TS3: Darker, and Better Than Its Predecessors

Rating: 9/10 (21 June 2010)

What's most wonderful about TOY STORY 3, and what sets it apart from the rest of the series, is how it approaches the character of Andy, the kid who was given Buzz Lightyear for his seventh birthday back when nobody had ever heard of Pixar in 1995. Andy's always been a sweet kid, a kid worth the loyalty of Woody, Buzz and the gang, but beyond that, he's been, well, a kid. As we catch up to him in part three, however, Andy's leaving home for college, and his choice of what to do with his toys – bring them, store them in the attic, or trash them – frames the story. The film's insight into Andy proves its best asset, because unlike parts one and two, the toys in this final chapter have a complex relationship with their owner, and their journey is not about simply getting back to him at all costs. It's about the question of where a toy's place in the world is – where it has value, and when. That the end of childhood is the jumping off point for this series capstone makes it not only the darkest of the three, but the most rewarding, at least for a former kid. If you are one, you will more or less love this movie.
Read the rest of my review (and more) at: http://stevenspielblog.com/