Clever, innovative, touching, sweet; a triumph on every level

Rating: 10/10 (5 August 2010)

Marvelous on every level; Toy Story 3 exemplifies the true spirit of movie making. Just a joy to watch, and a pleasant gem to think and talk about afterword. The Toy Story franchise is arguably the best at maintaining its freshness. Same concept, story arc, and characters, but each chapter has its own personality and theme.
This film's sentiment reminded me of a piece of poetry I read as a child I've never forgotten; it spoke of the plight of some abandoned toys in a child's bedroom. With heart-wrenching warmth, it described each toy's faithful and longing vigil as they all awaited the return of the child who had once made their lives so joyful, but who had "one day, disappeared." Had the child died? In a way; the child was gone forever, having made that inevitable passage to adulthood. In the same way, Andy, no longer the little boy who once took Buzz and Woody on wild fantasy adventures, is moving on to his adult life (college).
There is a very healthy mixture of all the elements that have made the Toy Story characters so endearing. The topical humor is still top-notch caliber, but they also capture your heart this time with heart felt sentimentality. They show a deep caring for one another that is not only refreshing to see, but believably and sweetly presented. More than once, characters stick their necks out to help one another. Big Baby was a wonderful addition to the group; anybody who doesn't feel anything during Baby's cries of anguish needs to get a heart transplant.
It's a spectacular collaboration of vivid artwork, exquisite visuals, ingenious plot development, penetrating emotion, and excellent voice talent. Fine movies always have memorable moments, and this film has plenty: The back-stories are tenderly told. The toxic dump sequence is an astounding grand finale of emotion, action, and suspense. The scene featuring Andy and Bonnie is inspired. The final image is deeply moving. This film not only lives up to the lofty standards the franchise has already established for itself, it even exceeds them. The best art is that which paints an image of the human condition with truth and beauty. Toy Story is all that and more.
Recommended for anyone. This is the kind of movie that you stay in the theater after it's over for a few moments, hoping for more.