Remarkably Profound

Rating: 9/10 (24 June 2010)

It's astonishing to think of the impressively high standard Pixar has set for animated films. It's astonishing to think of any animated movie - including Pixar - equaling, much less surpassing, that standard set by Pixar previously. It's even more astonishing to realize that Pixar never fails to reach and/or surpass that standard.
See, part of me hoped this film would disappoint. Having heard rumors of a series of sequels from Pixar - this, Cars 2, Monsters, Inc. 2, and a potential Finding Nemo sequel - I feared Pixar may start falling victim to the seemingly severe case of sequelitis that is plaguing Hollywood. Alas, I realize that Pixar is not a victim of sequelitis, but rather the antidote; the definition of what a sequel needs to be.
Earlier this year, I watched How To Train Your Dragon and for the first time believed I had witnessed a film that had finally matched Pixar quality. Then Toy Story 3 came along, and reminded just how high that standard had been set. At times feeling like an animated Shawshank Redemption and other times a profound existential commentary, TS3 may eventually prove to be the best of the trilogy, which is one of the strongest trilogies ever made.
In this, we see the toys accidentally donated to a day care facility days before Andy sets off for college. Immediately we are greeted with a conflict of loyalty as Andy chooses Woody as the only toy he will take to college. The bond between the toy and his owner has really been the core of the trilogy, and it drives this film even further. It is what makes the realization of Woody's future and existence so profound, and what makes the ending the humbling farewell this trilogy deserves.
Determined to keep the gang together and - after hearing of the truth behind the day care - concerned for his friends, Woody embarks on a journey to save his friends from a very bleak future. Throughout this journey, Woody comes to perhaps the most profound realization a toy could encounter: that his purpose is to be the character of imagination, an imagination which Andy can no longer fully provide. And in a bittersweet conclusion, a new future for the toys is realized.
Beautifully crafted and enduringly realized, Toy Story 3 works its way near the top of the list of the greatest animated films ever made. Pixar has done it yet again.