Movies

Pixar makes must see movie with new Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 made movie reviewer Jack Wehman blow off Jonah Hex to give praise to a children’s movie filled with laughs. | Pixar

Last week I went to go see Jonah Hex to write a review about it.  Well, it was terrible.  After gearing up and getting ready to tear it apart, something wonderful happened.

Simply put, Toy Story 3 was too amazing to ignore, and Jonah Hex only deserves the words “It was terrible.” 

I don’t know if Pixar is run by some sort of god-like creature (Steve Jobs once was their CEO, which says something), or if the entire staff has sold their souls to create such masterpieces, but I honestly don’t care.  Every single movie they put out- with absolutely zero exceptions — is a perfect product, and the Toy Story series is the crown jewel of their (quite large) arsenal.

Of course, a Toy Story movie means a return to the world of Woody, Buzz, and all the other characters we’ve grown up with. The first movie was released in 1995, making Toy Story one of the oldest movie franchises that doesn’t completely suck.  This time, though, Andy is all grown up and packing to leave for college.  Through a series of coincidences all the toys accidentally get donated to day care.  

After first thinking day care is a day spa for toys, everyone finds out that it’s run like a prison camp, with the new toys being forced to take the wrath of the toddlers while the old toys get luxuriously played with by the older kids.  Woody hatches a plan to escape, and from there the story takes off.

There’s really not much to explain.  It’s Toy Story, through and through.  Not one part of this movie is really worth criticizing; it’s Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, of course, and they both play their part flawlessly, along with every other member of the cast.  The new toys really aren’t that great, other than Ken (who is absolutely hilarious), but they provide their services and move the plot along accordingly.

It’s hard to pin down exactly why this Toy Story is so good, because the third movie in a franchise is always supposed to be terrible (the third Shrek was bad enough, not to mention the fourth), but as always, Pixar simply steps over tradition and continues to reign supreme.  

This movie feels like the perfect mixture of nostalgia and plot resolution; the ending, while not exactly the twist of the century, fits the story perfectly and brings the characters to a complete (and hopefully final) resolution.  Every loose end and every question (at least the ones the movie poses) is answered fully, and not once did I wonder when it was going to end or get the least bit bored.  Woody even says, “There’s a snake in my boot,” which is probably one of the greatest lines any movie has ever produced.

If you think that this Toy Story doesn’t deserve a chance, think again.  It’s very nearly a perfect way to re-live your childhood. So, if you’re tired of being cynical and depressed and want to remember what it’s like – at least for a fleeting moment – to be six again, you could do a lot worse than seeing Toy Story 3.

1 Comment

  • I have been wondering why I have been obsessed with Toy Story 3 since I saw it last weekend and Jack Wehman has hit on the answer for me. Not only is it a spectacular movie, with a clever script appealing to all age levels, it allowed me to feel the joy of childhood which is so elusive. I can’t wait to see it again!

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