MarketBOB's Movie Review

Toy Story 3

Movie Review

© 2010 by Sportscar Projects Ltd.

Toy Story 3 June 19, 2010

Andy is grown up and taking his “Woody” to college (like thousands of boys his age). Bad Mommy Ultimatum forces him to decide the fate of the toys millions of adults have grown to love as much as their own kids.

One Word Movie Review: GREAT

Toy Story 3 has been ten years in the making and well worth the wait, as the cycle of toy survival comes full circle in a satisfying, emotional ending which will leave parents who’ve watched the earlier versions choking back tears. Having just completed my own garage sale for my son’s toys, I completely understand the dilemma of discarded toys taking up space and the need to recycle or remove them from their loving home. We personify our toys all through our lives, naming and giving human traits to our cars, boats and sports equipment so the ongoing saga of Andy’s toys resonates with all ages. Each toy has a unique character, purpose and hidden reservoir of strength and courage. Now, with Toy Story 3, we see our favorite plastic people decide their future and reinforce the universal instinct of self-preservation.

Yes, no one deserves to be tossed onto the waste heap without one last fighting chance for meaning, purpose and recycling greatness.

There are two audiences out there for Toy Story 3, the new youngsters new to the characters and those parents who watched the first movies many times (and I do mean many times – I must have watched TS 1 & 2 at least 20 times each). My son had no interest in this sequel, having moved on to satirical comedies and Michael Moore documentaries, but a new generation has the opportunity to re-discover the originals (recently re-issued in 3D) and enjoy this new adventure in toyland.

It is a joy to see Pixar Studios maintain the same intelligence, character-based story-telling and humor that made the first two movies so enjoyable. Toy Story 3 is filmmaking of the highest quality, firing on all cylinders and setting the bar for other movies at “infinity and beyond”.

The Story

The story reaches back to Andy as a child, through his imaginative play captured on video and realized through a fantasy opening sequence involving a train robbery, wrecked bridge, flying spaceship and hoards of swarming monkeys. From there, we have the basic plot driver and ticking clock: the departure of Andy to college and

Mommy Ultimatum’s directive to trash, donate or store his toys in the attic. Although ignored for years, our favorite toys cling to the hope that Andy will keep them around and perhaps play with them again or, in a faint distant future, pass them on to his own kids sometime, somewhere, somehow.

Andy’s favorite is Woody and he decides to take him along to college (thus the subtle metaphor of every boy’s choice to take his woody to college) and leave the rest to long-term storage in the attic with the Xmas decorations (what fun!). Woody is the cheerleader for togetherness and devotion to Andy, so when the inevitable mix-up occurs and the toys find themselves on the curb waiting for garbage pick-up, they are quick to abandon Andy. They choose life in a day care over destruction, despite Woody’s pleas to trust Andy’s devotion to their ongoing happiness under his care and protection.

There wouldn’t be much of story if the day care was a happy place. Don’t worry, it’s not. It is run like a prison by a mean teddy bear that was abandoned by his owner and has taken twisted revenge on all toys, building up a hierarchy of privilege and punishment for all donations to the day care. Woody escapes, leaving his friends behind (don’t worry, only momentarily) and the new Barbie character finds a Ken to dream over (yes, they WERE made for each other).

Between Ken and Barbie jokes, Buzz Lightyear re-booting back to his “defender of the galaxy” personality and horrible scenes of destruction from toddlers at play, Woody works his way back to his friends and organizes an elaborate break-out of the day care prison.

The great escape is one long, logical series of daring stunts, leading to a final confrontation between Woody and the bad old teddy bear at the dump. There are moments of bravery for each toy until their final unlikely rescue from incineration by what only can be termed as “alien intervention”.

By now, the average studio would have ended the movie with our heroes rescued and back home where they belonged but this is Pixar and they have a grander and quite touching resolution in mind. Without giving anything away, the ending tears at your heart in surprising ways; Woody’s faith in Andy is confirmed, the gang stays together and the smartest toy in the world has to be this pull-string cowboy with a star on his chest.

The Genre

The CGI-animated family fantasy adventure genre is the core of Pixar’s strength, and although other studios try to compete, this genre is owned by one studio. They deliver the whole package of humor and heart, imagination and empathy which no one

else can match. They don’t do fart jokes or endless references to R-rated action movies or craft tiresome and predictable stories.

I wish there was more competition in this category. Perhaps the Pixar magic is unique and now, as part of Disney, their universe will expand and inspire higher quality across Hollywood. Others have tried and failed so far, but it is early yet.

One would hope the introduction of 3D doesn’t distract other studios from insisting on quality stories and emotional cores to their movies instead of fluffy plots and jokes about body functions.

Until then, go see every Pixar movie when it is released. We need to support the best and Toy Story 3 is the latest evidence of a studio at the top of the heap.

