An Incredible Conclusion to A Classic Trilogy

Rating: 10/10 (20 July 2010)

Fifteen years ago, Toy Story was released. It was an instant classic, brimming with wit, warmth, humour and genuine emotions. Toy Story 2 was even better, upping the ante on thrills and laughs whilst telling a beautiful story. I've grown up with these movies, and I love them now as much as I did the first time I saw them.
I have been waiting for Toy Story 3 for the past ten years. I'm ecstatically pleased to say that this is not only on the same level as its predecessors, it is the best of the trilogy. It is also my favourite Pixar film to date, taking the known and loved Pixar hallmarks and taking them up another notch. I could not be more satisfied with this conclusion to what is, after Lord of the Rings, the best trilogy ever made. High praise, but these movies more than deserve it.
Ten years after the events of Toy Story 3, Andy (voice of John Morris) has grown up and is going off to college. The toys we know and love, Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), Buzz (voice of Tim Allen), Jessie (voice of Joan Cusack), Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (voices of Don Rickles and Estelle Harris), Hamm (voice of John Ratzenberger), Rex (voice of Wallace Shawn), Slinky (voiced by Blake Clark, replacing the late Jim Varney), Bullseye and the aliens, are all contemplating their fates. Will they go to the attic, daycare or the garbage? Andy means to put them in the attic, but through a series of circumstances, the toys end up at Sunnyside daycare, lorded over by an apparently kindly strawberry-scented bear called Lotso (voice of Ned Beatty). The toys think that they've struck gold, but their joy turns to horror when they realise that they've been assigned to the Caterpillar room, a room full of youngsters who equal a wrecking ball for the toys. Realising that life in the attic would be better than remaining at the daycare centre, the toys launch an escape plan. However, Lotso and the other toys at the daycare aren't going to make it easy.
Like Toy Story 2, this is very much a story about the end of childhood. However, Toy Story 2 only contemplated the end of Andy's childhood and the repercussions this could have for the toys. Here, D-Day has finally arrived, and the anguish felt by the toys is palpable. The final 30 minutes, in particular, exhibit that message beautifully. There are two scenes at the end of the movie which show how the trilogy has built in maturity and emotional power. The first scene is easily the scariest of the trilogy, but it also delivers a thunderous emotional punch through our love for the characters and the love they have for each other. This scene questions the mortality of the main characters, and brings the survival of the characters into question. It is, without a doubt, the best scene in the trilogy, and it is one of the most hellish, chilling yet poignant moments that I have ever seen in a movie. The second scene is just as powerful, a truly beautiful send-off for the characters and a powerful reminder of how, even though we may not know it, these characters have a strong place in our hearts.
The vocal acting, as in the other two entries, is top-notch. Hanks, Allen, Cusack, Rickles, Harris, Shawn, Ratzenberger, Morris and Laurie Metcalf (as Andy's mother) all return, and do exceptional work. It's been years, but they return to the roles like it was only yesterday. I had a similar experience; even though it's been years since I sat in a cinema and was utterly transported by Toy Story 2, it feels like only yesterday. The immediacy of Toy Story 3 is one of the movie's quintessential strengths; there is a sense of nostalgia, but even those younger members of the audience can quickly jump into the story and be swept away by the magic of it all. The new vocal talent is also brilliant. Ned Beatty is stunning as Lotso, friendly one minute and menacing the next. The sepia-coloured flashback detailing Lotso's sinister transformation is one of the movie's highlights. Michael Keaton is hilarious as Ken, who immediately hits it off with Barbie (voice of Jodi Benson, The Little Mermaid), who he's never met and vice versa. A musical montage set to "Le Freak" as Ken tries on different clothes is a comedic blast. Blake Clark, Timothy Dalton, Jeff Garlin, Kristin Schaal, Bonnie Hunt and Whoopi Goldberg are all strong, Dalton a particular delight as Mr. Pricklepants, a British thespian hedgehog in lederhosen.
As expected, the animation is gorgeous. Each frame is jam-packed with detail, to the point where you will want to see it again just to see what visuals you missed out the first time. I went to watch Toy Story 3 in 2D, and the animation was still some of the best I have ever seen. As I haven't seen the 3D version, I can't say if the 3D detracts from the movie. However, if you're strapped for cash, the 2D presentation is delectable.
If I described Toy Story 3 in one word, I'd say; perfection. The wonderful vocal work, the gorgeous animation, the compelling screenplay (written by Little Miss Sunshine's Michael Arndt), the assured direction of Lee Unkrich (taking over from John Lasseter, who helmed Toy Story and Toy Story 2) and the transcendent score by Randy Newman; all are flawless. Toy Story 3, whilst delivering the familiar pleasures of the first two movies, takes the characters in new, exciting directions, and finds the perfect conclusion for their journey. By the time the credits roll, you'll have cried (both from sadness and from laughter), you'll have been on the edge of your seat and you'll have had a smile on your face the whole way through. What is this condition? Sheer cinematic joy.