Toy Story 3

BUZZ--BUZZ--BUZZ LIGHTYEAR TO THE RESCUE

  • 5/5 To infinity and beyond...!

    Votes: 105 86.8%
  • 4/5 You've got a friend in me.

    Votes: 14 11.6%
  • 3/5 I've packed your angry eyes, just in case.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2/5 There's a snake in my boot...

    Votes: 1 0.8%
  • 1/5 You are a sad, strange little movie.

    Votes: 1 0.8%

  • Total voters
    121

TriforceBun

*RIP Marcia Wallace*
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The long-awaited sequel to 1995's Toy Story and 1999's Toy Story 2, Woody, Buzz, and the others return to the big screen for one final (?) hurrah. When 17-year-old Andy prepares to leave for college, the fate of the toys is left in the air.

Ahh, I love when it's time for another Pixar movie. Considering the pedigree involved, and the fact that it's running on 80+ positive reviews so far (and still at 100% fresh), I'm certainly stoked to see this film in action. Debuting in just a couple hours...

Rate/review it here!

I'd suggest marking spoilers too, at least for a while. Sometimes people just want to get a guy's feelings on the movie without learning of major plot elements, ya know?
 
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Non-spoiler review: Absolutely terrific, while not just as stellar as the first two (though a large part of that has to do with nostalgia), it easily makes for one of the most complete film trilogies since "Back to the Future". Just be prepared with kleenexes, as there was audible sobbing in the final scene. (I even got a tad misty-eyed) In the rest of the movie, there's that great Toy Story/Pixar humor to keep you laughing, and the story is surprisingly dark, engaging and tense at points, with a third act moment that sent the audience from mouths agape into wild cheers. Just goddamn fun all around, so GO ALREADY!

Spoiler review:
 What to say? Where to start?

The story is absolute genius from start to finish. The opening sequence is a delight, showing a slightly revised version of the playtime routine from the first scene of the original, as if a director saw it and decided it to film it as an action-packed blockbuster. ("Dr. Pork Chop"'s ship had me in hysterics) The transition is smartly done, making the shift into present day dramatic, somber and almost pathetic. From here and all the way until reaching the day care, the movie seems like the older ones, but with sadder undertones. Woody's near-obsessive tendencies about Andy are shined upon in an real way that you'd normally never see a film targeted towards children do in the almost creepy scene where they steal his cell phone. Also, it's a shocker that they decided to just discard/write off some toys (Bo Peep, despite what Lee Unkrich said, never appears once, not even in the end credits epilogue), but it was smart knowing that the cast would be stretched incredibly once they reached Sunnyside.

From here, the film shifts and swerves into various interesting plot twists, and although it largely retreads on old material (paging "The Brave Little Toaster"), it never fails to remain a great cohesive whole walloping onto one incredibly moving button. Themes of letting go and the internal battle between the friendship Woody has with Andy and the one he has with Buzz remain a constant thread that weaves throughout the narrative, and is the definite reason why the movie is great despite going on so many numerous tangents. The Sunnyside Daycare leads the toys into a radically dark world that is dynamic in terms of the series, but in some ways a weakness. Suffice it to say, once the toys plan to break out of Sunnyside, things are kicked up a notch. Also, the Buzz/Jessie romance is written wonderfully subtle, never taking over the action, but subdued just enough while only adding to the rich story occurring in the meantime. (Spanish Buzz, for almost this reason alone, is genius [it's also hysterical])

Which brings me to the one weak point of Toy Story 3: characters. I don't mean characterization, it's top notch. I mean the sheer number of new characters this film tries to implant upon the viewer. We are taken to Sunnyside, and introduced to what must be nearly two dozen characters, some good, most bad, and already it feels like overload. Then Woody is taken to Bonnie's house, where he meets more new characters who get even less screentime, but the film instantly expects us to fall in love with. Now, they smartly never get away from the original troupe nor let the new ones steal the show, but it's a shame that the Bonnie's house characters that are much stronger than the Sunnyside ones barely get any time aside from a moment in act two, and an epilogue towards the end. The others are just Lotso's dumb minions, with barely any personality, while Bonnie's are brimming with promise, and sadly are ripped from it. (these are also the ones Disney kept touting as the new characters you'll "grow to love"...if you stay for the credits maybe) The only one who gets considerable time is Chuckles, who earned huge laughs at first, then shocking silence as he told about his dark past. What's more bizarre is that when Woody returns to Sunnyside, we are introduced to, yes, more one-note characters. (though by then the prison break storyline kicks in so it's not nearly as tiring)

Of course, that doesn't mean they can't deliver laughs. Just like the first two, there are clever and terrific gags, one-liners and sequences to behold, and have you surprised at how hard you laugh at times. There is one moment that's a little pandering and a tad akin to Dreamworks humor (referring to Ken's fashion show), but it was easily ignored. In fact, I wasn't a big fan of Ken in general, it seemed like a cheap comic relief character that really has no rhyme or reason in the story rather than to serve as another Lotso henchmen and to give Barbie her own little subplot. Although, his mere presence delivered the single best joke in the entire film. (hint: it involves the Bookworm)

