Hey FOOLS! When Toy Story 3 was announced originally that it was being developed without Pixar I nearly traveled to Disneyland to start tearing things up. But after looking at the costs and the potential for arrest I decided to wait and see how things panned out. Thankfully Pixar and Disney reconciled and Pixar moved forward on a film containing characters that have become loved by so many and in reality characters that moved the Mouse House into the new Millennium. But with an exception of only a few franchises usually a third film is not a good thing, I could name them but you know the culprits and the exceptions.
In my mind the Toy Story franchise is a game changer. Toy Story changed the way that cell and CG animated films were approached visually and placed an emphasis on character development and storyline that became a benchmark for modern animated films. The second film had outdone the first in three ways. Visually it was better than the first, it was smoother and more defined, the story was even better for the second film than the first and lastly the addition of new characters added to the film. It was these factors that really had me concerned that perhaps a third Toy Story film was a recipe for disaster. Fear not dear FOOLS this is a Toy Story film worthy of being not only a Pixar film but to stand strong amongst the best CG Animated films.
One of the things I love about Toy Story 3 is the storyline, Pixar have accepted that it has been over 10 years since the release of Toy Story 2 so the story line takes place 10 years later. I'm going to try to make this as spoilerless as possible so I'm sorry if this is too brief but I loved the film so much I don't want to spoil too much. Andy is now 17 years old and is packing to go to college, the toys are desperate to be played with and try to do anything to get Andy to play with them. As he has grown up he's just not interested. Andy has the choice to throw out or put his toys in the attic, he puts all the toys except Woody in a plastic garbage bag. Scared of being thrown out the toys manage to hide in a box of donated toys being given to the local daycare centre called Sunnyside. Woody tries to convince the toys they weren't going to be thrown out and has to go to the daycare centre with them. As you've probably seen in the trailer when the toys arrive at the daycare centre they think it's the best thing in the world until they get put in a room full of toddlers that play too rough. So the toys try to escape.
I'll stop there on plot because there is so much more to this film but it is better to be seen instead of read. But at it's core Toy Story 3 is a film about the toys don't feel loved by Andy anymore and because it's been so long since they were played with they are willing to accept it from someone else. Woody has a constant battle through out the film on who he is loyal to. Does he go to college with Andy, who he has had a wonderful life with until he grew up, or does he stay with the toys who he considers his family. It's a big call but I believe that this is the Pixar film with the most heart.
As always Pixar have outdone themselves visually in Toy Story 3 and watching it in 3D they used 3D to be subtle and further enhance the film instead of requiring things flying out at our heads. Toy Story 3 has once again made Toy Story 2 look like an outdated model just as part 2 did with the first. Woody and Buzz always look good but for me the real visual improvements were on Rex and Mr. Potato Head. Rex's reptile like look was actually slight raises to his plastic instead being a print and Mr. Potato Head had slight indents all over him. What I really loved was that when in the daycare centre it was bring and happy but whne there were flashbacks for Chuckles the Clown or Lotso the colours were washed out almost to a sepia. It was a beautiful film to look at and will definitely end up in my Bluray collection.
Woody and the gang all return for the third installment, except Bo Peep and I'm not sure why she wasn't back, and as is expected the cast chosen to give their voices do a wonderful job. Just as was the case for Toy Story 2 there are some new characters for Toy Story 3 and they are all based at Sunnyside Day Care. You can't help but be charmed by Ned Beatty as Lotso but you also can't help by being scared once Lotso turns on Andy's toys. Beatty is so damn good. My favourite new toy though is the introduction of Ken. The yin to Barbie's yang. Michael Keaton voices him so well and Pixar really poke fun at the femininity of a male based girls toy.
One thing that really surprised me with Toy Story 3 was just how funny it was. The banter betwen Lotso's gang and Ken was hilarious, his fashion show for Barbie was even funnier. The spanish Buzz scene, which is so much more than the trailer gives away is funnier still. But the most funny part of the film I will not spoil...OK I will a little. Three words. Mr. Tortilla Head. I still sit at my desk chuckling about it more than a week on.
Whilst there were plenty of comedic moments Toy Story 3 also had plenty of emotional moments. The ending is up there with Up! and that beautiful scene of Carl and Ellie's life together. But the reason the ending to this film is so emotional is because of how beloved and attached people are to the characters Toy Story has given us over the past 15 years. It's a testament to the great work that Pixar do and why they are the best in the business.
Toy Story 3 is a film that contains all the characters, laughs and emotion you'd expect from a Toy Story film but it is delivered so well that I'm unsure how much I love it. After only one watch I can't make a statement like it's the best Toy Story film but I can tell you that it stands tall alongside the other two Toy Story films. It is hands down the best film I've seen this year. Go out and see it when it is released this week.