Everybody who is in their early twenties as I am instantly recognises the names Woody and Buzz as the defining characters of their childhood. Toy Story literally changed the face of children’s animated movies. From the opening credits it was clear that then unknown animation studio Pixar had created something that set a new benchmark for every animated movie to follow. In 1999, Woody, Buzz and the gang were reunited in Toy Story 2. A film which, for my money, is one of the greatest sequels ever made, and one which in some ways surpasses even the first film’s almost impossibly high standards. So, after 11 years fans young and (mostly) old have finally gotten the third film that they have been hoping for, and it was well worth the wait.
The film deals with the transition between childhood and adulthood, and the emotional attachments which are broken in this transitional period of a person’s life, and the way that this change can cause relationships to change and, in some cases be damaged beyond repair, leading to anger and bitterness caused by one parties refusal to accept the changes in their circumstances. In the film the dark side of this transition is represented by Lotso, a teddy bear who has become a bitter dictator after many years in Sunnyside day care centre, the home of toys who no longer have a home. It is into this environment which Woody, Buzz and the gang are thrown when they are accidentally donated by Andy’s mother.
The results are nothing short of incredible. Toy Story 3 Is a profoundly poignant piece of work about growing up. The film resonates deeply with people who were children when the 1995 original was released. One of the strongest points of the film is its knack of dealing with some pretty adult themes of abandonment and repression in a deeply childlike and endearing manner. The vocal performances from the likes of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are, as usual, exceptional. In addition to this the script is perhaps the best of all three Toy Story films. As well as all of these strengths, one of the most impressive features of the film is the 3D. The 3D process just seems to work better with animated films than live action, and in Toy Story 3 it is used to great effect, there is no cheesy fingers pointing at the audience to accentuate the 3D. It is simply used how modern 3D should be, as almost an extension of the depth of field of the image, in short the 3D simply blended into the aesthetic of the film naturally and seamlessly flowed with the audience’s viewing experience.
Overall, Toy Story 3 is nothing short of a masterful achievement which cements the Toy Story Trilogy’s position as one of the greatest of all time. However the film also stands on its own just as well as it does within a trilogy, and it is this which in my opinion makes Toy Story 3 so special and makes it a sure fire Oscar contender. If you haven’t yet seen it then I urge you to do so. Films like this simply do not come along often anymore.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Another fantastic review……couldn’t agree more!!