Toy Story 3

[Daniel]

As far as Dolly goes, she just looks more like a real rag doll. I love how her buttons are 3D, unlike Disney's which are simply stitched. Speaking of, the DS version has them on the wrong side. The buttons are suppose to be on her right side, not left, something the BB version fixed. She's looking straight forward, Disney's is looking to the side. That's basically it.

I prefer the material used for BB's, better suited I feel. They're not tiny, but they are small-ish. Dolly is "7 and Lotso is a little over "8. He's so soft and chubby. Only complaint is no strawberry scent! I really do love them. Major praise to the company who made them! The attention to detail is amazing.

Regarding the Target exclusive, you can see pics here. Looks pretty nifty. And the plush pack. Much better in person and Dolly's forehead isn't big.

[Otis8]

Kind of cheated and got both exclusives. (my Best Buy finally got more!) The plush dolls really are good! Thanks for the help!

[Ben]

I've been quiet on my thoughts for TS3 since the theatrical release for good reason...but it's all out of the toybox now:

http://animatedviews.com/2010/toy-story ... dvd-combo/

[Dacey]

Very nice review, Ben.

As much as I loved "Toy Story 3," I kinda agree with some of your points. I do feel like almost all of the movie taking place in the daycare was a bit frustrating on some levels, and also wonder myself what the "Woody rescues Buzz from Tokyo" storyline might've been like.

I'm really hoping that "Cars 2" won't "play it as safe" as TS3 did and give us something completely different from the first one. With Lasseter co-directing, though, I worry that might not happen. He was very content with keeping the first "Cars" simple and slow, and might want to bring that to the sequel.

[GeorgeC]

Whatever love affair I had with Pixar was real brief.

It still surprises that some people won't take off their rose-colored glasses for a bit and see Pixar does what all the other studios do with sequels (85-90% of the time) -- they're retelling the same story they did previously.

Didn't see the point for TS3, especially this late in time. With the exception of maybe Terminator 2, I've seen very few films removed 5 years or more from their predecessors that were GOOD follow-ups. These sequels that follow 5 or more years later tend to be very mediocre films.

**********

Another thing about Pixar is that it seems a of their acclaimed directors have left the company. With the exception of Lasseter -- who's basically a founder, executive, and millionaire -- what's the point of staying when you're going to hit a ceiling at the company and forced to conform to a style? What if you want to do a superhero or action film that ISN'T based around an original (and wholly company-owned) character? What if you're the type of person that WANTS to maintain control of your creations and get byline? See, those are problems working at big companies.

[droosan]

The constant theme of the Toy Story trilogy is:

Woody Always Tells the Truth .. and: None of the Other Toys Ever Believes Him.







.. I enjoyed all three movies, FWIW.

[droosan]

Another thing about Pixar is that it seems a of their acclaimed directors have left the company. With the exception of Lasseter -- who's basically a founder, executive, and millionaire -- what's the point of staying when you're going to hit a ceiling at the company and forced to conform to a style? What if you want to do a superhero or action film that ISN'T based around an original (and wholly company-owned) character? What if you're the type of person that WANTS to maintain control of your creations and get byline? See, those are problems working at big companies.

A few animators on The Barnyard had come to O-Mation from Pixar. In speaking with one of them, I discovered he'd been an assistant animator while at Pixar .. and that he'd apparently found 'rising through the ranks' at that studio to be rather difficult (and this was six years ago).

We also had Fox Animation, Sony, DreamWorks, and Rhythm & Hues alumni on that picture, though .. so, I'm not sure that's indicative of anything other than the increasingly 'migrant' nature of the animation business.

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And, if you want to 'own your creations' .. studio animation in general is probably not the place for you. That concept works rather against the nature of the way most studios are currently set-up.

[EricJ]

and also wonder myself what the "Woody rescues Buzz from Tokyo" storyline might've been like.

Can't remember where I saw the full synopsis online, but short answer: A DISASTER.
Woody and the gang stowaway to Tokyo(/Taiwan?), where he's aided by a sexy collectors' action-figure (instead of Jessie?), and in searching for Buzz, they encounter a hidden "Island of misfit toys" community of other recalled toys, pretty much just recycling the Sid's Room plot with dialogue.
The O7 script ended with a wrapup about all the toys being donated to a good daycare, and that was the bit that Lasseter liked when Pixar wrote their own version as a strategic backup.

