A fitting end to a perfect trilogy

Rating: 10/10 (8 August 2010)

Pixar do not normally make sequels, with Toy Story being the only film that has had a sequel. Originally Disney very nearly made a direct-to-video sequel to Toy Story 2 after a bitter battle Pixar but luckily got to make it (reluctantly). They have now made one of the best film trilogies ever.
Toy Story 3 is now set 10 years after the events of Toy Story 2: Andy (John Morris) is now 17, about to go to university and obviously not interested in playing with his toys anymore. Most of his toys are gone: only Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Bulleye the horse, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (Don Rickles and Estelle Harris), Slink (Blake Clark), Rex (Wallace Shawn) and Hamm (John Ratzenberger) remind. After a misunderstand Andy's toys, along with Molly's Barbie (Jodi Benson) are donated to Sunnyside Daycare and meet a group of toys, including Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear, AKA Lotso (Ned Beatty) and Ken (Michael Keaton). At first it seems that Sunnyside is a paradise but it quickly turns out that there are really a prison, with Lotso as the dictator. The toys have to escape and get back to Andy, but it is going to be difficult, with Lotso running a police state.
Pixar have a simple philosophy, story comes first. It sounds so basic but it can easily be lost in most studios only thinking about what's marketable. But Pixar have shown time and again that people are willing pay for quality. With Toy Story 3 it is a film with characters we already know and love, a simple drive, getting back to Andy. There is a brilliant script, with a simple story and setting, with the theme of what do your toys get up to when you are not around, toys running the risk of being abandonment and the idea of growing up and putting childish things behind them. We get to see all the characters as they despair over their situation and trying to escape from Sunnyside. It is a story about moving on as well, the wonders of childhood and we get to see move of Andy who is now a man. We get to see the imagination of a child, from what Andy would have show, to physical actions of Bonnie (Emily Hahn), a shy child with a big imagination. With a simple story the writers are able to fit a lot in.
Because it's a family film there is a lot of physical humour, such as Buster the dog now being old, fat and lazy and not wanting to help Woody. But there are clever verbal jokes as well, like when Barbie arguing political theory and philosophy. Spanish Buzz is also a great comic creation. Because the characters and the story is so engaging that they do not need to rely on referencing after film scenes and any film references are much more subtle. Plus Ken is a great creation for Toy Story.
Lee Unkrich directs a fast paced film, focusing on the characters and the story. There is action, drama, comedy and even a little horror, with the threat of big baby. Everything about this film was well handled and shows all the strengths of Pixar. Unkrich also shows that no toys is truly evil and that some event normally drives them to it. It also fun that established actors were like Timothy Dalton and Whoopi Goldberg were willing to voice very minor roles.
The ending was fitting for the series and emotional for the characters and the audience. It is a perfect end and there is no way a sequel can be made without the series repeating itself. A perfect family film.