Toy Story 3

Well, I decided to try out a review, and thought I would start out with a movie I have seen recently. Let's just get this repeated line out of the way: Pixar has done it again!

I don't know what it is about Pixar, but they are on a role. Every movie they have made has been the #1 grossing movie in the country it's first weekend. If that isn't success, I don't know what is. It has been 11 years since the last Toy Story movie, and I was eagerly awaiting the next installment like all the other kiddies out there. I saw this one in 3D. The first movie I have ever seen in 3D, and let me tell you, it was an experience.

Here's the spoiler-free stuff: Andy is going to college! Can you believe it? Last time we left off, he was a little boy. Now, Andy has to pack his stuff up, store it away, or throw it in the trash. Of course, the toys are worried. What will happen to them? As we see in the trailer, they all end up in a day care where they can be played with all the time. Sounds like a happy ending, right? Not so fast. There are bad toys in the daycare, and Andy's toys have to stop them. Buzz gets stuck in Spanish mode. Ken likes to dress up in awesome outfits. Throw some adult humor in there as well, and you have a great movie. This Toy Story is much darker than the first two, but nothing too terrifying. But, of course, like many other Pixar movies, I ended up crying at the end. It all ends too soon, and you wish that it could be another hour. Or another movie.

Of course, the cast is all back (except for Slinky Dog, but the new voice sounds the same to me). Not to mention the voices for the new toys. They all bring life to their characters. It has always amazed me how people can act without a set or other people. It sounds so realistic that it's hard to believe that these lovable characters aren't real. Below is the plot for the movie...you have been warned. At the end of the spoiler content, there are the words "Spoiler Ends." Feel free to read after that if you don't want to be spoiled.

Spoiler content (movie plot): At the beginning of the movie, Andy decides to take Woody to college, but he wants to put the rest in storage. Unfortunately, mom mistakes the bag of toys for trash, and they end up on the curb. All of the toys escape, but find themselves in a box that is going to be donated to the day care. Woody follows them, and they find out from the leader of the day care toys, Lotso (a purple bear), that they will be played with all the time! And, when the kids grow old, new ones come in. It seems perfect, but Andy's toys get stuck in the room with kids too young to play with them properly. They get painted on, stretched, thrown, and drooled on.

Buzz, on a mission to get the toys moved to a new room, finds out how Lotso, Ken, and others are all evil toys. They reset Buzz, so now he thinks he is a star ranger, again (hilarious!). Buzz keeps all of Andy's toys captive while Woody tries to get them out of the day care before Andy leaves for school. Once Woody gets back into the day care, he helps the toys reset Buzz, but they accidentally hold the reset button too long, and he ends up in Spanish mode (kind of makes me wonder what mode he goes to in the Spanish version).

The toys, with Spanish space ranger Buzz, come up with an elaborate and ridiculously foolish plan to escape. Of course, the danger isn't over. Long story short, all of the toys end up on a dump truck headed to a landfill. They find themselves on the way to a furnace, Lotso is with them, and Woody helps him when the bear is trapped. Just when you think all is well, the evil bear ends up escaping and leaving the rest of the toys to die. All of the toys end up in front of the furnace. They clasp hands and wait to die. At this point in the movie, I started to tear up. How could you not? But have no fear! At the last second, 'the claw' saves them all.

They all make it back to Andy's house where Andy decides to donate all of his toys to a little girl down the road. Andy plays with his toys one last time, and gives them away to a good home. This scene is happy and heart-breaking all in one. It could make most people cry. It makes you realize how strong of an attachment you had to toys when you were little. How they made up your whole world. And then you wonder, what happened to my toys?

Spoiler Ends

Recommendation: It's moving, inspiring, funny, serious, and a masterful movie. Whether you're five or fifty, this movie is for you. Pixar knows how to entertain, and they don't disappoint. The Ken doll and Spanish Buzz almost make the whole movie worth it. I wouldn't recommend seeing it in 3D. It wasn't really necessary. But, I do recommend that you see it as soon as possible. In my opinion, it is an amazing movie.  "You've got a playdate with destiny."

Here's the trailer: