2010 Movie Reviews

‘Toy Story 3’ Will Make You Laugh and Cry

The poster for Toy Story 3 with Woody standing in front of a box nervously holding the rest of the gang back
Tom Hanks and the gang are back in Toy Story 3

I keep thinking that one of these days Pixar will run out of ideas and they will make a bad movie. They continue to surprise me though by making entertaining films that are both funny and poignant at the same time. I’m always impressed by their ability to create a story that appeals to people of all ages and Toy Story 3 is no exception; it will make you laugh and cry no matter how old you are.

The latest installment in the franchise has Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), and the gang struggling to figure out what to do, now that Andy is leaving for college. Some of their friends have been discarded over time, but the remaining few worry they will be tucked in the attic without purpose for years to come. When they are accidentally donated to a local day care center, the pals feel conflicted about whether they should return to Andy’s where they are unappreciated.

They have spent years in a box where they have lacked purpose, so the concept of being played with again makes them excited. What the toys do not realize, is that day care is no picnic for new recruits. A power-hungry bear by the name of Lotso (Ned Beatty), rules the day care center with an iron fist, keeping the new toys fed to the toddlers, who destroy them. Lotso commands others like Ken (Michael Keaton) of Barbie fame to do his bidding, using intimidation to keep order.

Our favorite toys plot an escape back to Andy’s, which becomes a difficult task after one of their own betrays them. Their hair-raising adventure is exciting, while also dark and scary during many moments. Along the way they grapple with themes of aging and abandonment, however there is still a great deal of humor despite the heavy subject matter.

Don Rickles shines as the gruff, wise cracking Mr. Potato Head and his wife played Mrs. Potato Head by Estelle Harris is the perfect counterpart.  Michael Keaton is hilarious as Ken, the well-dressed egotistical doll from Barbie fame. His preening nature and his effeminate qualities are an endless source of laughs to the more adult fans in the audience.

Toy Story 3 addresses serious issues like aging and transition, two themes incredibly significant to those around my age, who have been watching the series since the beginning in 1995. We were children when the first film premiered and now like Andy, we are facing a time of change, as we leave college for adult life. Watching these characters that we grew up with working their way through such intense drama, gets you pretty choked up, because even though these toys have a childlike sense of wonder, they handle this tough time with great poise.

Like all other great Pixar stories, these characters follow a thorough arch throughout the movie, learning a great deal and growing into better individuals as a result. Their formula to create lovable personalities and captivating films keeps impressing me; it’s a trend that I hope will carry on well into the future.

✭✭✭✭ ½

Evan Crean

Hello! My name is Evan Crean. By day I work for a marketing agency, but by night, I’m a film critic based in Boston, MA. Since 2009, I have written hundreds of movie reviews and celebrity interviews for Starpulse.com. I have also contributed pieces to NewEnglandFilm.com and to The Independent, as a writer and editor. I maintain an active Letterboxd account too. In addition to publishing short form work, I am a co-author of the book Your ’80s Movie Guide to Better Living, which is available on CreateSpace and Amazon. The book is the first in a series of lighthearted self-help books for film fans, which distills advice from ’80s movies on how to tackle many of life’s challenges. On top of writing, I co-host and edit the weekly film podcast Spoilerpiece Theatre with two other Boston film critics. I’m a founding member and the current treasurer for the Boston Online Film Critics Association as well. This site, Reel Recon.com, is a one-stop-shop where you can find links to all of my past and present work. Have any questions or comments after checking it out? Please feel free to email me (Evan Crean) at: ecrean AT reelrecon DOT COM .