Friday, June 25, 2010

Box Office Review – Toy Story 3


In 1995 Pixar released their first feature length film Toy Story. Now fifteen years, nine films, and five billion dollars later Pixar releases its eleventh film, Toy Story 3. It is amazing how far Pixar has come since its early days. Honestly comparing Toy Story and Toy Story 3 is like comparing two different animation types. That is how amazing Toy Story 3 looks. The lighting and scaling in the film blew me away. While I could write this whole review about how great the technical aspects are of the film, it is the story that is most important here. And, anyway if you have seen a Pixar film you know that they always strive for perfection visually.

Toy Story 3 is written by Michael Ardent (Little Miss Sunshine) who may seem like an odd choice for a kid's movie, but this is far more than just a kid's movie. The film's main theme is change which doesn't seem like something little kids would be interested in. Andy the owner of all the main toys is now 17 and is about to leave for college. Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang are worried about their fate. Will they be placed in the attic were they can live out their lives in leisure, or thrown in the trash. Woody is sure that they will end up in the attic while the other toys aren't as positive. Where the toys end up though is a place none of them were expecting. After a series of unfortunate incidents the toys end up in daycare. At first this daycare called Sunnyside run by Lotso a strawberry scented berry seems like a good place, but over time the seedy under belly of the daycare is exposed. The film then turns into a prison escape flick. This is the part that I liked the best in the film. It pays tribute to past escape films without going Shrek. The clapping monkey scene is the funniest part of any film in the series.

While the second act of the film is great fun, the movie does take a turn down emotional lane at the end of the film. This part didn't tug at my heart strings as it tries a bit too hard to be touching. I never found the character of Andy to be that interesting and in this third film he is a very annoying 17 year old. His connection to the toys never seems like an important element of the film so the ending didn't make me all weepy eyed.

I went into this not expecting much as I always do when I go into a Pixar film. Every time my expectations get blown away, so I think Toy Story 3 will be the last Pixar film I underestimate.

A Gold Banana


2 comments:

  1. moneky part WAS the best. Andy is annoying and lame. I thought mrs. potato´s lost eye gimmik was a little dumb. Mr. Potato´s escape from the sand box was epic. however, the end was lame. Up was better

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  2. My Rank of Pixar films goes
    1. Ratatouille
    2. Wall-E
    3. Toy Story 3
    4. Up
    5. Finding Nemo
    6. Monster's Inc
    7. Toy Story 2
    8. Toy Story
    9. The Incredibles
    10. A Bugs Life
    11. Cars (I have never seen it)

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