Toy Story 3: You Know It's Good When Cartoons Make You Cry

I've never in my life wanted to drive over to my parents house and dig up my old stuffed animals more than I did after seeing this movie! Who knew Pixar could do this to me? Well, I think we all know Pixar knows what they are doing. There's something so believable about these animated characters. Maybe, just maybe even more believable than some of the classic Disney cartoons (this coming from a HUGE Little Mermaid (and others) fan!)


The end of the trilogy for Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), and the rest of the posse from Andy's toy chest begins as Woody prepares to leave for college. His mom forces him to sort through his stuff into piles to throw away, donate, and take to college. After much debate, the beloved Woody makes the cut into the college pile, while the rest of the gang are put in a separate bag, with the intention of being stashed in the attic. But Andy's mom mistakes the attic bag for trash. The gang feels like they are now unwanted, so they escape the trash bag just in time to sneak into a box of toys that's scheduled to be donated.

They make it to Sunnyside Daycare, where they are initially greeted with open arms by all the other toys. Lotso (Lots-O-Huggin' Bear) is the ring leader of Sunnyside and the gang is thrilled to be there after his tour. Tons of other toys to hang out with, children galore to play with them...it seems like a Pixar dream. But the gang soon learns it's a hard knock life at Sunnyside. What they thought was a fun loving democracy is really a dictatorship run by Lotso and his gang. (Think Libya, but cuddlier). All the while, Woody, has left the house to seek out his friends at Sunnyside. He saw Andy put them in a bag to keep in the attic, and he is out to convince his friends they are still loved, and not trash. Andy makes it into the daycare and with a little help from Chuckles the sad clown, he finds out just exactly what's happening at Sunnyside and begins to devise a plan to get his friends out of Sunnyside and back to Andy's attic.

As I write the details of the plot, I started to think how ridiculous it was for me to be so emotionally vested in some silly Pixar characters. But boy does Pixar know how to pull at the old heartstrings. Toy Story 3 is more than a story about stuffed animals. People come and go in our lives. Some of them will be in your life forever, and some are there only for a second. I've always believed everyone comes in to your life for a reason, and whether or not they stay, and for how long, determines their purpose. It's hard to always keep up with everyone, stay in touch with them all, go to weddings, share the birth of children, be there for good times and bad. Sometime we feel like we've thrown some friendships "in the attic," you know the ones you always want to have around but never pay attention to. I'd encourage you all to go pull a friend out of the attic and say "hi!" to them sometime soon. If not that, then go pull out your old teddy bear (mine's name is Golly Golly) and give it a hug for me, ok? OK!

As far as nominations go, Toy Story 3 for sure deserves to be in the top 10. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't received the best picture nod if we were old schoolin' it and only dishing out five of those nominations. But I'm glad to see it's place on the ballot. I mean, what would have happened if The Town made it over Toy Story 3? It's not going to win, we all know that. But it's up for a few other categories where it's chances are much better (I'll reveal my ballot later today!) so the movie's self-esteem should still be fine. Oh, and that is beat out Shrek the Third's record for the highest grossing first day in North America for an animated film...cashing in at a measly $110, 307,189. Y"all, that's $110 million dollars in one day. If only I'd invented Pixar animation...

I asked my friend Jaret Reddick to review this film with me. Jaret's the lead singer for Bowling for Soup, but we met through improv a few years ago. He's a talented songwriter, improviser, and all around cool guy. He's also done voiceover work for Disney's Phineas and Ferb. I don't get to see him often, as he's a busy man always on the road, but we've continued to keep up with each other. He has a beautiful family and is the father of two precious children, so who better to review Toy Story 3 than Jaret. You can keep up with Bowling For Soup HERE and also Jaret's most recent musical project, People on Vacation. He also likes to be followed (not in that way, y'all) so check out Jaret on Twitter. 

JARET REDDICK'S TWO CENTS:

Seldom does a movie with such hype, especially a freakin PART 3, even come close to being deserving of such hype. This movie, in my opinion, lived up to all of it, and may have actually been better than it was built up to be. Woody and Buzz are perfectly developed characters that never disappoint, and let's face it: when else are we going to see Tom Hanks or Tim Allen actually show signs of personality these days? And BOY HOWDIE is Ken "hunkie!!"
Yes, it is a stretch that an 18 year old kid, on his way out the door to partake in keg stands and streak fests at a fine merican learning institution would still have a toy box full of toys he's had since his 8th Birthday...But what the hell...We all bought in to SHALLOW HAL...right?
I loved everything about this film. The score, the villains (I do wonder what happened to Sid), the touching moments at the end (yes...I teared up)...But most of all, I love the Fisher Price Chatter Phone...(And not just because it is tattooed on my arm.)
Not sure if this one gets my vote for BEST PICTURE, but as a movie lover that saw the original in the theater and got to take my two children to see this one, I was stoked.
Love ya Woody!