The Overall Quality

Toy Story 3 delivers on all levels, from voice acting to visual delights, pace and intelligence of the script and story and deft musical cues which trigger emotional responses from audiences. The comedy is character-based, from the morphing of Mr. Potato Head into Tortilla Head to Spanish Buzz Lightyear, El Magnifico with the ladies. The logic of the toy world is maintained throughout, without stretching the

capabilities of each toy yet building on what they can and cannot do. The evil forces are tempered by a back story of abandonment and resolved with a fitting punishment without mean spirits or our heroes turning to the dark side.

There are a few impossibilities - Andy lives in a magical neighborhood with twice-weekly curbside garbage pick-up – but these are minor slip-ups. This world is as real as any other fantasy creation from Hollywood, where things become people and we accept them as extensions of our own experiences. I recognize and respond to this world of living toys, although I wouldn’t want to actually live in it, especially when they start operating heavy machinery.

Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty and Michael Keaton all deliver vocal performances which capture their character’s motivations and attitudes. Lee Unkrich directs with a sympathetic eye for the toy’s point of view and introduces enough dark moments to provide meaningful conflicts and anxiety as to the fate of our heroes.

The greatest praise I reserve for this film’s respect of the audience which is evident in every frame of the movie. Parents have to watch family movies and feel gratified when a few crumbs of smart dialogue or unexpected twists are inserted for their benefit. This is not the case with Toy Story 3. The entire movie works both at a child’s and adult’s level of intelligence

and amusement. Then, the film kicks into another gear with the ending and you know you’re seeing something really special. Toys are not people, but then neither are dogs and cats or that old Mustang you drove in college. Hollywood knows that’s not true.

Movie/Market Analysis

MarketBOB’s sentiment indicators, the GQS (Genre, Quality, Story) rate Toy Story 3 an emotional BULL. This is a great escape, a search for meaning and a fable for the benefits of recycling. It is great movie value for the entire family. It confirms the faith we have in Hollywood to inspire and entertain at the same time. It spans the whole growth of a child into an adult, treasuring the moments of play and adventure. Perhaps Andy will go on to college and some sad version of Animal House, but his toys will remain pure and innocent, true to their purpose and ever vigilant to their one purpose in

“life”.

A New Noir Hard-boiled

Detective Mystery Noir’s new detective is Blake Massey, a classic LA noir

private eye but there are no palm trees outside his office

window. His home doesn’t overlook beautiful sandy

beaches full of sun-baked bodies. No, in his small town,

exposed flesh doesn’t tan, it freezes in two minutes.

White Noir – A Blake Massey Mystery is a violent look

at life in the harsh Arctic town of Remarkably

Bay. Massey’s the only private eye for a thousand miles in any direction. Staying alive

depends on trusting a beautiful woman to tell the truth, something that’s never worked

for him before…

White Noir – A Blake Massey Mystery is available as a paperback from Amazon, or Barnes

and Noble, or as an ebook from Amazon Kindle, Smashwords, and Lulu.com. Check out

the sample chapters on the various book sites site before buying. I know you’ll like

Remarkable Bay and Blake Massey, a guy just trying to start over in one of the most remote

and beautiful places in our world.

The isolated northern town of Remarkable Bay hasn’t seen a murder in a hundred years.

Now evil migrates north to claim a billion dollars in oil. Brave men have died for a lot less.

Only Blake Massey is willing to help the desperate daughter of the geologist who

discovered the vast oil deposit nearby. She’s beautiful and offering him a million dollars to

keep her alive to claim her rights to her father’s discovery. Is she a classic noir femme

fatale? If only Blake could see past her parka, leggings, boots, gloves and ski mask!

The men of Remarkable are starting over, retreating to the edge of civilization and a stark,

simple life. The women are independent, free-spirited and sexy, although their bodies are

hidden under many, many layers of clothing. The discovery of vast oil riches changes

everything, including a quick, violent reduction in the town’s population.

This noir mystery is ice cold and raw as an arctic wind. If you’re a fan of Swedish mysteries

set in the Scandinavian winter, wait until you read this thriller set in Canada’s true north on

the bleak shores of Hudson’s Bay.

Want to read other MarketBOB reviews? Check out my

Movie Review Collection of Box Office Hits from

2009-2011, available from Amazon.com Kindle ebook,

for the extremely low price of 99 cents.

Purchase this e-book for $0.99

Read a Scribd excerpt from my latest book: Dig Three

Tunnels about personal financial freedom based on the

movie The Great Escape. These brave men set themselves

free and you can to with these 10 simple steps from the

prison camp to your pocketbook. Purchase this

Amazon.com kindle ebook e-book for $2.99

Read a Scribd excerpt from my book: Movies We Love in

Times of Depression. Learn how the great movies of the

past marked the turning points of bull and bear markets. All

Quiet On The Western Front was the top movie as the DOW

started a 89% crash in 1930. Young Frankenstein turned the

market around in 1974 and The Dark Knight preceded the

Great Recession of 2008.Purchase this Amazon.com

kindle ebook for $2.99