy Story movie until they had found the right story. After 11 years (can you believe its been that long??), the Pixar gang found their story. In a way, the long wait makes the story even more believable. Andy, the toys' owner, is now grown up and moving to college. Many of the toys have already been sold or given away, leaving just a dozen or so favorites, including Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). The toys spend much of their day trying to put themselves in a position so Andy will play with them again, not realizing that he has outgrown that part of his life.

The gang eventually find themselves in a large daycare center, Sunnyside, which at first seems to be a toy nirvana. There are lots of new toys to be friends with, a nicely organized toy society run by a giant pink bear named Lotso (Ned Beatty) and an abundance of kids to play with. But all is not what it seems...and these kids don't play nice...

That's the basic setup of the film, which also includes a thrilling and extended climax that is way more exciting than most adult adventure films. But while the animation, the humor, the voice acting and the humor are all top notch, what Pixar has always done best is bring the emotion. This isn't the maudlin, manipulative emotion you usually see in Hollywood flicks. There's no sappiness here. Pixar brings something genuine to the table with their movies - here we have Woody and Co. having to come to grips with their place in this world and trying to figure out if they even have a place. Their loyalty to Andy is touching, and their loyalty to each other is even more so.

Kudos to Pixar. I know at some point, they will make a bad movie. But so far, not only is their record spotless, but they just seem to be getting better. Their last four movies have been their best four movies (Toy Story 3, Ratatoille, Up, and Wall-E). What magic sauce are they using on their spaghetti and can they share it with the rest of Hollywood? 

Update: Well, since writing this review, Pixar has finally made a bad film...Cars 2.  Still, their run has been remarkable!  

SPOILER - DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU'VE SEEN THE MOVIE: I have to bring up that climax again. The climactic escape from Sunnydale is easily 30 minutes, if not longer, and contains enough hair raising moments for an entire film (as well as a subtle Return of the Jedi reference). As our heroes find themselves in the city dump, trapped in an incinerator and slowly slipping closer and closer to the flames...whoa...I actually wondered if kids would be able to handle this scene! When the toys all hold hands and accept their gruesome fate...well, I don't cry during movies, but uh...yeah, that was some intense emotion on display. Wow, Pixar is good. Damn you for making me cry! SPOILER OVER.

MVP: I think I have a tie between Mr. Tortilla Head and Spanish Buzz Lightyear. Those two were too funny and I refuse to choose between them.

TRIVIA: The very last shot of the movie is of white clouds against the blue sky. This is a call-back to the very first shot of the first Toy Story - which is the white clouds against the blue sky on Andy's wallpaper.

BEST LINE: "Your real problem is the monkey. The monkey is the eye in the sky. He sees everything - classrooms, hallways, even the playground. You can unlock doors, sneak past guards, climb the wall, but if you don't take out that monkey you ain't going nowhere. You want to get out of here, get rid of that monkey."