Saying Goodbye to Childhood with Toy Story 3
TOY STORY 3 (DVD/2010) We were way more excited than grown adults probably should be to finally see Toy Story 3 at my house, being big fans of the first two and Pixar in general, and having missed it in 3D in theaters over the summer. I remember reading the rave reviews when it was out, and it’s on all the early Oscar lists as a done deal for a Best Picture nomination. And we watched it, and it was…fine? Okay, more than fine. It was great-looking and genuinely funny and sweet. This final chapter in the film series follows the toys’ adventures as their owner Andy prepares to leave home for college. As usual, they find themselves removed from their house and have to struggle and work together and learn lessons in order to get back to where they belong. There are some new toys to get to know–some good, some mean, and some SUPER CREEPY. Also, John Lasseter and crew made the very wise decision to exclude any musical numbers this time. There is a lot to like about the movie, really. There was just no way it was going to live up to our expectations and the hype. And I think by the third movie in a series, writers are trying to show the audience something new and exciting, so the action in this one seemed really amped up.
These dudes are my favorites.
The toys have one close call after another, and I had a hard time staying engaged after a while, knowing that there was always a pretty good chance everyone was going to be just fine. This is a movie for children afterall, and it would be pretty messed up of them to have some of the toys (MINOR SPOILER ALERT) actually be crushed by a trash compactor. I’m wondering how much of the effect was lost on us not seeing those action sequences in 3D, although Mr. Ebert doesn’t seem to have loved that format for this one. One more thing, does anyone remember The Brave Little Toaster? My sister and I went through a Brave Little Toaster phase when we were young and know it by heart (yes, we are super cool), and the similarities between it and TS3 were downright distracting. Not that the older movie owns the rights to the idea of a kid growing up and leaving his beloved childhood possessions behind, but there is a scene in a trash dump with a giant magnet that is basically exactly the same! Except, you know, with toys instead of household appliances. So anyway, I just thought that was weird.
Bottom line: A really fun movie for kids and adults and totally worth seeing, but maybe try to tamp down your expectations if they are as ridiculously high as mine were.
Grade: B
When The Brave Little Toaster inexplicably goes out of print, we’ll all know why.
I felt the same here–i enjoyed it quite a bit, and actually liked their use of 3D for the most part, but afterwards was left kinda, “yep, that was it.” A def grade A following a couple A+’s.