“TOY STORY 3” (Woody, Buzz & Friends)
When the first Pixar ‘event’ came out – Toy Story - & everyone gave it rave reviews, I probably went into it expecting too much. I was under-whelmed; cartoon toys that come to life when cartoon humans aren’t around didn’t do much for me. I guess I was supposed to be dazzled with the new innovative animation techniques – I wasn’t. To me, the best cartoon movie ever made was ‘South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut’ – I’ll take the hilarious script over nifty computer drawings every time. If I ever saw TS2 – I don’t remember it. So I had no interest in #3. This is one of those where the consensus of critical raves made me decide to check out a film I otherwise would not have paid money to see. I came out of the theatre feeling I had seen the best Toy Story movie, but was it all THAT good?
I liked it, but did I love it? No, it’s better than the first one because it has several ‘dark’ moments – In fact, I was surprised that it received the rave reviews because I would think that fans of the original Toy Story wouldn’t like it because it isn’t just ‘toys’ playing with each other behind their owners back – these toys are thrown away & abused as ‘old pieces of junk’ that are no longer useful now that their little boy owner has grown up & is heading off to college.
Yes, it’s a cartoon & I shouldn’t let the ‘reality’ of wondering why no one ever seems to notice that these toys are never where anyone leaves them (because they come to life & move around when left alone) but that did kind of bug me – I can’t help it, it’s the way I am!
TS3 scored an 8 on the laugh-o-meter – not great, but it’s still more than the combined total of every Adam Sandler movie ever made – so it had some humorous moments, but I liked it because it had its ‘Pinocchio’ moments as well.
All of the toys, sans Woody, are placed in a garbage bag intended to be stored in the attic & are mistakenly left by the side of the curb for the garbage man to haul away. Seeing this, Woody chases after the bag & the entire movie becomes a rescue mission. Just when the toys think they’ve found a safe haven (A day care center) the tale grows dark again. This pattern is repeated until it reaches the point where you just wished they’d put these poor animated playthings out of their misery!
So remember this is coming from someone who wasn’t all that crazy about the first Toy Story, but Toy Story 3 is not a bad little cartoon feature – but to call it one of the best movies of the year is beyond ridiculous...
5 comments:
It was good but that's about it. I did not think it was great. Put it in the animation category and let it win in that category but I bet ya the Academy will nominate it for best picture.
Deserves a best in animation and that's as far as it should go.
OK...I might give it a screenplay nod and score. Have to wait and see how the rest of the year goes.
Many are already making the prediction it will make the cut for best picture and also most likely win best aninamtion as well. I feel if it can be nominated for best picture, then leave it out of the animated category. Give it one or the other.
Honestly, I don't think by the end of this year I will feel Toy Story 3 will be in my top 10.
It was good & that's about it - says it all. Critics who rave about this film obviously own shares of Pixar.
& here's something I don't understand - Why can an animated film be up for both Best Picture & Best 'Cartoon' while documentaries have to decide which category they want to shoot for?
I recall Michael Moore having to make that call with '9/11'.
& just for the record, Toy Story
3, though likable, isn't in my Top 10 now...
I sometimes wonder about your analogy about owning stock in Pixar ? Forgive my " missing the big picture " simpleton analogies, but I never thought of that. But I can see that. Nice conspiracy theory subject.
I like many, will be seeing Inception this weekend and looking fotward to it.
The ( few ) knocks I hear about it is that it's hard to follow. Jeez...have we become that dumbed down as a society where we moan if we actually are recquired to think during a film ?
I welcome it after seeing so many movies where you see the plot a mile away. I applaud Chris Nolan's broad vision. It's something different and original at least.
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