"Toy Story 3"

By Matt Duncan
Coastal View News

Woody, Buzz, Rex, Ham, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Jesse and Slinky Dog—they’re all back. Andy’s famous and motley bunch of toys has returned for one last adventure and to deliver one more thrill for viewers. As ever, with the aide of several hilarious new toys, “Toy Story 3” possesses the characteristic charm that typifies all of Pixar’s movies and the Toy Story series in particular.

In “Toy Story 3”, the plastic denizens of Andy’s bedroom face dreaded separation from their beloved owner as he heads off to college. This is in many ways a toy’s worst nightmare (as we learned in “Toy Story 2”), and basically, there are three possible outcomes—three potential destinies—for each of Andy’s toys: (1) Go to college with Andy, (2) get packed up and thrown in the attic, or (3) get donated to a local daycare. Ultimately, Andy decides to throw Woody (Tome Hanks) in the “College” box and pack up Buzz (Tim Allen), Jesse (Joan Cusack) and the rest of the toys for storage in the attic.

However, when Andy’s mom mistakes the bag of old toys for trash, most of Andy’s toys are left feeling abused in the worst way. Woody does his best to convince his dejected and embittered friends to return home, but before he knows it, the other toys have managed to donate themselves to the glittery carpet and finger-paint-laden plastic furniture of Sunnyside Daycare.

At first glance, Sunnyside appears to be nothing short of toy heaven. Woody and his gang are met by hundreds of friendly faces, including a jolly stuffed bear named Lotso (Ned Beatty) and a debonair Ken doll (Michael Keaton) who, of course, comes with dream mansion included. Lotso is the loving leader of Ken and scores of other toys who are happy and content to never be neglected nor abandoned.

However, the happiness is short lived. Woody heads home, and soon thereafter Lotso shows the rest of the toys that his plush underbelly belies an inner totalitarian spirit. As a result, Andy’s former playthings find themselves trapped and forced to endure the chewing, slobbering and downright destruction that takes place in the toddler section of the daycare.

When Woody learns of his friends’ plight at Sunnyside, he sets off on a rescue mission. With the help of news friends, and at the mercy of new foes, Woody and his friends hatch an unlikely escape plan in an attempt to once again get home to Andy.

The loyalty of these toys to Andy is unconditional and seemingly hard-wired, but through their shared experiences they find themselves committed to each other with nearly as much fealty. When these two loyalties diverge, a conflict naturally arises. Should these toys support Andy to the hilt, abiding by his every wish, or should they put their small community of toys first? Or should they simply look out for number one? These questions get asked over and over again in the Toy Story series. I suppose these are nothing more than the normal problems that arise for plastic playthings in possession of consciousness and rationality. But, oddly enough, in asking what commitments and responsibilities are most pressing for animated bits of plastic and fabric, we are reminded to ask the very same questions of ourselves.

“Toy Story 3” is disappointing in just one trifling respect. That is, the story is nothing new. There is a new setting, new toys and a new ending, but the twists and turns are basically the same. What made “Toy Story 2” so good, in my view, was that it combined all that was clever and intrinsically charming in the first movie with a novel and interesting scenario. “Toy Story 3” did not evolve in this way. Part of me is fine with this; part of me wants for everything to stay the same. But another part of me wishes that, just as Andy grew up and moved to college, this series would have moved on as well.

Nonetheless, this film is as witty and gladdening as any Pixar film. Woody, Buzz and the crew are in top form, and the additions of Ken and Lotso are priceless (after all, what could be more fulfilling, if is toys we are talking about, than finding out what a Ken doll is like when the lights are out?). “Toy Story 3” is also powerful emotionally. As the toys bind together and say goodbye to Andy and us, the audience, this movie is liable to draw as many tears as laughs.