Toy Story 3 [Blu-ray] Review
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First and foremost if you are actually reading this and you haven't seen it, get up off your ass and go to the theater right now! I know it is still playing in a theater somewhere!
It has been 11 years since we have seen these characters and I will say when I heard about a script in the works for the third chapter I was a bit skeptical for many reasons. Apparently this movie started out as a direct to DVD release when first conceptualized about...4/5 years ago. It was not going to be in CGI and the plot was about Woody and the gang rescuing Buzz from Japan after he and other first edition Buzz Lightyear figures were recalled to the manufacture. Yea, that could have worked, but this is Toy Story! I mean when we all went to see this movie about 15 years ago we were just awestruck by these unbelievable characters. The movie was full of such magic and the story was so original that is just made you think about your own Toys and how great they felt when you played with them. I know I am going on and on, but that just shows you how meaningful Toy Story is to me and film as a whole.
Toy Story 3, does not meet up to the grandeur of its predecessors. Toy Story 3 goes above and beyond anything that this story has given us so far. Toy Story 3 turns this simple little world into a massive epic, and the story itself while it may be so simple and easy to follow, there are just so many different emotional levels seen throughout. There are points in the movie where you will laugh so hard and then in the following scene you will be trying so hard to hold back tears. In the theater I was in, I saw grown men cry. For that to happen because of a movie, it just shows you there is something truly special here. The Pixar animation has come so far since Toy Story, that the textures and scenery that you see in this installment are so believable and lifelike you can almost touch them yourself. The voice acting is fantastic as well. Along with the story, the cast returns and steps up their game as well. Each character is given so much more depth and the funnier members of the bunch get even funnier. On top of that we are introduced a whole new batch of toys. Each one is unique in its own way and the new actors that lent their voices did a wonderful job, it was as almost as if there were there from the start. There are not many jokes that play on satire or pop culture like Shrek, but the humor that is used just works. The movie is great for all ages, but I believe it was really made for those that have been there from the beginning. You can tell by some of the scenes that it is not only because you have known these characters growing up, but it is the fact that you are now seeing these characters as a grown up and how you must have felt when you realized it was time to stop playing with your own toys and if they were like these characters what they must be feeling. On that note, probably the best part of this film would have to be the ending. I don't think I have seen a story end on such a high note since 'Return of the King' It just makes you feel so many different kinds of wonderful emotions. The feelings that you leave with towards these characters, in fact the entire legacy that Toy Story has become, you could not have asked for a more proper send off.
Now, after reading this I sure hope that if you haven't seen Toy Story 3 that you will. Brush up on your Toy Story and Toy Story 2, because when you see Toy Story 3 you will be very glad you did. Pixar really has outdone them selves with this film. As a person who has seen almost every Disney animated film and who owns every Pixar film, Toy Story 3 could arguably be the greatest Disney animated film ever made! This movie has been praised by fans and critics everywhere since its theatrical release. It makes me wonder where the Pixar gang will go with future projects, some of which will be sequels to other Pixar classics. In fact I don't think 2010 can possibly give us anything better in film! I have already seen Inception and I have to say that Toy Story just adds that little bit of extra magic. Toy Story 3 to me at this point is the best film of 2010, it has surpassed The Incredibles as my all time favorite Pixar film. I sure hope that this film wins the Oscar for Best Picture of the year, yea I am going to stick to that last statment because a film like Toy Story 3 is why we go to see movies and purchase them in the first place. Not only do we want to be entertained, or just escape the hardships of every day life, in the end what we truly want from the films is that sense of perfection that goes deep within our souls. While that feeling maybe different for everyone if you find that feeling it just sets everything right in the world. Like Peter Jackson, John Lassater deserves his credit that has been due to him ever since he created Toy Story. To get an award as prestigious as the Oscar for best film will show the world that animation can be just as real as live action and if you just have the desire and the passion to create something special that is not depicted by something that is entirely real, you can sure as hell do the best that you can to make it real.
BUY THIS MOVIE!!!
Toy Story 3 [Blu-ray] Overview
The creative minds behind Disney•Pixar's groundbreaking animated blockbusters invites you back inside the Toys' delightful world for a heartwarming and hilarious Hi-Definition movie experience you'll never forget. All the original voice talent returns (including Tom Hanks and Tim Allen) plus new talent including Michael Keaton as Ken and Warren Beatty as Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear. It's "the biggest, best, most exciting Toy Story of them all," raves Access Hollywood.
