Toy Story 3

I remember getting up early on a Saturday morning and watching Warner Brothers cartoons with the volume turned low. We were allowed to get up as long as we didn’t wake mom and dad. Some of the original cartoons, before Daffy and Bugs, had musical scores with dancing bugs, jitterbugging flowers, and singing animals. But the ones that fascinated me the most were the toons that showed what our toys do at night after we go to bed. According to these animated shorts, as we slept, our toys carried out adventures, romances, and even toy battles. I never looked at my play things the same way again.

When the original Toy Story appeared in 1995 I was pretty sure that the creators were influenced by the same Saturday morning escapades as myself. But in place of a short visual delight we got fully realized characters complete with a compelling story. These were characters that were as endearing as our toys themselves. We’ve all had a Woody, Buzz or Mr. Potatohead in our lives. It was a film that every adult and child could identify with. Toy Story was a big success.

Now, twenty-five years later, we are being asked to open our toy chest again and visit our old friends. Will they still touch us now? Will there still be that same connection? Well, the answer is yes, definitely! Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang have been waiting for us all this time. As we’ve gone on, living our adult lives, dealing with war, terrorism, natural disasters and the economy, our toys are beckoning us, “Come, relax, sit down, play!”

Toy Story 3 is a welcome respite. It is as beautifully realized as the original and touching enough to make grown men cry. It is Pixar at its very best and everyone will love this film. Animation has grown in the last twenty-five years and with these advances, Woody and friends are capable of even more harrowing adventures. Expect to have an emotional work-out, the tension is palpable and the sentiment is real. Toy Story 3 is a masterpiece and a testament to the Pixar team. You’ll thoroughly enjoy this film.

Rating: Must See Come, relax, play!