Toy Story 3 (2010)

Toy Story 3 is a more than worthy addition to the Toy Story series, and it continues Pixar’s streak as the premiere animation studio working in feature films today. The story takes place as Andy is about to leave for college, and our fabled heroes are preparing for the move…into the attic. At least that’s Woody’s plan for the rest of the toys, whether they agree or not. Over a mishap in communication, however, the toys end up at the local daycare center, where toys are given a second life and a chance to play with children again. The toys also meet the patriarch of the center, a wise, gregarious teddy bear named Lotso (as in “Lotso Hugs”) and Barbie’s famed boyfriend Ken. Things go ok upon arrival, but then the toys suddenly realize that the daycare turns out to be run more or less like a prison, and the toys begin to plan their escape.

The second half of the film cleverly plays homage to prison films of the past, primarily The Great Escape and Cool Hand Luke. Thankfully, the film always keeps the characters in mind first and foremost and never devolves into straight imitation. Woody and co.’s plans for escape have to get more and more elaborate in order to fool the likes of the antagonists, which is often played off as both clever and very funny. One sequence involves Mr. Potato Head “shedding” his skin to become Mr. Tortilla Head, and hilarity ensues as he tries to adjust to his new body. As usual, Pixar’s animation and attention to detail are beyond comparison, and the voice acting is once again top notch. In addition to the regulars, Ned Beatty does an excellent job as the aforementioned Lotso, and Michael Keaton shows up to give a humorous turn as Ken. There are also notable cameos from Bonnie Hunt and Timothy Dalton, playing some of Woody’s newfound friends.

Of all three Toy Story films, this third installment probably packs the most action, especially during the toys’ actual escape and subsequent unexpected trip to the garbage facility. However, it’s final 20 minutes also hold probably the most gravitas found not only within the series but almost anything Pixar has attempted thus far. The harrowing sequence at the garbage facility is played with the utmost seriousness concerning the plight of the toys, and it’s almost too unbearable to watch. Whereas other films might try and make light of the situation by inserting a cheap gag or two, this film chooses to linger on their traumatic situation, all without a word spoken from any of the toys. This decision pays off masterfully, as we really feel for the characters and wonder how much differently we ourselves would react to such a situation. The final scene is also a bittersweet goodbye to the toys that we have come to know and love over the years, and as we see Andy drive away for college, we feel a sudden twinge as well.

Sequels can often times become a cause for concern, where something might get lost in the attempt to make everything bigger and top the previous installment. Thankfully, Toy Story 3 sidesteps this trap by keeping the focus on the characters and giving them a situation that feels less forced and more like their natural progression. Although the film could be classified as a kid’s movie, it’s really made for the ones that grew up with the Toy Story franchise, and it’s only fitting that we get a proper chance to say goodbye to some of our favorite toys.

Rating: 4 ½ stars

Toy Story 2 (1999)

Toy Story 2 is yet another great achievement from Pixar, a movie that was originally slated to become a straight-to-video sequel but has more than enough talent to stand alongside its predecessor. Where Toy Story’s plot may have been about how these particular toys were perceived by their personal owner, Toy Story 2 touches on how the toys (specifically Woody and Buzz) have become perceived by society at large. Buzz has become the star of a hit new video game (as seen in the action-packed opening sequence), fighting off the clutches of the Evil Emporer Zurg. Meanwhile, Woody has become a rare collector’s item that is highly sought after. Woody learns that he was the star of the ‘50s hit radio and television show “Woody’s Round-Up”, following the adventures of heroic cowboy Woody, his trusty horse Bullseye, cowgirl Jessie, and the prospector Stinky Pete. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled after a cliffhanger episode, and now all the toys have become rare items. Meanwhile, Buzz and company find out that Woody has been “kidnapped” by the collector (voiced by Wayne Knight), and they start a reconnaissance mission to save him. However, Buzz finds that Zurg is lurking right around the corner and waiting to take his revenge on the space ranger, which leads to a shocking revelation for Buzz (hint: anyone familiar with the cultural lexicon of the Star Wars films may have a clue of Zurg’s identity).

While the film’s plot is definitely more ambitious than the original, the film does an excellent job of handling the more personal scenes involving just one or two characters, particularly Woody and Jessie. Woody is torn between the fear of becoming more and more obsolete as Andy grows older or the prospect of becoming a cherished collector’s item with his new “family”, but at the cost of living behind a glass shelf forever, never to be played with by any child again. He knows his decision isn’t easy, and it’s conveyed with real gravity within the context of the film. By far the most heartbreaking sequence, however, is the montage involving Jessie and her former owner Emily. As we see the progression from Emily as a child playing with her toys to her growing up and slowly losing that spark of interest in her former playmates, we see Jessie’s progression from a trusted friend to Emily devolve into full heartbreak as she is forgotten and abandoned by her owner. It’s a sequence that’s been rightly praised over the years, but it’s still an emotionally resonant scene which perfectly captures Jessie’s character without any dialogue.