As Andy gets ready to leave for college, Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang wonder if this is the end of the line. But, when a mix up lands them in the Sunnyside Day Care Center where they meet 14 new toys, they soon discover that a wild new adventure is just beginning! Take an amazing journey with some of the most beloved characters in movie history and discover what being a friend is truly all about.
"It's everything a movie should be: hilarious, touching, exciting and clever," says USA Today. Buzzing with hours of exclusive bonus features, including an interactive trivia game and the Pixar short film Day and Night, Toy Story 3 goes to infinity and beyond on Blu-ray Hi-Def!
Toy Story 3 [Blu-ray] Specifications
What made the original
Toy Story so great, besides its significant achievement as the first-ever feature-length computer animated film, was its ability to instantly transport viewers into a magical world where it seemed completely plausible that toys were living, thinking beings who sprang to life the minute they were alone and wanted nothing more than to be loved and played with by their children.
Toy Story 3 absolutely succeeds in the very same thing--adults and children alike, whether they've seen the original film or not, find themselves immediately immersed in a world in which Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (Don Rickles and Estelle Harris), Ham (John Ratzenberger), Rex (Wallace Shawn), the aliens, and the rest of Andy's toys remain completely devoted to Andy (John Morris) even as he's getting ready to pack up and leave for college. Woody scoffs at the other toys' worries that they'll end up in the garbage, assuring them that they've earned a spot of honor in the attic, but when the toys are mistakenly donated to Sunnyside Daycare, Woody is the only toy whose devotion to Andy outweighs the promise of getting played with each and every day. Woody sets off toward home alone while the other toys settle in for some daycare fun, but things don't turn out quite as expected at the daycare thanks to the scheming, strawberry-scented old-timer bear Lots-o'-Huggin' (Ned Beatty). Eventually, Woody rejoins his friends and they all attempt a daring escape from the daycare, which could destroy them all. The pacing of the film is impeccable at this point, although the sense of peril may prove almost too intense for a few young viewers. Pixar's 3-D computer animation is top-notch as always and the voice talent in this film is tremendous, but in the end, it's Pixar's uncanny ability to combine drama, action, and humor in a way that irresistibly draws viewers into the world of the film that makes
Toy Story 3 such great family entertainment. (Ages 7 and older)
--Tami HoriuchiCustomer Reviews
First and foremost if you are actually reading this and you haven't seen it, get up off your ass and go to the theater right now! I know it is still playing in a theater somewhere!
It has been 11 years since we have seen these characters and I will say when I heard about a script in the works for the third chapter I was a bit skeptical for many reasons. Apparently this movie started out as a direct to DVD release when first conceptualized about...4/5 years ago. It was not going to be in CGI and the plot was about Woody and the gang rescuing Buzz from Japan after he and other first edition Buzz Lightyear figures were recalled to the manufacture. Yea, that could have worked, but this is Toy Story! I mean when we all went to see this movie about 15 years ago we were just awestruck by these unbelievable characters. The movie was full of such magic and the story was so original that is just made you think about your own Toys and how great they felt when you played with them. I know I am going on and on, but that just shows you how meaningful Toy Story is to me and film as a whole.
Toy Story 3, does not meet up to the grandeur of its predecessors. Toy Story 3 goes above and beyond anything that this story has given us so far. Toy Story 3 turns this simple little world into a massive epic, and the story itself while it may be so simple and easy to follow, there are just so many different emotional levels seen throughout. There are points in the movie where you will laugh so hard and then in the following scene you will be trying so hard to hold back tears. In the theater I was in, I saw grown men cry. For that to happen because of a movie, it just shows you there is something truly special here. The Pixar animation has come so far since Toy Story, that the textures and scenery that you see in this installment are so believable and lifelike you can almost touch them yourself. The voice acting is fantastic as well. Along with the story, the cast returns and steps up their game as well. Each character is given so much more depth and the funnier members of the bunch get even funnier. On top of that we are introduced a whole new batch of toys. Each one is unique in its own way and the new actors that lent their voices did a wonderful job, it was as almost as if there were there from the start. There are not many jokes that play on satire or pop culture like Shrek, but the humor that is used just works. The movie is great for all ages, but I believe it was really made for those that have been there from the beginning. You can tell by some of the scenes that it is not only because you have known these characters growing up, but it is the fact that you are now seeing these characters as a grown up and how you must have felt when you realized it was time to stop playing with your own toys and if they were like these characters what they must be feeling. On that note, probably the best part of this film would have to be the ending. I don't think I have seen a story end on such a high note since 'Return of the King' It just makes you feel so many different kinds of wonderful emotions. The feelings that you leave with towards these characters, in fact the entire legacy that Toy Story has become, you could not have asked for a more proper send off.
