Toy Story 3 (www.the-usher.com)

"So, who's ready for Ken's dream tour?"

Now that Andy is going to college and his sister wants to move into his room, his Mom (Metcalf) asks her son to clear out his room. For Woody (Hanks), Buzz (Allen), Jessie (Cusack) and the gang have accepted that they will never be played with again but they don’t know what it going to happen to them. While Woody promises them that they will be stored in the attic until Andy has children of his own, the rest of them fear the worse, thinking they will be thrown out in the trash. When Andy puts Woody in his box for college and collects the rest of the toys in a bag to put in the attic, Woody is relieved to know that his friends are going to be save. Unfortunately Andy Mom picks up the bag to put in the trash and it is up to Woody to save them.

When it comes to naming really good third films in a franchise, movie fans will struggle to name more than a handful but now one movie will jump instantly to any cinemagoer’s lips, ‘Toy Story 3’.

The third movie in any franchise has always been a stumbling block for many a studio. ‘The Godfather Part III’, ‘Alien 3’, ‘Spider-Man 3’, ‘Beverley Hills Cop 3’, ‘Blade III’, ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ and ‘Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines’ to name but a few, have not captured what made the first two films such a success with audiences and critics alike. There has been a few exceptions to the rule however and ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’, ‘The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King’ and ‘Back to the Future Part III’ proved both commercial and critical successes and some arguing that they were the best of the trilogy. When it was announced that after almost eleven years since the second movie, Pixar were at last going to make a new Toy Story film, fans and critics alike were worried that they may have missed the boat. Instead Pixar has produced not just one of the best three-quels ever but also, arguably their best film to date.

For any studio to produce a series of hit movies is extraordinary but to produce eleven blockbusters in a row, Pixar is something special. Beginning with the original ‘Toy Story’ in 1995 and following up with ‘A Bug’s Life’, ‘Toy Story 2’, ‘Monsters, Inc’, ‘Finding Nemo’, ‘The Incredibles’, ‘Cars’, ‘Ratatouille’, ‘WALL-E’ and ‘Up’, their eleventh movie sees them come full circle and produce their best film to date. Over a fifteen year period, the characters of Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Ham, Mr & Mrs Potatohead, Rex and Slinky have become part of many a child’s and parent’s life and the third movie brings that journey to a conclusion that will fill the heart with joy and bring a tear to even the most hardened soul.

Ten years have passed and Andy is about to head off to college. With his younger sister Molly wanting his room, this mom asks him to pack up everything, including his toys. Not knowing whether they are going to be put in the attic, donated to a local day care centre or put in the trash, the toys are worried, even with Woody reassuring them. When they are accidently put out for the garbage men to pick up, Woody saves Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang by getting them into the donation box. Little does he know that while Sunnyside may look like a toy utopia, it is more like a prison camp and the head honcho Lotso might just be the cruelest toy of all. So, of course, it is up to Woody to save them and reunite them with Andy but this is a journey of adventure, laughs and tears as we follow this group of beloved toys one more time.

As with all Pixar films, the animation just keeps getting better and better. The attention to detail not only on the toys themselves but on the human characters and the environment they have created for them is staggering. While the inclusion of 3D technology for the theatrical run seems again like an blot on to add more money onto the ticket price, as it only adds a small sense of depth and no real standout 3D moments, the use of the technology is only there to bring the story to life and make these characters all the more believable.

The usual stella vocal cast of Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz, Joan Cusack as Jessie, Don Rickles and Estelle Harris as Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Wallace Shawn as Rex, John Ratzenberger as Ham and Jodi Benson as Barbie, are all here and there are some new characters and performances to look out for. Timothy Dalton plays the classical theatre trained hedgehog Mr. Picklepants, Ned Beatty is Lotso the elderly bear who hides a wicked side but stealing the show is Michael Keaton as Ken. Continually ribbed about been a girl’s toy, Ken’s romance with Barbie is a comedic joy, quickly making him a standout character for the third film.

‘Toy Story 3’ is pure joy from start to film. This is the completion of a journey and one that will engage both children and adults alike as Pixar continues to produce the best, family friendly animation. These characters have become part of the lives of a few generations of children and adults and this story will bring joy, adventure, laughs and tears to anyone that watches it. ‘Toy Story 3’ is a gem of a film and the conclusion of probably the best movie trilogy in cinematic history.

Available on DVD and as Triple-Play (Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Copy) and Double-Play (Blu-Ray/DVD) Blu-Ray editions.

Disc 1 - Blu-ray:
"Day & Night" Theatrical Short
Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: The Science Of Adventure

Disc 2 - Blu-ray:
Toy Story Trivia Dash - Interactive Game
Cine-Explore With Director Lee Unkrich & Producer Darla Anderson
Beginnings: Setting A Story In Motion
Bonnie's Playtime - A Story Roundtable With Director Lee Unkrich
Roundin' Up A Western Opening
Beyond The Toy Box: An Alternative Commentary Track
Paths To Pixar: Editorial
3 Studio Stories
Plus Much More

Disc 3 - DVD:
"Day & Night" Theatrical Short
Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: The Science Of Adventure
The Gang's All Here - A Look At Returning Voice Talent
3 Studio Stories
Plus Much More

Toy Story

Toy Story 2

The Usher Home | Hush, Hush... | The Big Story | The Usher Speaks

Stuck @ Home | Coming Soon | Links | Contact the Usher

2010