Toy Story was, without a doubt, one of the most beloved and unrivaled classics of my upbringing. In my family, it was somewhat of a rite of passage. No one would ever explain the jokes, and with each new discovery came a better understanding of what may just be one of the sweetest stories ever told. When I first saw the preview for Toy Story 3, I could feel my heart breaking. I was no great fan of the second installment (although I really should watch it again), and I was worried that this third chapter would soil the great name of the trilogy.
I could not have been more wrong.
Toy Story 3 is Pixar's magnum opus. It is the epitome of a charming send off to a treasured and adored piece of so many children's lives. While I was one of the oldest viewers in the theater today, it didn't matter. This movie was able to bring me right back to the time when I (theoretically of course-- I was much more of a books girl) played with toys, myself. It is a bittersweet, hilarious, and ultimately heartwarming exploration of the consequences of growing up and the small ways in which our childhoods stay with us for life.
To me, this is the perfect summer movie. While there were no new or shocking innovations in animation, it was classic, familiar, and welcome Pixar (at it's finest). The comfortable animation was complimented by a fantastic and clever script, one which had me laughing hysterically, and making an utter fool of myself, from the very first scene.
And the story! I am not going to go into detail about the plot because I wanted to know as little as possible before I got to witness it for myself. However, I was more involved in this movie than I have been in any other for quite some time. I loved the attention to detail, and the homages to films like Cool Hand Luke, which is a personal favorite. And even though I had my doubts, Andy grew up to be a pretty sweet kid. Asking for a more perfect ending would be like asking John Irving to change the fate of Homer Wells. It was just that good.
Here's my dirty little secret: I cried, like a baby, throughout the entire movie. I don't know if it was because the idea of college scares me more than any horror film, or because the thought of my childhood favorites being neglected tugged a little too harshly on my heartstrings. But I will say that, for the first time in my entire movie-watching career, I didn't mind that the waterworks weren't dammed. I do not regret crying one single bit. It is movies like this that make me the happiest--simple, honest, heartfelt. Hats off to Pixar for reminding me that devotion and patience are the best qualities I could ask for, and that moving on doesn't have to be that scary.
"And this... well, this is where I live. It's got a disco, it's got a dune buggy, and a whole room just for trying on clothes!"
Click here to view the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_FfHA5whXc
