Film Review: Toy Story 3

Andy's all grown up and heading to 'College' (that's University to us Brits), leaving his toys of yesteryear, Buzz, Woody, Rex and co, gathering dust in his old toy chest. When Andy's Mum accidentally donates the toys to ominously sounding Sunnyside Daycare Centre, the toys shun Andy for disowning them, looking forward to a new life of constant play with new children. It soon becomes apparent that the current toys at Sunnyside, lead by the maligning Lots-O-Huggin' Bear, don't take kindly to new toys and so Woody must lead Andy's toys back home to the attic.

What Pixar do extremely well is to balance films that work on two levels; one that entertains the kids, its core audience, but the other that will have adults chuckling alike. There are enough pop culture references to ensure grown-ups are entertained, but not too many so that kids lose interest. 'Dark' to an extent, but not so much so as to give children nightmares. Likewise, it is childish enough to keep little ones gawping but not enough so that their parents will yawn.

Essentially, Toy Story 3 is a prison break movie, so nothing really pushing the boundaries here. One criticism that can be levelled at this otherwise delightfully entertaining film is that it merely goes through the motions, ticking off boxes of what you would expect from a Toy Story movie. In that sense it offers few surprises, containing everything we've come to predict in the franchise. Yet what it does do is offer a slightly new but nonetheless thoroughly absorbing take on it. What it does satisfyingly well however is to add new characters without compromising the originals. The sinisterly friendly 'Lots-O' voiced by Ned Beatty captures that 'creepy-evil but with a nice façade thing going on' emphatically. The small part assigned to the security monkey watching over Sunnyside's surveillance system will have you stitches. However, it is Michael Keaton's meterosexual 'Ken' doll who steals the show for me. There were times where I cracked up when all the other 'boy toys' ribbed him for being a girl's toy, as well as the part where Barbie tortures him by ripping up his wardrobe.

I never really got swept up in the whole Toy Story phenomenon so the film doesn't particularly strike the same nostalgic resonance with me it might others. I was told by friends (both male) that they nearly shed a tear toward the end. So, when after waiting expectantly only not to have been emotionally moved I came to either one of two conclusions; either I'm a heartless monster or my friends are both faggots. Yet, if this was one of those movie series that had a lasting impact on your childhood you will have formed certain attachments to the characters and thus I can understand how its melancholy finale might move some. As a movie in its own right it presents what will probably be a satisfying end to the franchise.