Now, yes, the story retreads on aspects of Toy Story 1 & 2. The escape from Sunnyside echoes the escape from Sid's (btw, enjoyed his clever cameo as a drumming garbage kid), Lotso is merely Stinky Pete mixed with Jessie's character (though his story is far more dark and complex), and Woody is taunted with the same dilemma from the second film more or less, not to mention the obvious Brave Little Toaster parallels (they actually get stuck on a conveyor belt in a junkyard, not fucking kidding), and even a nod to "Return of the Jedi" when Big Baby turns the tables on an obviously insane Lotso (who, again, is tossed off in a strikingly similar fate to that of Stinky Pete's). But, damn it, it all comes together beautifully. The third act ratchets up the stakes so high you're on the edge of your seat when Woody and the gang face certain doom. When the admittedly clever-as-fuck deux ex machina saves them, you can't help but cheer your heart out.

Then comes the return home just as in Toy Story 2, but this time there's an emotional twist. Woody has an epiphany just as Andy does moments later, about letting go and being with the ones you can't imagine not sharing a lifetime with. His relationship with Andy is special, but not nearly as special as the one he shares with Buzz and the others. The entire scene with Andy introducing his toys to Bonnie and eventually (almost begrudgingly and heartbreakingly) giving up Woody to fully share his gift with her, while almost sensing something...fuck, you'd have to be a monster not to feel something there. Like I said above, audible sobbing could be heard. It's a powerful ending, and wonderfully ties the entire series up.

The film ends with an end-credits epilogue that ties up loose ends and is admittedly very cute, thankfully tossing aside the Sunnyside stuff early (love that Zurg is a new, bewildered new toy) and giving those new Bonnie toys some moments to shine that they really never got in the film itself. The last we see of the TS gang is them dancing to a Latino-inspired version of "You've Got a Friend in Me", which isn't too bad, but I'm happy we get to see them just one more time in a short next year in front of (ugh) Cars 2. And that's about it. It's a heartwarming, dark, tense, engaging pic that is pretty much the usual Pixar goodness, with the extra zest that it has in returning us to old, much-loved characters and tying up this great story in the best way it could. Of course, there are a few weaknesses, but not enough to hamper the film greatly somewhat like they did to "Up".

What else to say? I loved it. 


Also, the short at the start of the film "Day and Night" was very cute and definitely stronger than late year's "Partly Cloudy", yet still not reaching the heights of something like "Presto", "One Man Band" or "Knick Knack", which had a bit of an edge and a better story that gave them an advantage IMO. Still, I think the short is the only reason to see TS3 in 3D, which by the way, is fucking unnecessary as hell. I'm seeing it again, ASAP, in 2D. Lasseter and the whole Pixar gang may sit in their media press chairs gushing about the technology, but I guarantee you off the cameras they must greatly despise the fact that Disney is pressuring this as the ONLY way to see "Toy Story 3". Seriously, see it in 2D. You're not missing anything.

In conclusion, 5/5, of course.
 
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Great review, ryan o--I pretty much agree with everything there (except that I'd put Day and Night above Knick Knack :P)

Caught the midnight showing myself, then let it simmer all night in my mind. When it comes to Pixar, it seems they've been branching off a little with their movies: after getting familiar with storytelling through their first few films (Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc), they've been moving in a less traditional direction ever since The Incredibles. Ratatouille, WALL-E, and Up all take some significant and pretty daring risks, and the end result is always engaging (Incredibles and WALL-E are probably my favorite Pixars)...but sometimes I do miss the simpler days of a fun story peppered with heartwarming, deeper moments when necessary.

Toy Story 3 falls in that category, delivering a mostly fun movie but sucker-punching you with some hefty stuff at key points.
 
From the get-go, we're treated to a spectacular Western sequence of Woody stopping ol' One-Eyed Bart again ("Hoo hoooo! Money money money"). Two things make this bit particularly great--first, it mixes in the other toys in a weird conglomeration of genres due to a kid's imagination not really caring. And secondly, it echoes events and lines from the very first movie, only this time they're seen through Andy's eyes. Plus, we get the first great line from Evil Dr. Porkchop (Hamm): "That's Mr. Evil Dr. Porkchop to you!"

After we see a pretty awesome return of Slinky's "built-in force field" and Rex's massive entrance, it's revealed that Andy's mom is taping her young son playing with his toys. The home movie sequence is funny and also pretty poignant, as we watch this boy grow up to a young man over the music of "You've Got a Friend in Me." And as Randy Newman sings his ol' raspy-voiced lyrics, "And as the years go by, our friendship will never die..." The song ends and the screen goes black, taking us to present day.

This, mixed with the surprising reveal that most of Andy's toys are gone (Wheezy, Etch and Bo Peep, the latter of which seems to have shaken Woody considerably) start things off on a sort of somber note of permanence. It's pretty gutsy and a particularly strong opening.

Much of the second act of Toy Story 3 is fun adventure stuff. When Andy's toys arrive at Sunnyside, we get introduced to a huge slew of new characters, each of them visually interesting in some way--from the fluffy homespun look of Lotso, to the stiff-jointed movement of Ken, the switching faces of Chunk, the flexible gooeyness of Stretch, etc. Particularly noteworthy is Big Baby, who goes from kinda cute to supremely creepy, then back to sympathetic in a Return of the Jedi moment. His lazy eye reminds me of Baby Face (that spider thing) from the first movie.

