jbeswick
"A worthy completion of a classic trilogy"
For the underappreciated screen treasures you love
The 2010 third installment in Pixar's Toy Story series.
< read all 48 reviewsI really didn't think I'd like this ... but it was quite good! Funny, clever, and moving ... and looking better than ever!!
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Jul 3, 2010
- by nateandersen
- posted in Movie Hype
Rating:
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 for whatever reason, I went into this unenthusiastic and only doing it for the kids.
+4
As it turns out, I really liked it. As far as I'm concerned right now it's the best of the series - of course, now I'd actually be willing to go back and sit through the others and maybe find I liked them too. It's clever and inventive, with sight gags and visual puns that are underplayed, almost in passing. Its big, blockbuster animation, but the humor manages to be subtle, rather than in your face like so much popular animation these days. While, like the other films and like everything Pixar, it's not afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve it's never sappy, and the storytelling earns its sentimental payoff rather than wrenching it from you. I never felt manipulated. The look is nothing short of astonishing. The visuals are intricate and full of rich details, but it never feels busy or crowded. I'd like to see it again just so now I can pay more attention to the details now I know what's happening. The opening reminded me a bit of the surreal and (even more) hilarious stop motion toy fantasy A Town Called Panic (also highly recommended), but the rest fit nicely into the general pattern of the series without feeling like one of the generic and uninspiring sequels that are so common these days.
The basic story should be familiar: Woody and Buzz and their buddies are facing a new abandonment crisis. This time, it's because Andy is going to college, and they fear he will leave them behind in storage, or worse, throw them away. What is surprising is how fresh they manage to make it all feel. Nothing was predictable or generic, and I was sad to see it end. Perhaps best of all, though, was the amazing short film "Night and Day" with which it began. It's better not to say anything about that, since it's best just to see it unawares. Still it's a magical film, one of the most exciting and intriguing animated shorts I'd ever seen. A perfect beginning for an inventive and moving film. Not to be missed.
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MeowMeowMeow
July 30, 2010
Cant wait to see this and cant wait for John Carter of Mars!
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Scotman
July 29, 2010
Good review -- I like the personal touch you placed into it.
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Magick1
July 29, 2010
Nice review...I enjoyed it and the movie!
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devora
July 27, 2010
I rated this a +5 myself, but I totally agree with you! :)
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woopak_the_thrill
July 27, 2010
Excellent write up. You bring forth an interesting observation in regards to the visuals, it was real nice and never felt too busy--this was one thing that I kinda didn't discuss more in my own review. Thanks for the review!
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More Toy Story 3 reviews
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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Compliments (241)
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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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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review by chupluf.
June 21, 2010
This 3rd installment of the 20-year-old Toy Story franchise is simply the most touching Pixar film to date. It combines the sense of wonder and nostalgia of the previous installments with a fresh plot—a perfect evolution to the story and characters that we already know—and top-notch animation that is equally enjoyable in its 2D or 3D presentation. In this new adventure, the story is as much about Andy, the toys’ owner, and the inevitability of change, as it is about the … more
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About the reviewer
Nathan Andersen (nateandersen)
I teach philosophy at Eckerd College, in Saint Petersburg, Florida. I run an award-winning International Cinema series in Tampa Bay (www.eckerd.edu/ic), and am co-director of … more
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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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