Review: Toy Story 3

It seems that the Pixar group are on a bit of a roll as of late with 2008's sublime Wall-E and 2009's heartwarming Up, this year they are returning to where it all began with the third in the Toy Story trilogy. The film's central theme is what happens when we grow up and saying goodbye to the things and people we love. It is particularly apt as the Toy Story audience will have grown up with the films, indeed I was 11 when the first film came out 15 years ago and now I'm... not. The basic plot sees Woody, Buzz et al worried about their fates when Andy goes to college, thinking they'll be thrown away they organise it so they get sent to the Sunnnyside Daycare Centre. But Woody believes that Andy still needs them so tries to get back home while the other toys discover that Sunnyside isn't quite what they think it is. The film combines styles at its heart it is a coming-of-age story and a film all about friendship and what the toys mean to each other. But director Lee Unrick and new screenwriter Michael 'Little Miss Sunshine' Arndt combine a variety of styles so families can enjoy it together. The film borrows from a lot of different prison break films and indeed there is one scene with a talking telephone which is just hilarious. There is also some hints to the Zorro films and to horror movies in general which work into the story so well rather than feeling forced, something that happens a lot in the Dreamworks films.

The old characters don't change that much, apart from Buzz whose controls get changed at least twice in this film with hilarious results. Another character who is more prominent in this film is Estelle Harris' Mrs. Potato Head who is played as an always-complaining Jewish housewife and works very well with Don Rickles' Mr. Potato Head. There are two central new characters who join the franchise for the final film, the first being Ned Beatty's Lotso, a large pink bear who smells of strawberries and is in charge of the Daycare centre. The second is Michael Keaton's scene-stealing Ken who claims he is not a girl's toy yet marvels in dressing up in various outfits. Ken is a character that both children and adults will get to laugh at, kids will love his frantic manner while the adults will enjoy some of the more grown-up dialogue. A lot of other reviews have mentioned an emotional ending but, although I thought it was quite sweet, I think the end is about new beginnings rather than goodbyes and the Gypsy King's version of You Got a Friend in Me was a great way to end the film. As for the 3D element, I believe the technique has been used as an enhancement to the visual rather than anything else. You certainly don't notice it as much as you did in Avatar or Alice in Wonderland which may be a good thing but I don't know if I felt involved because of the 3D or just because of the perfectly crafted film.

You know by now what you're getting from a Pixar film, while I don't think its as good as the other two Toy Stories its still an excellent animated film which no-one will be disappointed to have seen. Full of warmth, wit and animated glory this is definitely a film that can be enjoyed by the whole family.