June 20, 2010 -- Pixar (a division of Disney), the studio with the most reliably good output of any in Hollywood, has done it again with another stellar sequel in its Toy Story franchise. This is probably the last film in the series, but who cares as long as they keep up this level of quality? Fifteen years after the release of the first Toy Story movie, Pixar shows, with this film, it still knows how to spin a great story with family-wide appeal.

In this latest sequel, Andy is headed to college and his mother tells him to either donate his toys to a day care center or put them in the attic. As the toys get divided up, some of them become bitter when they are seemingly rejected. Woody, the only toy who is chosen to be saved, remains positive, but he also remains loyal to his fellow toys. What follows is a roller-coaster ride of adventure as the toys try to escape trips to the landfill, destructive kids at a day care center, capture by a young girl and an evil plot by a toy bear.

The backdrop of all this is that most of the toys are no longer wanted by Andy. They don't want to end up forgotten and unused. They want to fulfill their function, which is to be played with, but they also want to be treated with respect. While this story will appeal to children, it should also resonate with adults, particularly those who have lost their jobs and homes in the great recession, those who have retired and are feeling forgotten and useless and other people are probably going through experiences like those of the outgrown toys.

Like most Pixar films, the story is cleverly and carefully crafted. The ending is both moving and very deftly handled as the conflicts are resolved in a very humane and emotionally satisfying way. The 3D effects are expertly handled as well (the first two Toy Story movies were recently re-released in 3D format as a prelude to this film). The animation is top-notch. Some aspects of the story do get kind of worn out. The evil bear is an awful lot like the evil prospector toy in the second film, and one trip in a dump truck would have been enough, let alone three trips. The film does go through a lot of extra action sequences just to fill up time, but it is worth the wait for that exquisite ending. This film rates a B+.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2010 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
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