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"A worthy completion of a classic trilogy"
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The 2010 third installment in Pixar's Toy Story series.
< read all 48 reviews
Rating:
+5
Pixar doesn't know how to make a bad movie, from the first ten minutes of Up to the academy oversight of Wall-E Pixar keeps getting better with age. This movie picks up where the studio started, in Andy's room. Toy Story 3 has a lot to live up to, not only through an outstanding series but it also lives in the shadows of the most successful movie studio in Hollywood. And once again Pixar knocks it out of the park.
Screenwriting 101 dictates that you have to captivate your audience in the first 10 minutes, and Toy Story does just that with plenty of nods to the original as we get to see the bank heist scene from the perspective of the players involved. Want to know how far technology in the industry has come? Look no further than the opening sequences of the first and third Toy Story.
Once again the cast of characters are being led by Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Allen). Andy's toys have been lost to old age and yard sales, including love interest Bo, but this helps to define the one true love in Woody's life, Andy. Andy however, no longer creates the imaginative worlds for his toys to be featured in. Woody and the gang spend their days in the wagon train toy box as Andy prepares for college. It seems the beloved toys have only the attic or the trash to look forward to.
MINOR SPOILER ALERT
Through some shifty negotiations the toys find themselves being donated to the Sunnyside Daycare. The daycare is run by a giant purple bear named Lotso (Ned Beatty), and an always questionable Ken doll, played by Michael Keaton, who no doubt had a lot of fun with the role. The toys soon find that the system is corrupt and the movie shifts to a Hasboro themed jail-break. Full of wonderful nods to the genre and an escape plan that would no doubt impress Andy Dufresne.
SPOILER OVER
The jokes seem kind of sporadic but it doesn't mean they aren't good. Many of them seemed rehashed nods to the two movies prior. The new gags they use are priceless and many in the capable hands of Tim Allen. Another bright spot in the comedy is Mr. Prickelypants who appears to be classically trained in the arts.
It isn't until the third act where the movie sets itself apart. The emotions run the gamut from action packed tension to heartfelt. It seems the only purpose of the 3-D glasses (besides driving up ticket prices) if to hide the tears slowly dripping down your face. Not my face that is, I'm too tough, yours probably, alright I teared up, don't judge me till you see it. The 3-D feature offers truly nothing to the movie, it is unnecessary to use when all the best parts of the movie revolve around the writing.
Lee Unkrich takes the helm on this one after previously editing the other two movies and co-directing the last one. Most of the creative team from the original story are back in this one to create the newest chapter. They blocked out the major action points in the movie while Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine) takes to the script and does a masterful job with it. It's another point of praise for the people at Pixar to take such care in its story that they go out and get an academy award winner writer.
The most heartfelt moments happen at the end and that is when the movie is truly able to send its message. Some of the moments may be too much for the real youngsters in the audience, either that or those moments will fly by their heads Either way the movie is not really for them anyway. Pixar knows that for every child that gets a ticket there will be an accompanying adult and they are the ones that will spread word of mouth to friends with children.
Had Pixar decided to make this a new movie with different characters instead of the ones we've grown attached to and seen facing peril before, I believe this movie becomes an instant classic. Instead you are forced to compare this one to the movies prior, and because of the legacy the movie loses out a little. However, the geniuses at Pixar know what it means to craft a movie and that is why Pixar is unequivocally the most important studio in Hollywood. A
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I don't often make my way to the movie theater, but as a lifelong Pixar fan and in particular, of the Toy Story series, I just had to make my way out to watch the third installment on the big screen. And needless to say, I loved it. Absolutely loved it, just like I knew I would, and was told I would, even before watching it. The short preceding the film was fantastic as well. Though this is a seemingly far fetched film about a bunch of attention-starved, … more
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The original “Toy Story” revolutionized the way CGI-animation was seen in the U.S. in 1995. The film defined the words “computer generated graphics” with its stellar animation and the fact that the film itself appeared to specially highlight this technological advancement in animation. It sure helped that it also had a stellar voice cast and an endearing story. The first movie made “Pixar” what it is today. Given its widespread success, it spawned a sequel in … more
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Toy Story 3 came alive for me, in more ways than one. It is in ways like many animated movies, it takes human’s characters, personalities, fears and hopes, packaged them into a life-like situation, portrayed it in live on the screens and takes the viewers beyond what is real and surreal. Whether the stars are real or not, as in human beings and living things, is not of utmost importance. What is important is that it embodies human universal values. Afterall, this is a production by humans … more
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After watching this film I have to admit that the Toys are my favorite Disney characters ever! In this one, Andy has grown up and is preparing for college. The toys are worried that they will be thrown away as Andy is no longer interested in them. Only Woody is sure that Andy would never do that. In fact Andy packs Woody to take to college with him and sets the other toys aside to put in the attic. Andy's mother accidentally thinks the toys are meant for the garbage and puts … more
