Synopsis: The gang is back and this time they have to escape from a day care center after Andy goes away to college.
Release Date: June 18, 2010 MPAA Rating: PG-13
Genre(s): Animation, Children and Family
Film Review
Production
Welcome back Woody, Buzz, and all the rest of the gang in Toy Story 3. This installment in the Toy Story franchise has made me (and you shortly) realize just how much we have missed you. Andy is all grown up and moving away to college. Bad news for his trusty old toy pals who have spent the past years neglected from use and are now under threat of being thrown away. Andy makes a decision on what to do with them and in true plot twist fashion they find their way to a daycare center.
What sounds like a dream come true for toys, who would not want to have a never ending amount of children to play with them year after year, becomes a nightmare. Toy Story 3 turns into a rousing adventure while we experience the drama and endless comedy of a bunch of misfit toys, who have themselves become a family, try to escape the horror that is daycare.
The evil doer behind their terrible experience is none other than Lotso, a seemingly lovable older bear stuffed animal who is suffering from a mean case of abandonment. His right hand baby is just that, a creepy baby doll who walks and can spin its head backwards. Their tight hold over the daycare should be envious of some of the most hated villains in cinematic history.
The suspense of the break out is only magnified by the fear that they will catch and cause harm to our beloved toys. Only making this an adventure story that keeps you on the edge of your seat as even though we know things have to work out for the gang there is much peril to overcome and obstacles to face before calm and happiness can be reestablished.
Daycare holds a wealth of new additions to the toy world, both good and bad, but the most memorable has to be the Ken doll. With his endless need to defend his masculinity while showcasing his excellent taste in fashion he is a riot. Speaking of a riot, there is a point in the film where Buzz gets his wires crossed and we are treated to a Spanish Buzz, full of lust, passion, and all around suaveness. His repressed feelings for Jessie come spilling out with such charm you laugh and melt at the same time.
It is the funniest bit in the film and occurs at such the right moment in time it showcases the perfection in writing behind this movie. In the end, the root of the story remains comradeship amongst friends and the unbreakable bonds we acquire. No matter how old we get, or how much of the past gets left behind, you must remember it fondly while embracing the future and new beginnings.
Toy Story 3 brings to a close a chapter in Andy’s life, and his toys all the same, while also opening up new possibilities for the future. It is great on every level and worthy of any accolade it may receive.
Cast and Crew
- Director(s): Lee Unkrich
- Producer(s): Andrew Stanton, John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich
- Cast: Tom Hanks (voice of Woody), Tim Allen (voice of Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusack (voice of Jessie), Ned Beatty (voice of Lotso), Michael Keaton (voice of Ken)
- Country Of Origin: USA