"Toy Story 3"

Rating: 8/10 (20 July 2010)

The problem with three-quals, in particular the more recent three-quals, is that they usually run out of steam halfway through Part 2. One can also understand how an audience could grow to be ever so slightly cynical, that studios make these films for the sake of big bucks alone.
That has never been a criticism one can throw at Pixar. Throughout their history they have kept on redefining what it is to be a truly fantastic movie for every single person, save for one or two slight hiccoughs along the way ("Cars" in particular). The fact that they were able to not only pull off a worthy sequel to "Toy Story" back in 2000 but to also make it an infinitely more superior film to its predecessor, in a way already fills you with confidence that they know what they're doing. This isn't going to be one of the Shrek films. This is going to have a message and, more importantly, a heart.
Though the beginning is perhaps slightly hampered by a rather lacklustre pre-film short, you're very quickly thrown back into the world of Woody, Buzz and co as if it were only yesterday. A fantastic voyage into the imagination of young Andy develops into a sweet little montage, the familiar strains of Randy Newman's "You've Got A Friend In Me" backing it. But then the music fades away, and so does the warmth. We're thrown into the present day - for the toys, it's a time of uncertainty and loneliness, stuffed away in a toy chest in the teenage Andy's room, anxious about their future with his impending journey to college.
This is truly where the film sweeps the rug from under your feet. It proves to be a somewhat different film than anyone really expects. There are some immensely dark moments peppered throughout, be they provided by the sense of loss and fear of being forgotten or the rather scary baby doll who patrols the floors of the Day Care Centre that the toys mistakenly end up in. A word of warning here; this is NOT a film for the very young. If the baby doesn't freak you out, the security cymbal-playing monkey almost certainly will.
The script is excellent, and the darkness is broken up by moments of great light and laugh-out-loud humour, most of which is provided by the hilarious John Ratzenberger as Hamm. Two other stand out parts include a jailbreak where Mr Potato Head (Don Rickles) becomes an altogether different vegetable, and a reset button on Buzz that gives director Lee Unkrich the chance to make this film probably the first animated film to ever have subtitles.
New characters that are introduced don't feel crowded, the handy plot device of Andy's growing up meaning several familiar faces don't appear in this movie. Barbie finally gets her Ken (a very funny Michael Keaton), and the main antagonist, a purple bear who is wonderfully played by Ned Beatty, helps to add to the film's sense of melancholy. Despite these new characters, and the fact that technology has moved on a lot in ten years, our old toys still look and sound the same, and kudos to Tom Hanks and Tim Allen for taking the film as seriously as any other dramatic part, the only way it could possibly work.
The final third of the film is full of twists and turns, and several moments that had me choking up and blubbering like a baby. You don't feel cheated at all - you really get a sense that this is the last part of a fantastic three-qual. One certainly hopes so, though one cannot help but be a little nervous as to what the Disney executives could do in Direct-To-DVD mode when all they see is big dollar signs. This is the best ending anyone could ever give the toys. They are redeemed and, in a way, reborn.
Strange short aside, and even though it's perhaps not a patch on Number 2 (nor on "Wall-E" or "Up"), this is certainly a brilliant film, and is guaranteed to win at least one Oscar next year.
8/10