Toy Story 3

Review by Jason Donner

Call this a story over ten years in the making and, unlike other long-awaited sequels (like Indiana Jones), the time difference works wonders for the story.

Since we last left that toy-loving darling little boy Andy, he's done the unthinkable and grown up.  Now, on the eve of his departure for college his toys wonder what will become of them.  Consigned to the belief that they will never be played with again when Andy packs only Woody to go with him, Buzz and the few remaining toys get themselves donated to a day care.  Have they found a new home where they will be played with forever, or is it some sort of Hell from which there is no escape?  Is Andy really done with his toys forever?  Is Woody and Buzz' names some sort of an adult joke after all, or just innocent misunderstandings from those with too much free time and who look too far into things that don't matter?

It's tragic that 2010 has been such a barren year that Toy Story 3 has been the most emotionally gripping experience I've had all year.  True, thanks to fatherhood, I don't get to see the number of movies I used to (or would like to which is why I wish someone would just hire me as a film critic), but most of the the 2010 movies have been soulless black holes from which no joy can escape.

Toy Story 3, however, is outstanding.  This is a movie crafted from love and emotion and it drips from every scene.  I will fully admit to being driven to tears twice -- once during the firey climax when the toys are heading towards certain doom and they do something so human and touching in the face of it that I literally started weeping.  Secondly, I cried when the question of what would be the toy's ultimate fate was finally revealed.

I'm a man, and I'll admit it.  The only difference between me and the tough guys is that I do admit it freely.

Toy Story 3 is a joy, pure and simple.  It goes from being uproariously hilarious one minute, to genuinely emotional the next, and the goes unexpectedly dark just to catch you off guard.  This is not a story about simple toys that come to life when you're not looking, its grown far beyond that. 

When the first Toy Story came out, I was about Andy's age -- young, heading off for college, and leaving behind all of my treasures.  I saw Toy Story 3 with my children and, when we were done, I dug in my closet and found an old stuffed dog I had when I was a kid and gave it to my son as an early birthday present. Toy Story 3  is the story of not leaving childish things behind, but rather the joy of saving those things for the younger generation.