On the note of creepy toys, we can't forget that monkey! Everything involving him was great, and the showdown with him and Woody/Slink was one of the wildest parts of the film, being both eerie and funny (but mostly eerie). This was the only part of the movie that I kinda wished I had 3-D glasses.

Outside of Sunnyside, Woody ends up being accidentally taken home by a cute young girl named Bonnie, who sort of reminded me of Boo. Like ryan o, I think Bonnie's toys were even better realized than most of Sunnyside's. Mr. Pricklepants' thespian nature was a lot of fun to see (mixed with the toy "rules" of being "in character" during playtime), Trixie the triceratops was quite silly and a lot of fun in her brief, brief appearance, while Buttercup the unicorn had one of my favorite lines ("There is no escape! ...Just kidding, the door's right over there"). Also fun were Dolly and the Peas-in-a-pod, and all of these characters' voices greatly contributed to their personalities, Bonnie included. Finally, special mention should be made to the slightly shady Chatter Telephone and the amusing-then-immediately-sympathetic Chuckles.

I agree that it's a huge cast and a lot to take in, and I would've liked to see even more stuff from them. But that said, the main Toy Story cast still got plenty of time in the spotlight (Woody is prominent, of course, Buzz goes back into Space Ranger mode then into Spanish mode which is very funny--if a little long, Jessie is energetic and emotional, and has some good moments with Buzz, Slinky has some inspired moments, Hamm and Rex have plenty of good lines, Mr. Potato Head is quite likable as he attempts to fight Lotso's goons (then becomes a tortilla), and even Mrs. Potato Head is put to good use as her lost eye can still see inside Andy's room. Of the new toys, the most developed seem to be Lotso, Ken, Big Baby, Chuckles, and Bonnie. And pseudo-newcomer Barbie has some enjoyably cheesy moments with Ken early on, then comes into her own during the break-out.

The break-out itself is a real highlight and one of the most clever extended sequences in Pixar's repertoire, and the final climax is pretty intense, ending in a clever call-back.

(big spoilers ahead)

The ending is really where the movie will stick with people, echoing themes throughout the series and throwing in a couple surprises as well. Seeing Andy give away Woody was pretty emotional, as was seeing him play with the toys one last time. Great way to wrap it all up.

I'm not sure where I'd rank the movie just yet in terms of Pixar films or the trilogy itself. But it's a great film and certainly worth watching. In terms of actual complaints, I did think that this movie felt less dense in the jokes--what was there was good, but there were less clever lines and more clever "actions" (particularly Woody and the gang's creative ways of getting around and escaping). A few moments were funny but went a little long (like Ken modeling clothes, or Buzz's Spanish mode), and the Sunnyside setting was a bit low on laughs until Woody returned to bust everyone out. Also as mentioned, several ideas and scenes were reminiscent of past movies, notably Lotso's similarity to Stinky Pete. A lot of this was intentional though.

But I really enjoyed the dark elements of the film, from the heavy themes of mortality and moving on to the psychotic guards of Sunnyside, it really gave a nice contrast to the friendly notes of the rest of the movie and built up the comforting ending in a good way. The incinerator scene was rather powerful too, with no words spoken--just these toys finally accepting their fate. 


Well that was long. But I guess there's a lot to cover here, as always. At the moment, I'd put it around the middle of my Pixar hierarchy; it might not be quite on the level of the first two, but it's very close and an extremely worthy entry in the series. Heck, I'd probably call it my favorite film trilogy. Well done, Pixar!

5/5 A
 
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No time to make an abridged version, and honestly, don't really feel like it. So here, have a massive emotional ramble, as initially posted to my LJ and just copied into here because I... could go on about this a lot, actually, and probably left out a million things I wanted to freak out over, but it's not like that's the last time I'm going to see it so yeah, I'm going off again because I... It's so fucking good.

 Oh, my god. It was... Buy into the hype. Take the first two movies which I watched yesterday and loved and squeed and laughed and cried over and add this one on and it's just perfect. It fits in seamlessly, everyone is spot-on and it just hits all of those levels so... It's so touching and moving and such a fitting third movie, an addition to the series that's all so deserving and so ... I... yeah.

We got there well in advance, because I'm paranoid and need amazing seats and to not miss a thing and not chance a sell-out even though it's 1:15 PM in the afternoon and the theatre was rather empty when we got there but it filled up and... just a range. People my age, young kids, young parents, people a little older than me just on their own; just, so much... Oh, my god. All-inclusive and so universal even though it felt more aimed at, well, us. It was a fest of all of these characters we know and love, callbacks left and right to the first two movies that tie in just brilliantly, full of scenes that are beyond touching, a fair amount of it due to just who the characters are but it all comes together and it's...

I'm overly sentimental, so, yeah. I cried. A lot. The ending did a pretty solid job of wrecking me, but there was more throughout, whether it's just through remembering the characters or what's happening on-screen at that moment and... yeah.

