Toy Story 3

Needless to say, Pixar has done it again.  They have created possibly the best and quite likely the most “credible” and “grown up” animated movie ever.  Toy Story 3 made me laugh and cry and care for the characters on the screen as if they were real, even though its whole premise is that they are just toys.

Additionally, with the dump scene, Pixar dared to go where few studios that make animation dare to: bringing their entire cast on the brink of utter destruction, only to be miraculously saved at the eleventh hour by the most unlikely heroes.  That scene, with the very real possibility of losing one or more of you favorite characters, must have looked terrifying to countless kids (and adults), and scaring your core audience at a family oriented movie is something unheard of.  Nowadays, Hollywood plays it very safe, preferring to make movies that satisfy as many “quadrants” as possible (men, women, young, and old), rather than risk alienating any part of an audience.

Toy Story 3 finds our favorite cast of toys worried about their future now that their beloved owner, Andy, is about to leave for college.  What will happen to them?  Will they end up forgotten in a box in the attic or – gasp!! – on the curb as trash?!  The adventures our friends are subsequently thrust into have nothing to envy of the often stale high-octane spectacles of the summer box office.

This movie is headed straight for a Best Animated Feature Oscar next year, and hopefully it will follow into Pixar’s Up’s footsteps and garner a Best Picture nomination as well.  Heck, I’d love to see it win the latter!!

Toy Story 3 is a must see for every fan of the series as well as for those who never saw any Toy Story movie, although I’d suggest they rent the first 2 either before or after seeing this one, as they are top notch as well.

No praise would do justice to the technical perfection of the animation or the deft use of the 3D gimmick, which is so seamless it never gets in the way of the story and is so “real” it doesn’t feel forced or abused.

Don’t miss it!!

Grade: 10