Toy Story 3

Pixar's flagship franchise finally returns after a nearly unforgivable eleven year absence.  At least the wait was well worth it.

I know you surely don't need me to convince you to see this movie and if for some reason you are set against it I probably couldn't change your mind anyway but I thought I'd give you my two cents worth just the same.

I actually have mixed emotions about TS3 and am honestly not yet sure if it is my most or least favourite of the trilogy.  These three films are all so good that is very difficult to choose between them, at least for me. To be sure it had mammoth expectations to live up to and upon seeing it the fact that it had the full might and full attention of the Pixar juggernaut behind it became obvious. 

Perhaps my indecision and inability to choose a favourite has to do with the fact that TS3 may be slightly less consistent than than 1 and 2.  Its good parts are wonderful but I thought that it also contains the weakest bits of the three movies as a whole.  To be more specific, the beginning and ending may just be the best ever in the Toy Story trilogy but some of the middle parts seemed just slightly off to me. The magic, innocence and imagination that shone through brightly and consistently from beginning to end of both of the first two films seemed to dim just noticeably in the middle of TS3. Please keep in mind that this is all relative to Toy Story standards and if it were any other movie I would probably have nothing bad to say at all.

Sure 1 and 2 had villains and scary parts but only as much as was necessary to provide excitement and suspense. On the whole I remember them both for their humour and sense of childlike adventure.  This time it's a little different.  The dark parts are more sinister and continue longer. The villains are badder and creepier because, as they are in the adult world, they are not immediately and obviously evil.  The meanness is a bit more real and Toy's struggle against it seems to go on long after your thinking "enough already" and their situation actually just keeps getting worse until you begin to wonder how and if Pixar is going to be able to make it all good in the end.

But, of course they do pull it off.  This is of course Pixar and Toy Story were talking about right?  TS3 is definitely the darkest but also is the most poignant of them all. I won't tell you whether the ending is happy, sad or even a bit of both but I will tell you that it is wonderful and you'll be glad you were there to see it.

Be sure and stay for the credits as the story continues well into them.  If you leave the moment the credits start to roll you will miss out and be left wondering what happened to certain characters and how certain things turned out.  Also, keep an eye out for little details here and there that Pixar is famous for including in its movies.  Very small children may be genuinely frightened a few times.

Also from what I've read, although TS3 is available in 3D there are very few times it is actually used effectively and most people have said is wasn't worth paying the extra price for.  I saw it the old fashoned way in 2D without any uncomfortable glasses, washed out colors or eyestrain and it was awesome.  I would definitely recommend saving your money and seeing it in 2D.