Review: Toy Story 3

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The toys are back!

After the previous exceptional Toy Story movies, much is expected from Toy Story 3. A rollicking adventure that serves as an homage of sorts to the prison/escape movie genre, the animated movie also packs an emotional punch. You wouldn't expect anything less from a Pixar film.

In this addition to the series, the toys -- much reduced in number over the years -- are suffering from lack of attention from their owner, Andy, now 17 years old and packing for college. A few toys, such as cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack), aren't coping well with possible rejection, while cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) tries to convince them that the attic will be a nifty place to hang out.  

A mishap occurs and the toys end up at Sunnyside Day Care instead, a place ruled by charismatic, good-ol-boy teddy bear Lotso (Ned Beatty), with a Ken doll (hilariously voiced by Michael Keaton) and a big, doodled-upon baby doll as his minions. While Andy's toys are there, a relationship grows quickly between Molly's donated Barbie (Jodi Benson) and Ken, Woody is taken home by shy, imaginative Bonnie (whose mom works at the day care) and meets her dedicated toys (Kristen Schall, Jeff Garlin, and Roger Dalton), and the Pizza Planet delivery truck makes yet another appearance in the series.

Buzz (Tim Allen) and Woody are their usual heroic selves; still, the other toys get a chance to play their own part in the day care escape plan. This movie may not technically pass the Bechdel test, but Jessie is as adventurous as ever and Barbie is true blue, kick-ass, and surprisingly wise about the role of authority in society. A scene with Woody climbing through the preschool ceiling looks like something out of The Great Escape, which can't be coincidental. In the midst of one of their escape attempts, the toys discover that Buzz has a Spanish mode (which verges on stereotype at times, but is still quite funny) ... thus the Gipsy Kings sing "Hay un amigo en mi" during the end credits.

Worth noting: One child in the row ahead of us was on the verge of weeping at one scary part of the film, and there are a couple such suspenseful sequences in Toy Story 3. The film also contains some sweet, sentimental moments -- Pixar does them so well -- that never come off as sappy.  

Seeing this film in 3-D isn't necessary; the beginning scene makes amazing use of the technology, but other than that, it doesn't seem they did much with the effect. However, the short shown before the main feature, Day & Night, is a gorgeous example of what can be done with 3-D.  Be sure to get to the theater in time to catch it.