It's stunningly beautiful, full of life and colour, and it's amazing just how much the animation has improved over 15 years, all of the quality and yet it still looks the same and it's still the exact same world. Sure, Sunnyside looks much more intricately designed than a lot of the other places, but it's still gorgeous and it's just more of the world. And I... Just. It's so, so good.

What an amazing beginning. The exact same start as the first but seen through the imagination and wow. Fucking wow. That's beautiful, and it's so surreal to see these characters in such an intense environment, and acting like it's completely their world, everything catered to them, but it works because of how much we've seen of their adventuring, and it's fresh and just delightful to look at. And it just... It's hilarious and all of these reenacted lines and everything just coming together so beautifully, the start of all of the callbacks present throughout the film that all fit in so naturally and amazingly. I loved it, the reversion to real life and seeing the way the first Toy Story started out... Followed by that fucking montage that was present in the initial trailer that was seen with the double feature that got me so worked up over the beginning and it just goes from there.

To how depressing it's become as we all grow up. Woody calling for a staff meeting and the fact that that was all of them... That hit hard. The whole notion of growing up and the overall arch of letting go and moving on despite how hard it may be but you can still have fun with it on the way and it may not necessarily have to be for forever or--

I'm getting so ahead of myself, but goddamn, that ending. I just need to... The way it ended. Was just beyond beautiful and brilliant and just a mess of crying but it's so heartwarming and sweet and amazing. From seeing the younger Andy at the beginning and how involved he was with all of his toys to passing them on to Bonnie at the end and the two of them playing together and having another adventure, plus I really liked all of Bonnie's toys that we saw so seeing additional supporting character for the ones we love to all have fun with, particularly over the ending credits and just how much they added on and kept it all going and I never wanted it to end, just little plotless but overarching bits with everyone and all of the playing...

Because Woody's day with them looked like a lot of fun and was brilliantly reminiscent of how Andy would play with all of them. And I loved Trixie and Buttercup and Pricklepants; the tea party bit was brilliant. The improv, the seriousness, the... It looks like such a great home and such a brilliant way of being passed on. And the way the movie ended with Andy spending the afternoon playing with Bonnie; and goddamn, I found myself getting emotional over Andy's leaving and he isn't that important of a character to begin with, just the amazing glimmers we get and from the perspective of the main characters with an established solid credibility but nothing made me happier than seeing Andy run around with Bonnie. Particularly the fucking ultimately reflective shot of Andy running around, holding Woody around his neck, a perfect mimic of the younger footage of him at the beginning and it's just... wow, does this hit all of the buttons emotionally and brilliantly and it isn't contrived in the slightest because I-- whoa.

Even Lotso was great, for being such a dick. And I loved how his fate was so reminiscent of the Prospector's. That had to be a nod and it worked so beautifully. Not to mention that he, just like the Prospector, was a great character and a villain with some easily sympathetic nods but ultimately too warped-- They have a similar build, similar arc and everything, but Lotso still feels completely original. The Prospector was the toy that was completely passed over, and Lotso was the toy that actually was able to obtain it all and completely lost it. The flashback - and by the way, Chuckles is brilliant as well - was really, really touching. And really depressing. And really easy to see where Lotso was coming from.

And I really have to keep on handing it to Woody for his own spirit and just how kind-hearted he is. His loyalty and how there isn't a bad bone in his body; sure, he can be a totally conceited and selfish ass at times (demanding everyone follow him back before they even knew what a hellhole Sunnyside was, because they were Andy's toys, even though he was the only one going to college-- and goddamn, the shot in the beginning, of Andy holding Woody and Buzz and I was so shocked to see Buzz get tossed in the attic bag but Woody going to college; I was simultaneously like "yay, Andy!" and "boo, Andy!" for holding onto one of his most sentimental objects but... dude, Buzz. Splitting Woody and Buzz up is just wrong.

Rambling away about nothing but I love how easily Buzz can be manipulated; the fault of the electronic toys, huh? Because in the first one the thing with Buzz was that he was new and modern and... I love Space Ranger!Buzz. So much. He's hilarious. Spanish!Buzz was brilliant as well (including Jessie's unaware and then fully aware manipulation of him).

The plan to escape Sunnyside was so amazing to watch as well. So involved and intricate and really using everyone's abilities so wonderfully-- and on the tiniest of detours here, yay, Mrs. Potato Head got her eye back! And it was a very relevant plot point! not to mention brilliant and so well-utilized, watching Andy stressed about their misplacement and realizing Woody was telling the truth, yet another callback though Woody is less blameable in this one-- and just, wow. Woody and Slinky teaming up to dispose of the monkey, Mr. Potato Head's brilliant, Rex and Ham fighting and the whole thing, sneaking out, actually making it and it was just so THRILLING.

Also, Ken and Barbie. Ahahah. Both amazing. Feeling right for Barbie, right off the bat about how she and Molly had been growing apart and her own sobs and how she finds Ken and also she's a totally badass chick on her own; her torturing Ken was AMAZING, her governmental knowledge, her deviousness and how she converted Ken who was just an absolutely hysterical character, a definite gag machine but with more to him and... There's a reason he's so overly advertised, obviously, but-- Ahahah, a great gag was the Bookworm noticing Barbie's high heels in the space suit and still thinking it was Ken. Ken is fucking hilarious. I was afraid he'd be overused but he's... It's perfect.

