I must admit a gasp of horror came from my mouth when I found out there was going to be a third Toy Story film. Haven’t enough classics been revisited by the hungry Hollywood machine? Nevertheless, I was one of the millions of people pleasantly surprised by what is a pretty decent film.
One of the main obstacles that would’ve faced the scriptwriters was the character of Andy. Over the first two movies we saw him grow up but in this one there is no denying that Andy, who is now leaving for college, no longer plays with Woody, Buzz Lightyear and all his childhood toys. Apart from Woody, whom Andy intended to take with him, the other toys were mistakenly donated to local childcare, Sunnyside (instead of taken to the attic). What appears as a nirvana for toys soon becomes hell and Andy’s toys try to escape.
Each of the subsequent Toy Story films are freshened up with the addition of new characters − this third film was no different. The main new characters thrown into the mix this time include a revengeful and abandoned purple teddy bear, a toy baby and a Ken doll, who provides plenty of entertainment. Ken’s romance with Barbie provides a comic/dramatic subplot and some of the most amusing scenes (such as when Ken is modelling clothes for Barbie):
Then of course, there are the old favourites: Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Slinky, Rex, Mr & Mrs Potato Head, etc. It’s also good to hear the familiar voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, who the film would definitely not be the same without, plus there is also Joan Cusack as Jessie and Michael Keaton as Ken. Another thing I like about Toy Story is their end credits − their either bloopers or in this case, an epilogue showing the toys’ new lives.
The beauty of Toy Story is that audiences of all ages can relate to it. There are many familiar faces and personalities of the toys, which I’m sure most people have felt attached to at some point in their life. There are also a lot of clever gags set up along the way and unlike a lot of other animations being released nowadays, it seems to be a well thought-out film with attention to detail and effort put in to keep the viewer engaged. The action is quick and there is something happened in every scene. Also, what really surprised me, was the emotional impact of some of the scenes. I know it is just a fictional story about talking toys but it somehow manages to connect with the audience at a deeper level in some parts of the film, such as the flashback to when Lotso was lost by Daisy or near the end, when the toys believe they are about to be burnt alive.
So overall, it was worth seeing the third instalment of one of the most popular animations ever made though of course, for me nothing will beat the first film of the series. I think, just like Andy, director Lee Unkrich we should finally say goodbye to this fond franchise − it’s a nice bit of nostalgia but now it’s time to grow up and put the toys away.
Each of the subsequent Toy Story films are freshened up with the addition of new characters − this third film was no different. The main new characters thrown into the mix this time include a revengeful and abandoned purple teddy bear, a toy baby and a Ken doll, who provides plenty of entertainment. Ken’s romance with Barbie provides a comic/dramatic subplot and some of the most amusing scenes (such as when Ken is modelling clothes for Barbie):
Then of course, there are the old favourites: Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Slinky, Rex, Mr & Mrs Potato Head, etc. It’s also good to hear the familiar voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, who the film would definitely not be the same without, plus there is also Joan Cusack as Jessie and Michael Keaton as Ken. Another thing I like about Toy Story is their end credits − their either bloopers or in this case, an epilogue showing the toys’ new lives.
The beauty of Toy Story is that audiences of all ages can relate to it. There are many familiar faces and personalities of the toys, which I’m sure most people have felt attached to at some point in their life. There are also a lot of clever gags set up along the way and unlike a lot of other animations being released nowadays, it seems to be a well thought-out film with attention to detail and effort put in to keep the viewer engaged. The action is quick and there is something happened in every scene. Also, what really surprised me, was the emotional impact of some of the scenes. I know it is just a fictional story about talking toys but it somehow manages to connect with the audience at a deeper level in some parts of the film, such as the flashback to when Lotso was lost by Daisy or near the end, when the toys believe they are about to be burnt alive.
So overall, it was worth seeing the third instalment of one of the most popular animations ever made though of course, for me nothing will beat the first film of the series. I think, just like Andy, director Lee Unkrich we should finally say goodbye to this fond franchise − it’s a nice bit of nostalgia but now it’s time to grow up and put the toys away.
4/5
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