Childhood Revisted and Contemplated

Rating: 9/10 (19 June 2010)

I just got back from seeing Toy Story 3. It's the kind of movie that, honestly, I could type an entire five page thesis on. Inside and out, I had an absolutely wonderful time revisiting characters that, by this point, had become like old friends to me.
There are some movies that you just have to admit that your passion for it might be founded completely on bias. I remember my infatuation with Buzz Lightyear as a kid. I remember when Buzz tried to fly out the window but ended up crashing down on Sid's floor. I remember Jessie singing about the days when she used to be loved. Most importantly, I remember that moment at the end of Toy Story 2 when Woody realizes that his place is with the boy that he loves. The first two films, as a whole, are probably some of the most important film memories from my childhood.
So coming into Toy Story 3, my expectations were sky-high. It isn't quite as daringly original as some of Pixar's most recent accomplishments (Wall-E, Up, and 'That Rat Movie That I Won't Bother Spelling come to mind), but it doesn't have to be. This is, hopefully, the final curtain for beloved characters that almost every child from my generation has grown up with. It concludes a series of films that together form the best film trilogy this side of The Lord of the Rings. That's no small feat, especially for a bunch of animated pieces of plastic.
There's a few hiccups in the narrative from time to time. Occasionally the story felt a little too 'gag heavy' than I would have liked, but this is in the spirit of the original films. Part of what makes Toy Story work so well is that it's able to balance heavy-handed sentimentality with childlike wit and warmth. Some folks could easily walk into this and not pick up on some of the more 'indepth' threads. It functions as both a 'wistful action comedy' and an 'analysis on mortality and aging'.
The film's climax is one of the best Pixar has ever pulled off. The entire series comes together in such a bittersweet and satisfying way that it's hard not to shed at least a couple of tears. It's hard to believe that, after all these years, Pixar hasn't managed to lose their touch.
I reconnected with my childhood in those last several moments. I really can't ask for anything more than that.
It certainly isn't perfect, and there's certainly elements that have been liberally rehashed from the original installments, but Pixar has managed to make the first real animated trilogy. Something to cherish, love, and share with the next generation.
Final Verdict: Heart melting. Tears flowing. Wallet eagerly waiting to be emptied for another ticket.