A wonderful way to say goodbye.

Rating: 9/10 (20 June 2010)

The first Toy Story movie was a milestone in the history of film, being the first ever full-length CG film ever made. And with it's intriguing plot and terrific comedic delivery, coupled with all the elements needed for a great adventure, it was a box-office smash, as was it's sequel. Today, fifteen years later, Woody and co. have come back to the silver screen for one last hurray.
Toy Story 3 is set a few years after the events of the second film. Andy, the owner of the toys, is now a young man entering college and hasn't played with his old pals for years. After numerous attempts of getting his attention came to no avail, Woody, Buzz, and the remaining of the toys are resigned to the fact that they aren't going to be played with anymore. When only Woody is picked to follow Andy to college, the rest of the toys seek refuge as donations to Sunnyside Daycare, only to realize that there is more to the place than it seems. Now, Woody must help them escape and convince them that they still have a place in Andy's heart.
As with any other Pixar animated films so far, Toy Story 3 carries the same ingenious amount of slapstick comedy which leaves you in laughter and also in awe of it's creativity. The story progresses as a true adventure, as Woody, Buzz and friends maneuver past the countless obstacles with wit and hilarity. Lee Unkrich masterfully displays the imaginative appeal of the first two movies, taking the adventure from a vending machine to within a garbage truck.
TS3 boasts one of Pixar's most daring and laudable aspect in making family movies, in the way they shift the story into a darker tone. And this time, they have raised the stakes to unprecedented heights. While The Incredibles and Up play out the dark tones in a way less obvious to children, the theme of the toys being forsaken and forgotten here forgoes the subtlety, and we are shown the tragic back stories of the toys, and fear for their impending doom. There are a few scenes where the toys were faced with certain destruction. Immensely intense and gripping, it left me at the edge of my seat, having invested so much feelings in it.
Last but definitely not least is how this movie can affect any individual emotionally. Up till the end, the whole movie had been about having to let go of things, and by the final act, it was about learning to do it. Without revealing too much, let me say that the ending not only offers closure for Andy's emotional attachment, but is also a fitting send off for the icons we have come to know fifteen years ago. It brilliantly evokes a sense of nostalgia not only to the films, but to our very own childhood, where we had so much fun exploring the powers of the imagination to not just our toys, but the unventured world out there.
Toy Story 3 maintains the form of the first two films, being a wonderful mix of comedy, adventure, and a message about life. It is an excellent and heartfelt tribute to a franchise that has not only earned a place in history, but a special place in the hearts of so many people. And wherever we go in life, when we look back at these movies, it will be with a smile, rekindling our very own childhood memories.
To Infinity and Beyond.