Movie Review - Toy Story 3 (2010)

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Featuring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Ned Beatty, and Michael Keaton

Directed by Lee Unkrich

I've taken some heat for not liking Pixar's last effort, Up, but even though I didn't love it, I recognize that the animation powerhouse can always be counted on to display heart.  Unlike any other studio, Pixar tugs on the heartstrings and does so in a way that never feels cloying or manipulative.  With Toy Story 2, the Pixar folks brought out the emotion in spades, creating a better story than the original.  Because of my fawning love for the second chapter, I admittedly had little hopes for the final (?) part of the series.

Well, there was nothing to worry about.  While it doesn't quite reach the powerful impact of 2, this third chapter takes us on quite an emotional journey -- one that we humans have been on with these toys for the past fifteen years.

Putting the toys in much more palpable danger than we've seen in the first two parts of these characters' tales, the third effort finds Woody and Buzz's human owner Andy heading off to college.  Having to leave his home behind, he also finds himself leading his childhood in the past as well.  This doesn't sit too well with the toys, who, through a stroke of (perhaps) luck wind up at a day care center where they find themselves incredibly excited to loved by children again.  Still, despite the "love" (and that's a term used very loosely when you're dealing with hyped-up, sugar-highed two year-old crazed toddlers), Buzz, Jessie, Rex, Hamm, the Potato Heads, Slinky Dog, and Bullseye soon realize that this may not be the place for them to be.

Woody realized this long ago and tried to convince his fellow toys to trek back to Andy's house to no avail.  Unfortunately for Woody, on his journey home, he gets picked up by the insanely adorable Bonnie who takes Woody home to her house where he meets up with another cast of cute toys (who I wish we could have spent more time with).  While Bonnie and her vivid imagination makes Woody feel needed again, Woody soon discovers that things at the day care center may not be going too well for his friends.  There's some nastiness afoot there and some toys that seemed welcoming at first may in fact be quite deceitful.

If there's something wrong with Toy Story 3, it's that the plot seems a little too stretched out for what actually happens.  It's essentially a "journey home" tale that could've been trimmed a bit early in its second act before that trek home happens -- there's a little too much introduction and internal/external "is this where we belong" debate at the day care center (in a surprisingly unfunny manner) and it makes the tale drag a bit in the middle.  That said, the film's opening and closing thirds are near perfect.  In fact, there are multiple scenes of sheer perfection (which I'd be more than happy to discuss in the comments) in the second half that really had me blown away, hitting a shockingly emotional level considering these things are simply plastic creations.

Throughout the film, I kept telling myself that this movie really didn't need to happen.  Yes, I was certainly enjoying it, but things were pleasantly wrapped up in the second movie and there was no need (other than for a profit) to visit these characters again.  That thought was silenced in the film's final set piece.  It's a beautiful ending and a perfect way to conclude Buzz and Woody's tale.  The finale is the epitome of what Pixar displays better than any other film studio -- heart.

The RyMickey Rating: B+