And I'm so happy that Woody did end up with everybody else in the end, even though he was still separated from Andy, because it's just, these guys really don't belong apart. The first time he's leaving them, in the beginning, is already pretty sad. I mean, Bullseye. And Buzz trying to shake his hand and goddamnit I squeed over this yesterday a lot but Woody and Buzz together is perfection and they really do not belong separated ever; not after everything built up in the first movie and brilliantly maintained in the second and the strong ties everyone holds carried right on through and... nngh.

I. There's, uh, other things to be sure... It's so LONG but it doesn't feel it! I never wanted it to end! It kept going and going and going and I just wanted more and more and more, there's so much story there and it's so involved, touches on so many ideas and things; Andy's growing up, betrayal, the utopia that is Sunnyside, the real utopia that is Bonny's room, corruption, more betrayal and intense loss and just being fucked up, and twistedness, and amazing action/adventure and brilliance and so well-planned and danger and death and moving on and bright futures and I just... There's so much but it all fits in so naturally.

I mean, I cried a lot throughout the whole thing, but I really lost it at the end, and really when everyone was facing a fiery death and still managed to all join hands; that they're the survivors and they've had a good run and they're going to go out together because that's where they've always been and just, everyone reaching to join hands is so touching and the whole thing was so scary but it really, really-- No, it was really scary. I was seriously wondering like, oh god, are they going to actually end it on an EVERYBODY DIES note? There's no way but it actually felt like it was. What a brilliant scene, and god, it was so huge and the animation and direction really communicated that and...

I figured that the claw thing might be coming. And then it did. And. I love those little squeaky aliens. Just more perfection, more brilliant callbacks-- the "YO" car, hahahahaha, I laughed so hard at that-- and...

God, it just functioned so brilliantly. A series that started out 15 years ago, and it's been 11 years since we really had them and it delivered so well. And it was such a fitting ending, with life going on but it's a new scene but ultimately it's... Things are still great and with the same general atmosphere and I'm so thankful for just those random fun scenes at the end showing us their new life, after things have settled down, after Andy gave them away and actually played with them one last time before leaving because he really hadn't touched them in years-- that beginning with the cellphone was so heartbreaking, and aw, Rex-- and he went through it one last time, in such a passing-off movement and I...

It was just the perfect ending. If nothing else (and there's a whole lot else), these characters get the best finish that anybody could have ever asked for. I'm... It's really great. 
 
I'll give the least detailed review yet. Let's just say this TS 3 really took me back to the times of the previous films, and I appreciate the nostalgic aspect of this movie. The characters looked/acted as they should compared to the others, and this may have been the most enjoyable movie of the year so far.

5/5, A

oh yeah, and the beggining of the movie was freakin epic
 
Just got back from the theater. Oh, my God....that has to be my favorite trilogy of all time. From the first movie to the last movie, it all ties in beautifully, it was funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking, the characters, the scenery....god. I am seeing it again TOMORROW.

...am I the only one who wants the dolls now? Please tell me I'm not the only one.


  I adored the opening of this film where it's a real-life version of Andy's imagination in the first movie. I quoted right along with it, and it was just incredible. Perfect way to begin, I think. Then of course, we pan out and see that it's Andy's Mom filming, which tugs the heartstrings quite a bit.

What got a crack in my heart first was Woody calling the staff meeting and Slinky saying, 'We're all here, Woody.' I was thinking....that's all of them? But...where....how....it really hit home. Especially when Rex said Bo Peep and Woody gets this stricken, pained look on his face. I wish she had been involved in more than just that one line, but at the same time, it said volumes.

And while I'm upset that a big character from the first two movies got cut almost completely out of the third, I commend the filmmakers for making it seem real. A toy can't last forever, and sometimes they go down into the yard sale. Not all of them can stay. It was painful reality, but I think it was needed.

Anyway, moving on, Andy has a change of heart and decides to keep Woody, while tossing the rest of them in a garbage bag. En route to the attic, he gets distracted and surprise, surprise - Andy's Mom takes the bag to the garbage. Everyone's naturally freaking out, and of course we have the scene where Woody's being completely loyal to Andy and coming off as a huge jerk to everyone else. (And he kinda was.)

Also, loved the subtle Sid cameo, where it's him as the rockin'-out garbage boy. I kinda expected him to have a bigger role, but I'm not disappointed.

Anyway! On to Sunnyside, the retirement-like community for lost, forgotten, or donated toys! Watching the toys be ran ragged by the preschoolers literally made me cringe. I felt bad for all the toys I rammed into walls and such when I was that age. Finally, everyone sees what the place really is, and Woody (who has been found by Hannah) is doing his normal escaping back to his family, wherever they are.

The backstory from Chuckles broke my heart further, feeling their pain and actually gave me a lot of sympathy for Lotso. With The Prospector, we just thought he was a pompous ass who cared nothing else about being in a collection, so there was no reason to feel sorry for him. With Lotso, you totally get why he's bad and you feel sorry for him - at least I did, until he knowingly sabotaged them AGAIN, after saving his life - so maybe he just won't change.