Now, after reading this I sure hope that if you haven't seen Toy Story 3 that you will. Brush up on your Toy Story and Toy Story 2, because when you see Toy Story 3 you will be very glad you did. Pixar really has outdone them selves with this film. As a person who has seen almost every Disney animated film and who owns every Pixar film, Toy Story 3 could arguably be the greatest Disney animated film ever made! This movie has been praised by fans and critics everywhere since its theatrical release. It makes me wonder where the Pixar gang will go with future projects, some of which will be sequels to other Pixar classics. In fact I don't think 2010 can possibly give us anything better in film! I have already seen Inception and I have to say that Toy Story just adds that little bit of extra magic. Toy Story 3 to me at this point is the best film of 2010, it has surpassed The Incredibles as my all time favorite Pixar film. I sure hope that this film wins the Oscar for Best Picture of the year, yea I am going to stick to that last statment because a film like Toy Story 3 is why we go to see movies and purchase them in the first place. Not only do we want to be entertained, or just escape the hardships of every day life, in the end what we truly want from the films is that sense of perfection that goes deep within our souls. While that feeling maybe different for everyone if you find that feeling it just sets everything right in the world. Like Peter Jackson, John Lassater deserves his credit that has been due to him ever since he created Toy Story. To get an award as prestigious as the Oscar for best film will show the world that animation can be just as real as live action and if you just have the desire and the passion to create something special that is not depicted by something that is entirely real, you can sure as hell do the best that you can to make it real.
BUY THIS MOVIE!!!
Entertaining, but not as good as Toy Story 1 & 2 - Turfseer - New York, N.Y.
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
I was looking forward to seeing Toy Story 3 since I enjoyed Toy Story 1 & 2 so much. The question remains whether Toy Story 3 measures up to its predecessors. All the main characters are back including Woody and Buzz Lightyear and the Pixar animation, with its attention to extreme detail, is even better. It was a good idea not to bring back all the toys from the previous features and dispensing with the toy soldiers (for example), by having them 'bail out', was quite clever.
The plot begins in the present, with the toy's owner, Andy, now about to go away to college. He packs up his toys (excluding Woody who he intends to take with him to college) and puts them in a bag, about to bring them upstairs to the attic for storage. Somehow he gets distracted and his mother mistakenly throws the bag with the toys out in the trash. The toys manage to escape from the bag but jump into a box marked for the Sunnyside Day Care Center. Woody manages to follow the toys to the day care center and insists they should all return to Andy before he goes away to college. The toys, however, don't relish the idea of being no use up in the attic and stage a mutiny. Woody leaves his colleagues, only to end up in the home of Bonnie, a young child, who has some neat, new toys including a Shakespearean hedgehog, Mr. Pricklepants, and a scatterbrained triceratops, Trixie.
Unlike Toy Story 1 & 2, which featured human antagonists (the vicious child 'Sid' in "1" and Al McWhiggin, the conniving toy store owner in "2"), Toy Story 3's antagonist is Lotso, a bear with a chip on his shoulder. It seems that Lotso was lost by his previous owner, a child named Daisy, who replaced him with a similar looking model. Somehow the idea that the innocent toy world can be corrupted by an evil seed within its own ranks isn't as effective as having human antagonists. That's because I think it's better to depict the toys as essentially representing the innocent and positive world of childhood with the negative force derived from the worst aspects of adulthood. In Toy Story 1, Sid is a child, obviously conditioned to be a 'monster' by his parents; and in Toy Story 2, Al the toy store owner, embodies the sin of avarice, which must be opposed through the 'goodness' of Andy's toys. In a sense, 'toydom' is diminished by pitting toy against toy and the point that adults are responsible for causing the problems of childhood, is lost.
The other problem I found with the plot is that Andys' toys' reaction to Lotso's directives was unfounded. You'll recall that Andys' toys claim that being placed with the 'younger children' is inappropriate; but as toys, they should expect to be thrown around by younger children (isn't that what younger children do with toys?). And was Lotso being so unfair when he demands that the new toys be placed with the younger one's first, since they're "first in line"? Notice at the end of the film, when 'fairness' is supposedly restored, Ken and Barbie are now running the day care center, now allowing all the toys to take turns, interacting with the younger and more disruptive children. Note that the toys will still be subjected to being thrown around by the younger children--simply less often.
