Everyone probably knows by now that I’m not the biggest fan of computer animation. I prefer anime myself. I also like the old-fashioned hand-drawn animation. I have no time for the Shrek series as I could barely sit through the first one, but Toy Story is something different. The Toy Story series taps into our love of toys and judging from the emotional responses to the final scenes of Toy Story 3, Pixar has another winner on its hands. Toy Story 3 may be light in plot (it’s basically The Great Escape with toys) but the final scenes contain an emotional truth that you’d be hard-pressed to find in movies both big and small. At a time when the blockbusters are often loud, noisy, and joyless and the independent films are filled with “quirky slobs” and “mumblecore”, Toy Story 3 stands apart as a beautifully animated and wonderful acheivement. It’s the perfect way to say goodbye to old friends. The voice casting is excellent and some of the newer characters are also a lot of fun.
The adorable Totoro from Miyazaki's classic anime My Neighbor Totoro popping up in Toy Story 3.
Toy Story 3 concerns Andy and his big move to college. He must decide which toys to pack away in the attic, take with him to college, or give away to a local daycare center filled with screaming thuggish toddlers. After a misshap, most of the toys (feeling unwanted by Andy) wind up at the daycare center, which turns into a nightmare. Run by a nasty, lonely teddy bear and Ken (of Barbie and Ken fame, voiced with comedic gusto by Michael Keaton), the daycare is basically a commentary on gentrification and even the slave trade. This darker mid-section of the movie is book-ended by a great chase and escape led by our hero Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks). Ken steals laughs and scenes as the ultimate metrosexual (I love your ascottttttt, purrs a smitten Barbie) and the ending is not to be missed by fans of the series. The final scene has been turning adult women (and men) into puddles of jello as the subtle goodbye causes tears and sobbing in crowds everywhere. Toy Story 3 is easily the best movie of the summer so far, and one of the best movies of the year.
Grade: A-
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