Space!Ranger Buzz is always a treat to see, but Spanish!Buzz had me howling. It was hilarious! I loved how ridiculous it was, the way he was amorous for Jessie, how he didn't remember any of it once it was done...perfect.

I really liked the prison break scene, where they all had to maneuver the great escape. You were literally on the edge of your seat, thinking any moment they could be caught. Then, just as we all started to relax - BAM! I love it when it catches me off-guard.

The scene on the belt and by the incinerator had my heart POUNDING - I don't even think I breathed. Now, we all know that Disney films always have the happy ending, and they wouldn't just kill all of them off like that, but I really thought 'Oh, god....this is it. They're not gonna make it.'

The scene where they all hold hands was what got the tears starting. Here they all are, the family, the masters of every escape plan, knowing that it's not going to happen this time, and that they just need to stay together. Truly heartbreaking. No words, just.....heart.

Then the claw came down, and that's when my heart started beating again. 'The claaaawwww!' I thought that was brilliant, since it's so plausible, yet NOBODY saw it coming. Perfect.

And then finally, they get back to Andy's, have a touching 'farewell' with Woody, until Woody has a change of heart and decides to go with them. Andy takes the toys to Bonnie, and I love the way he introduces all of them, saying how great they are, how much he cares for them. And his words about Woody.....oh, god. That's when the heart fully broke and tears started flowing. You can tell Andy really cared about those toys.

The ending was perfect, where Andy and Bonnie played with them all, Andy got to play with his toys one last time, before going away....watching him drive off, and the toys sitting there....and the clouds. OH, GOD, THE CLOUDS...

I thought it was brilliant. It was perfect....better than Toy Story 2. I am saying that right now. It was THAT good. The scenes at the end where Sunnyside is good again, Zurg is a new toy (That was awesome) and they're all loving their new life with Bonnie, it just seemed like the perfect end to a perfect trilogy. (And a Buzz/Jessie shipper's dream. Hehe.)

And of course.....TOTORO!!! 


....bahahaha. I love the choices for the poll. Perfect.
 
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Ari, that was an amazing post. I don't think I could have done that good a job of expressing my feelings of this film. :gatorlove: But I'll try! I'm just going to spoiler tag my whole post even though the whole thing might not be spoiler-heavy. If you haven't seen the movie you shouldn't be reading the thread anyway.

 
What can I say, other than "...WOW." I am 25 years old. I saw the first Toy Story in the theater when I was eleven, and when we got the VHS tape we watched it over and over so often that I had all the dialog memorized. So for a very long time, more than half of my life, these movies have meant a great deal to me. I re-watched it last night in anticipation of 3, and when "You've Got a Friend in Me" started playing I teared up with joy. The original Toy Story is one of the greatest animated films ever, forget the fact that it's CG.

So with that said, my expectations for 3 were immeasurably high. I was starting to fear that there was no way that after all these years, there was no way the film could meet my expectations, let alone surpass them. But it did surpass them. The opening was just amazing, with the cloudy blue sky background, and the reenactment of the very first scene from the first film. I smiled through the whole scene.

The home video montage was really sweet, I liked it. What is it with Pixar films and emotional opening montages lately? It was really sad to see that so few of Andy's toys were left. He's grown up and is moving on with his life, and that is where the whole emotional heart of this film lies. Anybody who has ever had to let go of something sentimental in their life can relate to this. It had been years since Andy had played with his toys, yet he had never thrown or given them away, which meant that a small part of him wanted to hang onto them, even just shutting them in a trunk. When he called them junk and said nobody would want them, the whole theater filled with sad Aww's. I interpreted that as him deep down not wanting to admit that he didn't want to give them up. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's my interpretation.

The entire movie wasn't a gut-wrenching emotional rollercoaster though. It had some really funny parts. There was lots of physical humor, like Woody climbing out of the bathroom stall to escape. The new toys were OK; the marketing was a bit misleading in keeping the fact that Lotso is evil a secret. That was a surprise. But it worked, and the focus remained on Andy's toys and not these new ones who we don't know or care about.

Bonny was a really sweet character. It was great to watch her play with Woody and her toys, and even more great that Woody sort of reluctantly enjoyed it.

Now I will mention the only thing in the movie that disappointed me. Going into it, I was aware that Sid had a cameo in it, so when Bonny was playing with her toys I was expecting Sid to be her dad, and walk into the room, see Woody, and freak out. But that's a minor gripe, and if I hadn't known Sid was in the movie it would have been fine. (was he even in the final cut? was he the garbageman who takes Lotso at the end?)

The Sunnyside stuff was nice, and there were some huge laughs. Like Ari said, Space Ranger Buzz and especially Spanish Buzz were hysterical. The latter was not overdone at all, I think. It was just enough. It was great to see him reenact his first dialog from the original film in Spanish. The escape from the dump was really dark and by the time they reached the incinerator, I realized that my heart was pounding in my chest. I honestly did not know how they were going to get out of this, and when the claw came, it was such a relief.