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In 1995, Pixar Animation Studios launched their first film. A movie called "Toy Story," that centered on the toys that belonged to a boy named Andy. When the franchise first began in 1995... Andy was just a boy. As was I, for a matter of fact. I was nine years old. I saw Toy Story, loved it and when Toy Story 2 dropped in 1999 I felt that I was not too old for it just yet despite blossoming into a teenager. Luckily, we never had to see Andy in his clunky … more
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Considering the Toy Story trilogy spans 15-years, viewing it back to back can almost be used as a visual guide to the advancements made in the computer-generated feature film industry these past decade and a half. The fact that this is animation pioneers Pixar (coupled to the Disney promotion machine) means that while the pixel popping visuals have improved exponentially in that span, the charm, heart, and timeless story telling elements introduced the first time around never … more
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I went to the San Francisco Film Festival screening at Pixar Studios last night not really knowing what to expect. Toy Story has been with us for 15 years now (20, in terms of actual development) and I had a sinking feeling that maybe all the character potential had been used in the first two and this was some shameless plot by Disney to exploit the franchise ("Little Mermaid 2", anyone?). Well, shame on me for underestimating the capabilities of Pixar, who once again have shown how a … more
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I tried to convince my wife to be the one to take my kids to Toy Story 3. My youngest son, especially, was begging to go, but while I was impressed by the first two, a long ways back, and saw them as showcases for the increasingly sophisticated animation techniques at Pixar, I didn't really love either one of them as much as A Bug's Life or The Incredibles or Wall-E or Ratatouille. Perhaps it's just the devoted toy concept that didn't quite move me. I'm not quite sure why, but … more
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In a single word - perfect. While Toy Story 3 was in production, a friend of mine at Pixar (who was sworn to secrecy) would only describe it as "like visiting old friends". I have to agree with that sentiment. I was worried that Pixar had an uphill battle. After all, they were tasked with producing a worthy sequel to two of the most treasured animated films of all time, and the commercials that appeared on TV didn't do much to alleviate those concerns. However, … more
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TOY STORY 3 Written by Michael Arndt Directed by Lee Unkrick Voices by Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty and Michael Keaton Hamm: C’mon, let’s go see how much we’re going for on EBay. There comes a point in every boy’s life when he has to grow up. Ok, fine. There are many points in a boy’s life when he must do this but going off to college is certainly an undeniable turning point. You … more
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zstoner66
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About this movie
Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated film. It is the third installment in the Toy Story series. The film was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Lee Unkrich, who edited the previous films, and co-directed the second, takes over as director. In his place, Ken Schretzmann is the editor.
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Jeff Pidgeon, Jodi Benson, R. Lee Ermey, John Morris, and Laurie Metcalf all reprised their voice-over roles from the previous films. Jim Varney, who played Slinky Dog in the first two movies, and Joe Ranft, who played Lenny and Wheezy, have both died since the second film was released. The role of Slinky was taken over by Blake Clark, while Ranft's characters and various others were written out of the story.
Toy Story 3 was released in theaters on June 17, 2010 in Singapore; June 18, 2010 in the United States and Canada and June 24, 2010 in Australia. It will be released on July 19, 2010 in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Originally the UK release was set as July 23 but has since been pushed forward due to its anticipated high demand in the country. Toy Story 3 broke the record of Shrek the Third as the biggest single day gross for an animated film, but it was unable to top Shrek the Third's opening weekend and, with a $110,307,189 gross, it received the second highest opening weekend for an animated movie. It is also the highest ...
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Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Jeff Pidgeon, Jodi Benson, R. Lee Ermey, John Morris, and Laurie Metcalf all reprised their voice-over roles from the previous films. Jim Varney, who played Slinky Dog in the first two movies, and Joe Ranft, who played Lenny and Wheezy, have both died since the second film was released. The role of Slinky was taken over by Blake Clark, while Ranft's characters and various others were written out of the story.
Toy Story 3 was released in theaters on June 17, 2010 in Singapore; June 18, 2010 in the United States and Canada and June 24, 2010 in Australia. It will be released on July 19, 2010 in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Originally the UK release was set as July 23 but has since been pushed forward due to its anticipated high demand in the country. Toy Story 3 broke the record of Shrek the Third as the biggest single day gross for an animated film, but it was unable to top Shrek the Third's opening weekend and, with a $110,307,189 gross, it received the second highest opening weekend for an animated movie. It is also the highest ...
Cast:
Tim Allen,
Joan Cusack,
Tom Hanks,
R. Lee Ermey,
Ned Beatty,
Michael Keaton,
John Ratzenberger,
Wallace Shawn
Director:
Lee Unkrich
Genre:
Animation,
Comedy,
Family
Release Date:
June 18, 2010
MPAA Rating:
G
Runtime:
103 minutes
Studio:
Walt Disney Studios,
Walt Disney Animation,
Pixar Animation Studios
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