No toy gets left behind.

Rating: 10/10 (19 June 2010)

Toy Story 3 is a comical new adventure in Disney Digital 3D that lands the toys in a room full of untamed tots who can't wait to get their sticky little fingers on these "new" toys. It's pandemonium as they try to stay together, ensuring "no toy gets left behind." Meanwhile, Barbie comes face to plastic face with Ken (yes, that Ken). (Disney, Pixar)
The third movie curse. Time and time again have shown us that the third film of every trilogy is always the weakest of the bunch, and it's usually true. However, since this is PIXAR we're talking about, TOY STORY 3 is a huge exception (emphasis on the word "huge"). In fact, I'll go further and say that TOY STORY 3 is the best in the trilogy, by far. Unlike most PIXAR films, the first two Toy Story films never try to be profound. They have always been about it's lovable, plastic, toy characters portraying true, human emotions and that's what makes them so brilliant to begin with!
TOY STORY 3 is no different. We see our beloved characters return to the silver screen again for their last adventure, and it's a big one. The story also carries more weight. Like SHREK FOREVER AFTER, there's a lot at stake compared to the previous films, so much so that the characters' lives are at risk, which is appropriate, considering this is the last film and all. Although the darkest of the bunch (you'd be surprised how much PIXAR could squeeze into this G-rated flick), the film manages to perfectly blend the dark moments with light-hearted moments. In fact, TOY STORY 3 is hilarious, filled with witty jokes and perfect comedic timing from the toys! The toys!
The story is well written, thanks to Michael Arndt, who also wrote the script for LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. It's different from the previous PIXAR films in a way that there is a lot of suspense and excitement going on. In fact, there's a sequence in the third act that had me on the edge of my seats and crying at the same time! How that sequence alone could pass the MPAA's G-rated standards is beyond my knowledge. The film also gets its try at the horror genre, and I have to admit, they are legitimately scary.
As said before, most of our characters return, although some, most notably Bo Peep, are not to be seen, which is kinda depressing for me. However, we get to meet some new characters along the way, my favorite being Ken, Barbie's love interest. He's such a fantastic, colorful character and he provides most of the film's funniest jokes. I also liked Trixie, the new dinosaur, although she was underused in the film. Oh, and I loved what the filmmakers did to Buzz Lightyear. I'm not going to spoil it but it's very funny.
What brings this film on a level far greater than the first two films is the theme of being able to let go, which us movie goers will also have to go through when watching the film and because of this, it reaches a deeper emotional depth than ever before. I guarantee that you will cry in this film and if you don't, you might as well be a robot. The animation is also substantially better than the previous two films' already impeccable animation, showing how far even Pixar's technology has advanced.
As a send off to the series, TOY STORY 3 can't be any more perfect, especially the last scene. The opening sequence alone is worth the price of admission just because it brings back the nostalgia from the two previous films. The film is filled with suspense, romance, adventure, horror, comedy, and, let's not forget, heart. While other movie studios try to release good films (yeah, right), PIXAR is the only movie studio that has gotten all 100% of their films right. See this film not because it's the last time we may see these characters. See it because it's a cinematic masterpiece, an end of a golden era. It's the best film of the year so far. Let's hope a TOY STORY film finally receives the Oscar it deserved fifteen years ago.
It should also be noted that the short that appears before this film, DAY & NIGHT, is bloody brilliant. The short is so original, so wonderful, so mind blowing that it's an obvious Oscar contender for Best Short. I'm still awestruck at how original the short is.