Toy Story 3 (spoiler free!)

Last night I got the chance to see Toy Story #3 at the IMAX with my aunt (who was incredibly nice and paid for the tickets!). I was very excited to be able to go opening weekend, with the site visit coming up and the things my aunt already had planned for us this weekend, I honestly didn’t think we would have been able to go until the middle of next week. I was kind of bummed, but decided to be an adult and be patient, I knew that I’d eventually see it, although I really wanted to see it opening day. But then I asked if Friday night would maybe work and my aunt was totally open to that idea, so we saw it last night at 9:40pm. We got there at 9:00pm and I couldn’t believe how long the line was of people waiting for the same show as us….probably that it was in IMAX made a big difference, but still, I have no idea how long those people at the front waited for. Though we were towards the latter back of the line, my aunt and me still got GREAT seats, in middle/back and in the center.

I very much enjoyed this movie, I know I’m going to have to see it again so I can catch all the details. First off, the short before the movie, Night and Day, was amazing. It was so cool to see a mix of 2D and 3D animation together and the idea was so clever, as well as story. Definitely one of their better shorts (dare I say, if not the best? But that’s coming from someone who likes to see some visual experimentation in animation!). Toy Story 3 was great too…I don’t feel like I can write a lot about it without giving a spoiler away, so I’ll refrain from talking about it. All I can say is that the story was very well crafted and thought out (as all Pixar movies are), but to write a story of this level, ranging from laugh out loud hilarious to points where the whole theater is crying, and to be doing this for the last installment of the trilogy….that is quite a feat. I had high hopes for this movie…I’ve known about it since 2005/2006 and I know quite a bit about the development of this film(originally Disney was going to do it, thank goodness that didn’t happen!) and so I was expecting a lot, which always makes me nervous b/c often movies don’t live up to those expectations. But it did live up to those expectations and then some. It definitely does justice to the first two movies.

And if you’ve heard anything about people just sobbing at the end, totally happened with my theater too. I didn’t cry as much as I thought I would, though I usually cry more the second time I see something because I know it’s coming and I can take it in more. But the big tough guy I was sitting next to, total emotional mess towards the end, as well as a large majority of the audience which speaks volumes about the film….it just moves people in a way you don’t expect an animated film to do, let alone with toys. And this is why I have incredible respect for Pixar, they are showing the world that animation is not just for kids, that is can be a quite powerful way to tell a story, that can’t really be done in any other medium. I mean think about, it’s pretty amazing, with animation you start with nothing except the ideas in your head and if the movie is successful, you become attached to moving images because somehow they feel real, like they really exist. That is an art.

So all in all, Toy Story 3 was an excellent movie, go see it, you won’t be disappointed (oh and don’t waste your money on the 3D, I didn’t think it was worth the extra we paid for it, though seeing it on the huge IMAX screen was pretty sweet).

~Lauren

EDIT: For anyone who is interested, here’s the brief history of Toy Story 3…probably only me, but since I mentioned it, I might as well explain for those who don’t know:

Basically back in 2005ish, Pixar decided to split from Disney cause they didn’t need them to distribute their movies anymore because Pixar had made a name for itself. Disney decided to be stupid/childish and said, “FINE! Split from us, but we’re going to make Toy Story 3 because we have copyright on those characters(and we want to make money off of them)!” So then, Disney started to develop it…here’s what they came up with(from Wikipedia, cause it sums it all up pretty well):

“Jim Herzfeld wrote a script for Circle 7's version of the film. It focused on the other toys shipping a malfunctioning Buzz to Taiwan, where he was built, believing that he will be fixed there. While searching on the Internet, they find out that many more Buzz Lightyear toys are malfunctioning around the world and the company has issued a massive recall. Fearing Buzz's destruction, a group of Andy's toys (Woody, Rex, Slinky, Mr. Potato Head, Hamm, Jessie, and Bullseye) venture to rescue Buzz. At the same time Buzz meets other toys from around the world that were once loved but have now been recalled.”

When I saw this back in 2006, I thought it was a dumb idea cause there were just too many similarities to Toy Story 2. Then Disney bought Pixar in 2006, transferred production to Pixar (again, THANK GOODNESS) and then the film developed into what it is today.