But yeah ... the ending. Oh my god. Never in my life has any movie, TV show, or anything choked me up so much as when Andy gave Woody to Bonny. I am man enough to admit that tears came out of my eyes, and the only thing keeping me from losing it were my younger brother and sister sitting on either side of me. (I'm getting teary-eyed typing this.) Thinking back on the fifteen years I've been watching these films ... and then putting myself into the perspective of a boy looking back on his childhood years playing with Woody and the other toys ... wow. The theater was filled with sniffles during the whole scene. It was the single most emotional and heartfelt moment I think I've ever experienced in a film, at least in recent memory. When Andy got into the car and you could see years and years of memories gleaming in his eyes as he said "Thanks, guys," I nearly lost it. I was expecting an emotional farewell scene at the end of the film, but nothing could have prepared me for that. As the saying goes, "it hurts so good."

Right now I don't really care about anything else, and I think that this movie, the ending in particular, is going to stick with me a long, long time. I will see it again, you can count on that. Thanks for making this movie, Pixar. 


5/5
 
 
(was he even in the final cut? was he the garbageman who takes Lotso at the end?)
 

 Sid was the air-guitar, drumming garbage man who is seen at the start, right when the toys are trying to escape the garbage bag. He's also seen at the end, by the truck that the toys take home. 
 
OKAY HOMIE I WILL. Cuz me an the homies went this afternoon 2 see this motherfucker an it was REALLY REALLY REAL MOTHFUCKIN GOOD.

The plan went WELL. We went 2 BoJangles an loaded up on food an that fat homie BoVice supplied us with half of Cuba in terms of Chronic so its all good homies. Davy put on his fatass suit an smuglled all the BoJangles an Chronic an Vodka an Gin an Juice in his fat suit so we didnt get caught. We also sat in the back of the theater 2 eat BoJangles an smoke Chronic an drink Vodka an Gin an Juice without gettin caught. And we all LAUGHED OUR ASSES OFF at those toys runnin' around all fucked up an shit while smokin the finest Chronic in the world.

It was me, that fat homie BoVice, the homies CJ, Davy an Chad, my bitch Diane, an that french homie LeDawg (it took a lot of coursin to get him to come cuz he's STILL PISSED at "motherfuckin Disney" for bein racist to French peeps with The Princess an the Froggy. But he went anyway. Oh yeah an my 87 year old Pappy came 2 an he brought 2 hot hoes from the strip club with him. They started suckin his weenie durin the openin but we told him it wuz really fuckin distractin so he stopped (an started snortin his Coke he brought with him 2 REALLY get a Toy Story toys fucked up" buzz outta the movie.

Its FUNNY an gangsta an thuggin' an also touchin' an shit at times too. Like when the homies
 nearly got their plastic asses fryd by the oven in the trash can an shit  that was REALLY REALLY fuckin SCARY. ESPECIALLY on CHRONIC! Me an the homies all SCREAMED OUR ASSES OFF.

An that fatass pink bear homie was SCARY too! He was a real evil basterd but he got what he deserved. I hope in Toy Story 4 he gets thrown in the woods or somethin an gets raped in the butt by hillbilly redneck rootin' tootin' mounten homie bears! (get it cuz Lotsa Fuckin' Bear is played by that Ned Betty homedawg who wuz that fat homie who got made to SQUEL LIKE A PIG in Deliverence). He was sorta like that fatass midgit cowhomie in Toy Story 2 with the pikax who got throwed on that chicks backpack an she sed "OO ITS A UGLY LITTLE MAN!" an he got painted on 4 the rest of his like. Poor cowhomie.

When Buzz LightGangsta got turned Spanish (not a spoiler cuz fuckin PIXAR already spoiled it it the tralers!) that was really fuckin funny 2. I also liked that Mr. Prickypantz (who was played by the Bond who was in that movie with that hot babe in a seethru dress on the poster...I think it was called Livin Skylights or some shit). He was really fuckin funny. The croctopus played by Woopy Goldburg didnt get much screen time but Stretchy was real fuckin funny 2.

The endin was also touchin an made us ALL cry our motherfuckin asses off like bitches in kindergarden. All in all its the BEST MOTHERFUKCIN MOVIE SERIES EVER. Better than the FRIDAY series (which is second best).

Real good stoner toy movie take your kids or your bitch or somethin
 
What's the matter with you? I've not seen the movie yet so that might be a justified score, but that was just a shockingly awful post.
 
Ugh Elkwood.

Whatever. Movie was amazing, Day & Night short was amazing, ending was sentimentally amazing. Expectations were blown out of the water.

Started crying when they held hands in that place. You know which one. Dried up for a bit, then started crying again at the last segment with Andy. Just touching.
 
Elkwood if you don't have a constructive post to make about the movie, then please get out.


edit: Would have still said this even if I hadn't been made a temporary mod 2 hours ago. This isn't even my forum.
 
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Hold the phone. Walter is Elkwood? I thought he was cool.

Uh, to keep the topic on track, I am mighty peed off that this film doesn't come out for another 34 days in the UK, especially after reading these reviews. Being British sucks.
 
