Read more about the cinematic quality of Toy Story 3 AFTER the jump.
Toy Story 3 is the tale of Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) as they prepare their ragtag team of lovable toys for the departure of their kid Andy, who’s off to college. Faced with the realization they will either be thrown away or hidden in the attic for years, the gang makes their way to daycare instead in hopes of a new life with children to play with them every single day. However, due to a bogus hierarchy in place by Lots-o’-Huggin’-Bear and his Big Baby zombie-esque minion, Buzz, Jessie, Bullseye, Rex, and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head all end up in the dreaded Caterpillar Room, where they are played with rather violently by hyperactive toddlers who drool on them and use them as hammers. It’s a rough existence. Woody decides to try to save his friends in order to reunite them all for Andy.
The 3-D doesn’t really add much to the film considering how impressive Pixar animation has already been in the past, but the level of depth perception is fairly incredible. This is one film where spending the extra couple bucks to wear the funny glasses doesn’t matter all too much. The real draw here is the story. Watching Toy Story 3 isn’t like watching a mere child’s movie. While I immensely enjoyed How to Train Your Dragon, that film was definitely a movie for children with some adult stuff peppered in. Toy Story 3 felt like a cinematic experience. There was depth, humanity, and touching moments that almost brought tears to my eyes. It’s a moving film full of imagination, wonder, and complexity.
Kids will love Toy Story 3, but they might not get the full grasp of just how poignant this film truly is, which is saying something, considering it’s a movie about plastic playthings.
--Darcie Duttweiler