Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3

Finally, a film that my family and I can watch together!  Toy Story 3 completes, perhaps, the best animated trilogy in filmmaking history.  This film was nominated for five Oscars and was able to apprehend two of the coveted golden statues.  Albeit unable to capture Best Picture honors, Toy Story 3 did walk away with Best Animated Feature and Best Music Song.  Although this movie was nominated for Best Picture, it is almost unheard of, if not impossible, for an animated child’s film to walk away with the top prize.  However; director, Lee Unkrich, gave it his best shot. 

Toy Story 3 begins with Andy preparing for his transition to college life.  While Andy is busily packing for his upcoming departure, we reconnect with all of our toy friends from the previous years including:  Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie the Cowgirl (Joan Cusack), Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), and my personal favorite, the “inconceivable” (think Princess Bride) Rex the dinosaur (Wallace Shawn).  The toys are discussing their future in the attic as Andy is preparing to store them away before he leaves for school.

In a misfortunate twist of fate, the toys end up in a garbage bag curbside awaiting their crushing fate via an oncoming sanitation vehicle.  As luck may have it, our clever friends are able to escape the claws of the rocking-out garbage man.  However, they are less than impressed that Andy would shepherd them to the roadside without saying goodbye.  As they reach the safety of the garage and reunite with Woody, the toys spot a donation box that says Sunnyside Daycare.  Angered by Andy’s apparent lack of interest, the toys decide to stow away and begin fresh with a new set of children.

All seems well as they first arrive at Sunnyside; however, it only takes a few moments for them to come to the realization that their perceived Shangri-La is actually a life sentence.  The toys hastily attempt to devise a plan of escape only to be thwarted by the evil and sinister Lots-O-Hugs Bear (Ned Beatty).  Lotso rules the daycare toys with the proverbial iron fist or in his case wooden walking stick.  The twisted bear was accidentally left behind by his child one day.  Upon returning home, he found that he had been replaced with an exact replica.  Feeling unloved and jaded, Lotso became a dark and uncaring toy interested in only one thing, himself.

Woody, the only toy to escape Sunnyside, returns to aid in a jail-break.  He puts a plan in motion and the toys set out on an adventure that is sure to rival any Alcatraz story.  I’m not ruining the ending by letting you know that the toys successfully meander away from Sunnyside and find their way back to Andy.  This, of course, is how it has to end as Andy decides to give his coveted possessions to a deserving little girl who will cherish them for many years to come.

As with the previous two Toy Stories, I really enjoyed this film.  I have to say that I believe this may be my favorite of the three.  Toy Story 3 delivers more true to life characters than the previous two with the introduction of Lots-O-Hugs Bear and his dark demeanor.  The animation was top notch, story line is amazing, and entertainment value was through the roof.  As a parent, it’s wonderful to be able to sit down and not watch “another” cartoon.  This was just as entertaining for me as for my kids.  Toy Story 3 gets a solid four stars!  This film has something that will make you smile, laugh and yes, even cry (well maybe tear-up).  Reach for the sky partner or at least for Toy Story 3.  It will take you to infinity and beyond!

That’s How Matt Sees It!