Exceptional, of course.

Rating: 9/10 (20 June 2010)

Pixar is unstoppable. Heck, I'm even anticipating Cars 2 (which they are making, alongside Monsters Inc. 2). About the only thing I didn't like too much was the film's villain, who is pretty much an echo of the villain from the previous Toy Story movie. He even suffers pretty much the same fate. Otherwise, this is just masterful. Andy, the toys' owner, is now 17 and about to head off for college. He is forced to decide what to do with his old toys. Throw them away, donate them to a local day care or store them away in the attic? He chooses the latter option (except for Woody, whom he chooses to take with him), but, through a series of misunderstandings, they get set on the curb. They narrowly escape, and decide to jump into the donation box. At first, the day care seems like heaven on Earth: it doesn't matter that these kids will grow up, because a whole new set of kids is always arriving. Unfortunately, there is a pretty cruel society between the toys that has been established at the day care. Buzz and Andy's other toys are left to be destroyed by toddlers who treat them roughly. The stuffed bear Lotso (Ned Beatty) and his minions rule from a room full of grade schoolers. Meanwhile, Woody, who got trapped in the car and ended up donated, as well, tries to make his way back. On his way, he discovers the truth about the day care and goes back to rescue them. The film contains the same feelings and themes of the previous movies, but it has a somewhat more somber tone to it. Of course, it's mainly an adventure film, and it's extremely exciting. The escape from the day care ranks among the great escape movies (unlike Chicken Run, which just feels like a cheap parody of them). At the end of the film's climax there is a bit that is so emotionally overwhelming that it'll probably be remembered as one of Pixar's best moments ever, right next to the Carl and Ellie sequence that opens Up, the final moment in Monsters Inc. or the space walk in Wall-E. In my mind, the whole relationship between Barbie (a donated toy that belonged to Andy's little sister) and the Ken doll she meets at the day care is one of the funniest things ever. The Ken character (voiced by Michael Keaton) is especially hilarious when putting on a fashion show for Barbie. He might well be my favorite character in the entire series.