Fantastic movie, i agree with what everyone else has said and my only i guess i would say disappointment in the movie was
 how all of Andy's other toys weren't given more proper send offs, especially Bo Peep. I was kinda hoping for an emotional montage of all the other toys getting sold or given away or that they were all packed away up in the attic or something so there was a possibility of finding them again. I was even maybe hoping that Bonnie was the little girl that Bo Peep was donated too before and in the very end she would show up and be with Woody again. I guess all of that was just wishful thinking on my part. One of my favorite parts of the other movies was that sense of togetherness and that they would do anything to keep all of them together no matter how minor the toy, like when Woody saved Wheezy. That, along with the ending, was the saddest part to me, that RC, Bo Peep, Wheezy, Lenny, Etch, the microphone guy, the muscle guy and all the others never got any real (besides blink and you miss it in the background shots in the home movies) scenes.  
That was the one thing that bothered me and just because that is the only thing i discussed doesn't mean i disliked the movie by any means, i still think it was fantastic i just wanted to mention that one gripe i had and since everyone else already discussed, much better than i would be able to articulate, the stuff i thought was great about the movie i figured there was no need to repeat.

easily 5/5 and i can't wait for the Toy Story short before Cars 2, i would love a sort of prequel to the years between 2 and 3 but i bet it will be  Bonnie's house stuff. 
 
5 Gator claps out of 5! :gatorclap: :gatorclap: :gatorclap: :gatorclap: :gatorclap:
I gotta admit, I had a little doubt (very little) about this movies plot. I noticed the first Toy Story and every movie after that would always deal with the same ole "Abandonment" dilemma. I was a little worried that a third movie was stretching the same tired issue. Boy oh boy am I ever glad to be wrong!

This movie kicked MY ASS!! (Toy Story 3 to the left ~~~ Gatorgod to the right)
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I plan on going back for more 3D ass kickings this summer! This Movie OWNS!
 
god this was amazing. teared up so much. emotional rollercoaster.
 
Man looking at this thread in my phone's like looking at a neverending grey box.
 
Fantastic movie, i agree with what everyone else has said and my only i guess i would say disappointment in the movie was
 how all of Andy's other toys weren't given more proper send offs, especially Bo Peep.... 
 I was kinda sad about that too, but in retrospect, I think it gives the movie even more weight. Their meetings are a lot smaller compared to TS1and TS2, and it really conveyed the passage of time and the loneliness of becoming increasingly unimportant to someone you love. If all of Andy's toys were there, it'd probably feel less real. 
Anyway, I really liked the Day and Night short. The designs were great; Pixar should do 2D shorts more often. There was one moment that was a bit saccharine, but it was still fantastic.

 About Toy Story 3...well, it was excellent. Roger Ebert's fairly indifferent review kind of made me nervous, but I enjoyed it a hell of a lot. Not only was it funny, but it was incredibly touching. Though it seemed like it retreaded familiar territory at times, maybe it was necessary to bring the themes of the movies around full circle (ie the toys' relative mortality, what happens when your kid grows up, etc). It felt awfully human to me. The scene where they wait for their iminent death was brutal (yeah...I was pretty sure they wouldn't go for a "KILL 'EM ALL" ending, but it was a very edge of your seat moment, wasn't it?), but what really hit home was near the end, where Andy plays with his toys one last time. I guess its because I'm in a similar place now. Yesterday was my last day of school and come next year will also be the day I graduate from high school. So, I've been wondering a lot about what I'm going to do with the rest of my life, how I'm going to move on from a place I've lived for my whole life, and similarly sappy things. June 18th is weirdly symbolic. But anyway, it was such a perfect scene, too. It felt nostalgic and bittersweet and even a bit hard to watch and at that point, I was tearing up. Really good movie. 
 
I don't rate movies anymore until at least the second viewing. There are a lot of movies worse upon rewatching, and even more better.

With that said, the 0/10 thing was a joke and you should stop trying to take it so seriously. I liked this movie. I truly did.

Also...can't this go on the OTHER TS3 thread? The one that's been going since the damn thing was announced?
 
With that said, the 0/10 thing was a joke and you should stop trying to take it so seriously. I liked this movie. I truly did.

Everybody here is aware that your post wasn't meant to be taken seriously. And if it was a joke, it wasn't remotely funny, and contributed nothing to the thread. You are more than welcome to post your honest thoughts on the movie, whatever they may be.

Also...can't this go on the OTHER TS3 thread? The one that's been going since the damn thing was announced?

If the thread didn't belong where it is, myself or another admin/moderator would have merged them together. If having two separate threads for the same movie is really that big of an inconvenience for you, then you can ignore the other one.
 
I figured since the other thread was already pretty huge and full of pre-release Toy Story 3 speculation, a R/R thread would be fine for organization. Besides, that's how we've done it with plenty of upcoming films in the past too (notably Pixar's).
 
short & sweet

Okay this was awesome. Hilarious stuff all around, best new character - the phone on wheels. And the animation in this? THE ANIMATION IN THIS? OH MY GAWD. Obviously Pixar's an animation powerhouse, but everything, the lighting, the framing of each shot, the character movements (Buzz's dancing particularly shined), amazing work.

I liked how they used all the celebs from their other movies- Bonnie Hunt, Richard Kind (I thought it was Billy Crystal before looking online), Jeff Garlin, Michael Keaton, etc.

And I think it's worth noting that all the people in our theater were teenagers, with the exception of very, very few. It was great.
 
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