Saturday, July 31, 2010

Movie Reviews: Toy Story 3

No toy gets left behind.

Directed by: Lee Unkrich

Written by: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton & Lee Unkrich (story); Michael Arndt (screenplay)

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, John Morris, Jodi Benson, Laurie Metcalf

When the toys are accidentally donated to a day care center as Andy is about to leave for college, it's up to Woody to convince the other toys to escape and try to return.

It's been 15 years since the original "Toy Story" and 11 since its only other sequel ... but it was well worth the wait for "Toy Story 3."

"Toy Story 3" retains the freshness and innovation that has been Pixar's hallmark since their very first film, the first "Toy Story." Some of the older toys are now gone (like Bo Peep, originally voiced by Annie Potts), but most of the remaining cast are back, including Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, and even John Morris, the original Andy, as now-17-year-old Andy.

Like many successful children's films, the writing has layers of nuance that will allow adults to enjoy it in ways that children won't catch. That makes it a great cross-over film. When I went, at least half of the audience were adults without children in tow. But while it's a great film for adults, it's a bit dark and scary for young children. I might hesitate to bring a child under the age of 7 to see this. And yes, I cried. Twice.

My grade: A

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