The animation looks as detailed and rich as ever, and the voice acting all around is once again top-notch. Aside from the main characters reprising their roles from the original, Joan Cusack as Jessie and Kelsey Grammar as Stinky Pete both give their imbue their characters with enough personality to stand on their own. Toy Story 2 is the kind of sequel that not only retains the wit and heart of the original, but in some areas deepens and enhances its strengths. It retains our fondness for all of the characters introduced in the original, yet it goes a little deeper, both technically and emotionally, without losing any of the fun.

Rating: 5 stars

Toy Story (1995)

What more can be said about the film that rewrote the template for all future animated films? Filled with wit, heart, and humor, Toy Story is an excellent film that is as timeless today as it was the day it was released. It was the first feature length computer animated film from Pixar Studios, but it never shows signs of being an amateur or rookie affair. It’s fully developed and professional in every way, combining a heartfelt story with first-rate voice acting and excellent visuals. The story revolves around Woody, the cowboy toy with the pull string whose catchphrases consist of such gems as “Reach for the sky!” and “There’s a snake in my boots!”. Woody is the de facto leader of the rest of the toys, which include members such as Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Rex (the dinosaur), Hamm (the piggy bank), Bo Peep and others. All the toys belong to Andy, their owner and playmate who loves his toys and creating new adventures with them. One day, on Andy’s birthday, a newcomer arrives on the scene: Buzz Lightyear, the space ranger and popular new toy. Jealousy abounds (primarily from Woody), but the other toys are in awe of the new toy and all its gadgets. Also, Buzz thinks he’s on an actual space mission and can actually fly, which hilariously adds to Woody’s resentment.

Pixar and director John Lasseter achieve something quite magical with Toy Story: they actually create real feelings for these toys and fill them with empathetic traits and emotions—joy, fear, jealousy, sadness, loyalty, friendship. Each character has been given delicate care to give them a unique personality for the story, and we end up caring deeply about most of the toys and their plight. What seems to elevate Pixar’s films is that there is actually genuine care put into their characters and story, and the humor comes in service of the characters as opposed to the other way around. It also helps that the writing is top-notch here, filled with wit and heart. Consider a heartbreaking scene where Buzz, on a mission to get back to his home base via spaceship, witnesses a commercial where he not only sees himself, but hundreds of Buzz Lightyear toys lining the shelves. It’s difficult not to feel for him in this moment of defeat and realization that he is only a toy. The story is filled with moments like these where we forget that we are watching (computer animated) plastic toys and instead feel like we are watching very human stories instead. It also helps that the voice acting here is outstanding across the board. Tom Hanks brings his usual charm and biting wit to Woody, while Tim Allen is hilarious as the earnest and determined Buzz Lightyear. The supporting actors here are also just as good, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, Wallace Shawn as Rex, Jim Varney as the Slinky Dog.

Of course, not enough can be said about the visuals, which look as awe inspiring today as they did fifteen years ago. The use of space and depth is something to behold, and the use of lighting is excellent, creating convincing three dimensional characters and spaces in every scene. One thing that I have always respected about Pixar’s films is their attention to detail, filling the frame with subtle inside jokes and cross-references that require repeat viewings. They also amazingly respect the physics of all the toys, so Woody hilariously runs with limbs loose and flailing; Slinky Dog can strech to the point where his coils are not long enough; even the toy soldiers have to shift back and forth to walk because of the plastic mantle bounding their legs. The only complaint I can think of about the renderings is that the human characters look a little more on the cartoonish side, but it’s an almost irrelevant gripe since the film is not only about the adventures of the toys, but it also never pronounces itself as a paragon for realism--we’re watching a movie about talking toys here.

Toy Story is the type of film that can truly be enjoyed by people of any age, primarily because it taps into a childlike wonder, and it’s near impossible not to get lost in the film’s boundless imagination. I can’t say enough good things about this film, as it successfully shows how to combine a great story, memorable characters and excellent visuals into a unified whole that should be a template for not only animated features (as it has pretty much stayed the template for the past fifteen years, and also reinforced by the fact that Toy Story 3 was just recently released) but also for all films. These toys may be “child’s playthings”, but this film is certainly one for everyone to cherish.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)