Toy Story 3

I know I said this already, but thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for sending me to Toy Story 3. I went into the theater with high expectations, and they were equaled halfway through the film, and easily exceeded by the end. Pixar continues its amazing streak of great films.

I arrived at the Old Town 14 at 11:10. There was a modest line in the lobby, maybe a dozen people in front of me and my mom, another Pixar fan. We got right in, fearing that maybe there wouldn't be a big crowd. Fortunately by the time the film started the theater was probably 90% full at least, not bad for a G movie at midnight. The crowd was mostly made up of 16-18 year olds who, like myself, grew up with the Toy Story boy Andy. I was on the lookout for avid fans dressed like toys, but came up more or less empty handed. There was a 3 or 4 year old boy in Buzz Lightyear pj's holding a Woody doll though. I wanted to take a picture with him but decided his parents might be somewhat suspicious of me.

Like all Pixar films, this one opens with a short. Day & Night is the most unusual Pixar short you will see, but it is very clever in its technique and the message is good as well. 7/10

Now on to the feature; Toy Story 3 is really, really good. I'm not going to call it brilliant as it is a sequel, but it is damn near perfect. The amazing thing for me is how Pixar managed to keep the same feel of the first two films, the last of which came out more than ten years ago. Despite the advances in computer animation since then, this still feels like the same world as the other two films. Bringing back all of the voice actors was another triumph (except Jim "Slinky Dog" Varney, RIP). Even the voice of now 17 year old Andy is played by the same actor from the earlier films. Impressive.

Technical aspects aside, the story is great on its own. All your old favorite characters are back, along with a few new ones that are keepers if there is a Toy Story 4 (Michael Keaton is a highlight as an overly fashionable Ken doll). Pixar injects the film with its usual blend of humor, action, and tender moments. there's really nothing left to say. The film builds on Pixar's already impressive oeuvre.

The film ended to a large round of applause. Most of the large crowd stayed through the credits as Pixar included a little epilogue, and clapped again when that ended too. Definitely a good sign. Overall, it was a great night, and I am planning on seeing this in theaters again.

Attendance: 4/5
Crazy Fan Boy Factor: 1/5
Crowd Response: 5/5
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Production Value: 5/5
Humor: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
Nostalgia: Through the roof (for this reviewer)

Overall: 10/10