The animation is wonderous, as well as the story

Rating: 10/10 (3 July 2010)

It's hard to keep a franchise going for three movies and still stay fresh simultaneously and Toy Story 3 shows its still possible. The Pixar geniuses return to their first film to have a sequel (let alone two) and they succeed in giving it their true magic that is rare in new animated films. Pixar has always made wonderful, artsy films that not only express a great message and feel, but they express great color and animation to them as well. The first Toy Story came out in 1995 making it Pixar's first film all around and it seemed that after Toy Story came out, hand drawn animation laid in it's grave while a new age of CGI animation started dominating the market and revolutionized a whole new era of movies. The sequel as well.
Even if you have seen one but not the other, you seem to already know the characters and even if you don't, the movie basically says "Hey we have made you wait eleven years, here's an introduction." Though this film takes on more of a parody element, prison like film and seems targeted to the audience that were like 1 or 2 when the first hit theaters. Plus they have adult humor with prison escapes that keep the parents interested. Though some jokes were a little too childlike and maybe would have got to the true Toy Story fans who were in middle school when the first one got a release. Now they would obviously be in their twenties and quickly lose interest in this film. And though Pixars films can be cliché and non-suspenseful because you know the characters will find a way out of it. This one still keeps you in suspense.
The plot is about Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), and the rest of the toy gang figuring out that Andy is going to College and needs to pack what he wants to take, what he wants to toss, and what he wants in the attic. By mistake (and a lot of fun actions) they instead go to Sunnyside Day Care Center where they meet other toys and the seemingly nice owner by the name of Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear (Lotso). In the mean time Woody escapes Sunnyside by luck and wants to find his way back to Andy's. He makes his way back to Sunnyside to go to his friends and just in time when the gang finds out of Lotso's evil and his plans to treat them like prisoners. The rest of the film is devoted to focusing on the gang's (genius) plans to get out of Sunnyside and to escape Lotso's clutches.
The movie is simplistic, but yet genius at the same time. The ways the characters find ways to hide from adults is hilarious, clever, and unique. Its also nice to note that the opening short film, Day & Night was just as amusing as the entire film. It brings out the creativeness and art in Pixar and even shows that people of all differences can come together and be happy. Its one of the better shorts they have done, even with a simple concept. I'd give it a three and a half out of four stars.
Its also interesting to note that the voice of Slinky Dog (Jim Varney) and Lenny and Wheezy (Joe Ranft) have both died since Toy Story 2 came out. Ranft's last role was in the Pixar success (and my favorite of their films), Cars as the fire truck "Red". Varney's was Daddy and Then and was replaced with Blake Clark for the voice of Slinky and Lenny and Wheezy were simply written out of the story. Though the movie brings mention of some older characters from the previous films. So overall, this film is amazing and he even though it out hand drawn animation in it's grave, it brought in a whole new world of art. Plus it would be odd to see Toy Story in the hand drawn era.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Blake Clark, Wallace Shawn, and John Ratzenberger. Directed by: Lee Unkrich.