Still, Toy Story 3 is filled with thrilling scenes, reminiscent of its predecessors. After Andy's toys attempt to escape from the day care center, we're taken on a wild ride inside a trash compactor. The toys face their 'dark moment of the soul' as they're about to be burnt alive in an incinerator; after Lotso fails to save them by pushing the compactor's stop button, they're miraculously saved by squeeze toy aliens who somehow manage to stop all power by operating the controls in the control room.
There are other neat scenes in Toy Story 3 including Buzz turning into a Lothario after accidentally being set on 'Spanish mode', Barbie and Ken falling in, then out of love and back in love again, Ken's hilarious wardrobe display and the fantastic introductory sequence featuring a wild chase involving both a train and a spaceship.
For those who haven't seen Toy Story 1 & 2, Toy Story 3 might seem like a masterpiece. But for those who have seen the two earlier incarnations, one can only conclude that "3" just isn't quite as good. "3" does get marks for trying however. The theme that one cannot hold on to the past is ably embodied in Woody's resistance to leaving Andy and finally accepting, along with the rest of Andy's toys, the idea that it's time to move on. On the other hand, it's sad to see Lotso, pinned to the front of a garbage truck, with the implication that he may be the victim of his new owner, who might be some kind of sadist or pervert. The image of an innocent child's toy, made to represent some demonic force, is all wrong and sadly makes Story 3 inappropriate for younger viewers.
A nice story - pyramid lover 101 -
This movie was a very clever, amusing and a little scary. I think however, the good part of the movie is the toys. Without the toys this movie would not be very magnificent! The story is the best of the three and I left the theater with a happy smile on my face! Thank you Pixar for making my day and I hope you folks reading this have the sense to buy this healthy and humorous DVD! It will definatly become a favorite with your small ones!
Escape from the Toy Box! Fun Pixar Film. - Scotman - Mt. Shasta, CA
I finished watching Toy Story 3 and although I still have not seen the first two Toy Story films, I felt that the action and lessons learned were powerfully portrayed, but missing the adult themes and nostalgia that I enjoyed with Wall-E and Up.
The film starts out with a short, "Day & Night" which I thought was fun. Both Day and Night have their pros and cons which we see. Ah the nightlife of Vegas! Ah, the beach girls in summer!
Many years ago, most films had a cartoon and a newsreel before starting the main picture. In fact, there were these things called "double features" which you don't see too much of, which had two films playing for a single admission price. Good old days.
Anyway, back to the main event: Andy's toys are being boxed up and he's on his way to college. Through an accident, most of Andy's toys almost get trashed (to a toy, being trashed is the same as hell!). Thanks to some of Woody's (cowboy toy) actions they escape only to end up in Sunnydale, a preschool that has the apparency of lots of kids playing with toys, to being beaten up and busted apart by little children!
The toys are not happy with being treated like hammers and paint brushes and want to be played with. Too bad says "Lotso", a large, toy bear who is literally a dictator running the toy show at the preschool.
I came away from the movie with the idea that there are several ways to handle rejection. Some of the toys, like Lotso, handled rejection by becoming bitter and treating others badly. He came up with the false idea that "everyone" treats toys like hand-me-downs, that they can easily be replaced, and that they are not appreciated and will eventually be trashed.
Andy's toys however deal with rejection in a different way. They too feel that they are being rejected and trashed. But they also understand that Andy is growing up and no longer has a need for toys. They're not too keen with ending up in the attic storage but at least they won't be trashed. But these toys are flexible: All they want is to be played with.
Finally, Woody is not too keen on being trashed either. But he wants to maintain status quo. He feels that they all belong to Andy and should be loyal to him.
All three groups have an epiphany of sorts. Some adapt and well, some just don't change and end up on the wrong side of (something) (no spoilers, sorry!).
There are some scenes that might be a bit intense for smaller kids, but I think Pixar earned its five stars because of what it created here has a story lesson, is not knocking you upside the head with its moral lessons, has some conflict and resolution and is fun to watch.
For me, not as charming and fun as Wall-E or Up, but still highly recommended for the kids in your life.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 16, 2010 17:06:18
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