Family Fun

The last chapter in the Toy Story saga, hitting theaters some fifteen years after the first film, has already grossed over three hundred million dollars – after only one week!

The wildly popular Toy Story 3 is now playing in theaters worldwide, and has topped a number of records at the box office.

When I first heard that a third Toy Story was in progress, I admit that I was not very impressed. The first movie was absolutely charming, and the second was cute but certainly not up to par. A third seemed like overkill, especially after such a long time.

But boy was I wrong! Toy Story 3 was an excellent film, and I can honestly see a person of any age enjoying it.

The story begins with Andy, now seventeen and heading off for college, cleaning out his bedroom.  The toys that have lived there all of these years take their future into their own hands, and instead of resigning themselves to life in the attic, they steal away to the daycare center where promises of perpetual playtime await. Characters that we know and love (scaredy-cat Rex the dinosaur, the crotchety Potato Heads, cowgirl Jessie, justice-obsessed Buzz, ringleader Woody, etc.), along with some new faces struggle through life at Sunnyside Daycare as the toys do their best to stay together.

When I first heard that the movie would focus on Andy’s leaving for college, a red flag went up right away. How, I thought to myself, could this possibly have a happy or fulfilling ending? What will become of the toys? But as the events unfolded, it became clear that there was a happy ending, and a proper salute to the characters we’ve all grown to love.

Toy Story 3 had so many cute little jokes in it, and I don’t want to spoil them. Suffice it to say that Potato Head gets a makeover; Buzz unleashes his inner Fabio; the toys go mano-y-mano with blissfully destructive toddlers; and a truly unforgettable courtship ensues between Barbie and Ken. The animation, as always, is spectacular, and just as vibrantly colorful as the first two movies. The plot is extremely clever, especially the convoluted “master plan” at the climax.

I speak for my generation – Andy’s generation that is, we recent high school graduates – when I say the movie has a bit of a special meaning to us. I was three when Toy Story came out, and my friends and I watched it growing up. To see Andy heading off for college at the same time as we are is very touching. As far as handling those deeper themes, I’d say the movie was very well done.

I highly recommend Toy Story 3. It’s a typical Pixar production – flawless animation, pithy jokes throughout, and a heartwarming storyline that warrants nothing less than a standing ovation.

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*Just a note from the PPR Staff: We congratulate our junior correspondent, Christine

O’Neill, as she heads off to college this fall, having graduated as Salutatorian of the Pawling High School class of 2010.

This entry was posted on July 5, 2010 at 2:13 PM and is filed under O'Neill's Theatre and Movie Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.