Toy Story 3 (June 18, 2010)

A sequel to Toy Story 2 had been in development since 2004; the film went through many iterations to get to its final product, with the plot as we know it being announced in 2008. The plot focuses on Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Andy's other remaining toys accidentally being donated to a day care center, while Andy, now 17 years old, is preparing to leave for college, and their ensuing race to get home before Andy leaves. This was believed by many to be the end of the Toy Story franchise (and many think it is a more satisfactory conclusion then Toy Story 4) until it was announced in 2014; it was probably prompted by how much of a financial hit Toy Story 3 was, it broke many records at the time of its release. It was the first animated film to gross over $1 billion worldwide- becoming the highest grossing from of 2010 both domestically and worldwide- as well as the fourth highest grossing film at the time of release and the highest grossing animated film of all time. It raked in $1.067 billion over fourth months in theaters. It is one of the most expensive films of all time (though it currently is tied for 43rd place)- costing approximately $200 million. It also became the second Pixar film, after Up, and third animated film overall, after Beauty and the Beast, to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture (it won Best Animated Feature). Despite all these accolades and impressive box office numbers, this film is, historically, my least favorite in the franchise (age has, perhaps, softened my outlook on it). This is not for lack of polish- It is a beautifully animated film (its budget was clearly put to good use). Everyone has gotten a face lift from the previous film, released almost 11 years prior in 1999, most notably the children (Andy looks spectacular, which still staying true to his original design). The soundtrack, as well, is beautiful (Randy Newman returns as composer) perfectly accompanying the unfolding story onscreen. The plot is good. Its skeleton is similar to those before but this time including a creatively implemented prison break. Now, as I am entering my senior year in college, I resonate with the message of the film, of the inevitable process of growing up and leaving your childhood behind, more than I did when I saw the film in theaters as an elementary school student. It is a bittersweet parting on the part of Andy but it is one we all must go through and, in the end, he made the right choice passing on his cherished Toys to another owner so they can create more memories with another generation. No, my problem with the film is the infamous incinerator scene. You might think this is a small matter in the grand scheme of the movie, but I disagree. It serves as the climax of the action, which can make or break a film. I think it is unnecessary and emotionally manipulative. Even as a kid I did not believe any of the toys would die but even still I think it is unfair to include for the sole purpose of messing with the audience’s emotions. It did not raise the stakes in any meaningful way and did not have any lasting effects on the main characters. If Lotso had been lost it would have been one thing but there were virtual no consequences as it played out. This whole exchanged, while impressive to behold, soured my experience and my impression of the film as a hole. It is why I was reticent to revisit it, even a decade on (I did rematch it last year in preparation for Toy Story 4, however). This scene is the reason I cannot give the film a better score. It is a shame because I do think the rest of the film is great (though the new characters are not nearly as memorable or endearing as those introduced in the previous two films or those in the fourth). I do not think Toy Story 3 was the best animated feature of 2010, either; that honor goes to How To Train Your Dragon (Hopefully in the future I will add DreamWorks films to my catalogue of animated film reviews), but it is right up there with the best animated films of the past decade and, if not for that one scene, I would give it a perfect grade.

Final Rating: 8.5/10