[Whippet Angel]

It’s just that, for me, that second film nailed it so completely: the last lines referring to what would happen when Woody and Buzz’s owner Andy grew up and didn’t need them anymore. “I’ll enjoy it while it lasts”, says Woody, before Wheezy the penguin swings into a terrific Vegas take on the series’ signature tune You’ve Got A Friend In Me. The ending closed the film on a perfect note, remaining upbeat, hugely enjoyable and leaving the audience with a wide grin on their faces. It was also a definite close to the adventures of Woody and Buzz, the last word on what could be done with the characters and that particular story.

Ben, as I read your review I didn't really understand why you felt the way you did about the film until I read this paragraph. Now I understand, and it makes perfect sense.

I'm totally in the minority, but I feel the exact same way about the first film. It's one of my favorite films ever, and while I enjoyed TS2 it didn't quite strike that chord for me the way the first one did (like I said, I'm in the minority ). TS3 on the other hand, came a bit closer for me, and thus is my second favorite film in the trilogy.

The constant theme of the Toy Story trilogy is:

Woody Always Tells the Truth .. and: None of the Other Toys Ever Believes Him.

NO ONE ever listens to the voice of reason. I guess that's the overall moral of each story.

[Ben]

In a funny way, it's like TS3 should have come in the middle, being the darker, character-focused story that usually plays out as the central act. Then TS2 would have completed the cycle, perhaps more satisfactorily. I know that you can't obviously watch the films in that order as the plotting wouldn't work, but it's an interesting way to look at it.

By the way, I'm totally not saying I didn't enjoy TS3. As I said, it's well made, perfect family entertainment that is brave in the layers and directions it includes. It's just that TS2, which I'm also not saying is necessarily a better film than the first one, wrapped things up so succinctly. TS3 feels more routine to me, more like the "sequel" that it is.

It's more "here's Toy Story again" rather than what the second film achieved in terms of new directions, but it's no Godfather Part III either.

[Bill1978]

Thanks for your slightly negative review. It really helped me when I went to watch TS3 for the first time over the weekend, knowing that not everybody loves it.

While I enjoyed the movie and absolutely loved the final scene, the beginning was very pedestrian and nothing special. Throw in my utter disbelief that this movie could be rated G with all the heavy adult themes and on first watch I ended up disappointed.

TS2 will be my favourite until I rewatch this one again. I am hesitating getting it for my nephew and neice though. As that incinerator scene is extremely adult in its concepts and everything.

I was also disappointed with all the big names they got and the little air time some of them got. What was the point in getting Whoopi? Did she win a competition or something?

I am grateful though for this movie, because with out it, we wouldn't have got the awesomeness of Ken.

At the moment, without knowing the nominees or seeing Tangled. I would rather Dragon beat Toy Story 3 at the Oscars

[ELIOLI]

But of course, people dismiss Dragon just because simply..there was a Pixar film released, to be honest.. :C

[Locall]

I thought Toy Story 3 was a much stronger film than HTTYD, not that I thought Dragon was weak, I really liked it, but that was it... it didn't touch me.
I cried twice with Toy Story 3 and I laughed more, I was touched, and that's how I like'm

[ELIOLI]

Well, I guess I felt the opposite..along with a good handful of other people.
Just a personal taste I suppose. It just seems sometimes to me when I see people (not on here) but in other places, people get defensive and tell people with the opinion I have, are wrong and have no good taste in movies just because it isn't the top move of the year..in this case, a Pixar film(in general). Like..I would be more right if I choose Toy Story, ya know?
I guess reading off different critic sites and such, I just get that feeling sometimes. :/
eh..my brain must be wired a little bit differently.

[EricJ]

But of course, people dismiss Dragon just because simply..there was a Pixar film released, to be honest.. :C

Except, of course, for the people who dismissed Dragon as "Dreamworks had to bring in an ex-Disney ringer to do a movie where the characters have at least 1% of actual emotion--Let's see them do one again by themselves."