To be a kid for one more day

Rating: 10/10 (18 June 2010)

Everyone who is a member of Facebook knows about fan pages. Most fan pages are bullshit. Yet, there is one page that holds truths on so many different levels: "move out of the way children, I've been waiting 11 years to see Toy Story 3." Seriously, kids, we're not joking. Move. And if you don't move then at least do the impossible and shut up for an hour and 45 minutes. Honestly, that's how good Toy Story 3 is. You don't want to miss a single second.
Toy Story 3, coming 11 years after its predecessor Toy Story 2, picks up the story of Woody, Buzz, Jessie and co. around 5-7 years later. Times have changed for the toys as their beloved owner, Andy, has grown up and is soon going off to college. The toys believe their two options are either being thrown out or placed in the attic, but receive what at first seems to be a pleasant surprise when they're brought to a local daycare center and donated. Soon enough, the toys find out that the daycare center, Sunnyside, isn't as happy and peaceful as a place as it's made up to be. In a nutshell, the toys face vast uncertainties and struggle to find where their place now lies.
Anyone who even slightly knows about film can appreciate how difficult it is to create a masterpiece, never mind two. Yet, the staff over at Pixar seems to put them out left and right. Back in 1995, Toy Story became Pixar's first masterpiece. In 1999, Toy Story 2 became another and also one of the most well-received sequels of all-time. Fast forward to 2010, Pixar completes their trilogy masterpiece with the highly intelligent, sophisticated, energetic, emotional and fun Toy Story 3.
On the foundation of the most recent masterpiece are the earthly themes which give the story its life. Toy Story 3's plot may be simplistic, but its subject matter challenges the viewer to connect with the characters. The toy characters (and the human characters) are given complex problems that the audience cannot help but get sucked right into. Built on themes such as togetherness and learning when to let go, Toy Story 3 is properly rated, but at the same time offers a ridiculous amount of maturity that's injected right into the heart and minds of its characters.
The most impressive aspect of Toy Story 3, without a doubt, is its ability to pick up where it left off in terms of its plastic characters. Although each character is handled with delicacy, it's Woody who takes center stage with his near-human connection that he has with Andy. It is astounding how a simple animated film can produce such feeling of sheer love between a child (or young adult) and his toys. While Woody handles the brunt of the emotional load, Woody's supporting cast brings an enormous amount of life to the film and while it's obvious they've grown, they haven't changed. Audiences will also be treated to the introduction of several new characters, but none steal the show quite like Lotso, whose story is so complex and unnerving that it's hard to hold much resentment towards him and Ken, who, opposite of Barbie, more than fills the movie with humor.
Ultimately, those who have grown up and stuck with Toy Story throughout are bound to love it. Toy Story 3 keeps its base characters the same and more than pays homage to its original. The film is rich in human emotion and those who are around the same age as Andy will have a hard time not relating to his feelings. The movie is an emotional roller-coaster and its final 20 minutes alone could be another to give this masterpiece its fresh rating. The ending of childhood is a bittersweet experience, but it's a movie like Toy Story 3 that understands. It's a movie like Toy Story 3 that gives people like me, 20 years old and in college, an excuse to toss aside any troubles and feel like a kid again, even if it's for less than two hours.