Toy Story 3

Has it really been fifteen years since the first Toy Story came out? I have to admit that I was thoroughly unenthused when it came to the idea of a third Toy Story film. I enjoyed the first two but in light of more recent stand-alone Pixar efforts like Wall-E and Up, I felt like a third entry might be a bit too inconsequential and light. And really, when has the 3rd film in any franchise ever really delivered? Karate Kid 3, The Godfather Part III, Spiderman 3... they all sucked. I'm happy to say that Toy Story 3 bucks the trend in a big way, not only delivering on the promise of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 but managing to be the best film in the series yet.

Instead of fundamentally pitting Buzz against Woody or vice versa, this time all the toys are in it together. Toy Story explores the same themes of friendship and loyalty but also goes further into the cycle of what happens when kids get too old for their toys. The thing I love about Pixar films is that there isn't always a status quo for characters to return to - and this is certainly true for Toy Story 3. The changes to the toys' world are big and irreversible, and the characters move forward as a result.

There's a resonance in coming to love characters like Woody, Buzz, Rex, Jessie, Hamm, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head and Bullseye. The average viewer will identify with the part that toys play in our own development from childhood to maturity. I cried whilst watching this movie, several times... it's emotional without being manipulative because it means more than just getting a reaction out of the audience. The filmmakers aren't neccessarily looking to push our buttons in order to make their film more memorable, it's jus a story that they wanted to tell and the emotional response arises from the a belief in the characters. The plot of Toy Story 3 is an important story in terms of the larger toy story and what it means to be a toy... it's a poignant piece of their story that I didn't think would ever really reach the screen in such an honest and heartfelt fashion. It's not an overstatement to say that it;' brave for a film suppposedly aimed at children. A truly brilliant adventure.

HIGHLIGHTS: Big Baby made me so sad! The concept and execution of this character struck an unfortunate chord with me, and his big moment near the film's climax had me transfixed.

DIRECTOR: Lee Unkrich
WRITER/SOURCE: Scripting by Michael Arndt, from a story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich.
KEY ACTORS: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Estelle Harris, Timothy Dalton, R. Lee Ermey, Bonnie Hunt, Whoopi Goldberg

RELATED TEXTS:
- The obvious ones are Toy Story and Toy Story 2.
- There is also a direct-to-video traditionally-animated spinoff, Buzz Lightyear of Space Command, featuring the voice of Tim Allen as Buzz. This was followed by an animated TV series where Patrick Warburton provided the voice of Buzz. It ran for two years.
- Disney almost mounted their own version of Toy Story 3 back in 2004, which would have featured a plotline involving the recall of all Buzz toys to Taiwan. Pixar regained control of Toy Story 3 when the two companies merged, and all production on this version of Toy Story 3 was subsequently shut down.

AWARDS
Academy Awards - won Best Song (We Belong Together) and Best Animated Film. Also nominated for Best Film, Best Sound Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay.
BAFTAs - won Best Animated Film. Nominated for Best Special Effects and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Golden Globes - won Best Animated Film.