Hey, everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
How is it possible that the folks at Pixar keep managing to surprise me? Did I expect to like TOY STORY 3? Well, yeah. What about Pixar or this franchise would lead you to believe anything else? I might have been a little concerned that the original film's director (and the second film's co-director) John Lasseter is only listed as one of three "story" men (the other two being Andrew Stanton and Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich); Michael Arndt, who won the screenwriting Oscar for LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, is credited with the screenplay.
But after about 10 minutes, I realized that this third installment in the adventures of Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Hamm, Rex and those weird little green rubber alien dudes was going to be the best one yet. Let's get the hyperbole out of the way right now. This is the best Toy Story movie, period. This is the best 3D experience I've ever had, period. And this is the best film of 2010 so far, arguably. And I pity those of you that don't have the ability to see TOY STORY 3 in IMAX, because the opening action sequence alone--which appears to take place in a Grand Canyon-like location--is worth the IMAX and 3D upcharges. And wait until you see the landfill dump section of the film. On the IMAX screen, you can almost smell it.
What the Pixar team has done is something I think they've been building to for a while, especially with their most recent efforts WALL-E and UP. It seems very clear they want to be taken seriously as an animation house and not just a place that produces films for children. There's no doubt that the now-15-year-old TOY STORY was a big hit with kids, but those kids and young adults are in their 20s and 30s (OK, some of us are older still) today. So, rather than repeat a proven formula (an illness known as sequel-itis), TOY STORY 3 is most definitely a film for an older crowd that has or is preparing to put away childish things, or at least pass them along to someone who can still appreciate them. This film deals with mortality, maturity, and never forgetting the friends (real and inanimate) who made us the person we are today. The stories you may have heard about tears, they are not lies. But you will cry not because of anything truly sad that happens on screen; the emotion comes from recognizing your own life in that of the 17-year-old Andy, heading off to college.
More than the other two TOY STORY films, this one's most unforgettable moments are not loaded with chases or danger or humor--although all three are in great supply. The scenes you will cherish are more haunting. One is the aforementioned landfill sequence. I won't give anything away, but there's a moment where all the toys are holding hands and not talking. It's as poignant a moment as Pixar has ever created, and combined with the looks on their faces as they hold hands, it's also an emotional high point of any film you'll see this year. The other one is more grounded in reality, and it's toward the end of the film. Andy spends much of the movie packing up his room, deciding what is going to get trashed, what gets stored in the attic, and what goes with him to college. At the end of the film, just before he drives off with his packed-up car, his mother (Laurie Metcalf is perfection) rushes up the stairs clearly in a frenzy trying to make sure her son hasn't forgotten anything. The second she steps in his room, she freezes and says looking at the empty space and says "Oh, Andy... " The flash flood of tears at this exact moment could drown small children. Just thinking of that scene chokes me up.
I know I haven't talked much about the main story, which involves the toys getting shipped off to a daycare facility to get played with by a whole group of children. The prospects excite most of the toys, but not Woody (still Tom Hanks; still great), who is still very much bonded to Andy. A mishap back home makes all the other toys think Andy was going to throw them away, but Woody knows different. Still, he fails to convince them to escape with him. When they meet an entire platoon of new, seemingly friendly toys at the daycare, Andy's toys (minus Woody, but including Tim Allen's Buzz Lightyear) decide they have found a new home.
If you ever need proof that the Pixar people have not lost an iota of their creativity, you need look no further than these new toys, including Lotso, the strawberry-smelling stuffed bear (Ned Beatty), a sticky octopus named Stretch (Whoopi Goldberg), a Ken doll (Michael Keaton), and a freakishly rendered baby doll named Big Baby, who has clearly seen action--the teardrop "tattoo" under its left eye tell us as much. Big Baby will haunt you when you sleep and when you're awake. Not that the old standard toys get the short shrift. I particularly liked Mr. Potato Head's surreal, body-less escape attempt from the daycare that is impossible to describe with any accuracy with words. Of the new characters, Ken will become an instant fan favorite. He lives in the dream house, complete with an elevator, disco, and the biggest closet any doll has a right to have. He's way into clothes and accessories, but he also falls madly in love with Barbie (Jodi Benson, the voice of THE LITTLE MERMAID's Ariel).
I heard a lot of people coming out of the screening I attended saying (but not complaining) that TOY STORY 3 was dark, even for adults. I don't quite agree. The film, its characters and its creators have matured. And the more the TOY STORY films resemble reality and address real emotions, the darker they might seem. To me, this isn't a bad sort of darkness at all; it's life. More than the first two films, this one is Woody's journey. In a really strong side story, after Woody leaves the daycare, he ends up at the home of one of the workers at the center who has a little girl named Bonnie. She reminded me a little bit of Boo in MONSTETS INC., but much sweeter. Bonnie's toys--including ones voiced by Bonnie Hunt, Jeff Garlin, animator Bud Luckey, and the irrepressible Timothy Dalton--love her with the same intensity that Woody feels for Andy. It's a warm and moving moment that sets Woody down an inevitable path.
TOY STORY 3 is exquisite to look upon as well, and the 3D is perfection. Other than a few deliberately gimmicky moments, the filmmakers don't abuse the the 3D. Instead, they use it to create some of the finest depth-of-field moments I've ever seen. Rather than calling attention to the technology, the Pixar people seem to want you to forget they're even using it, which is exactly what happens. But every so often, your eyes wander away from the action to some small detail in the background, and suddenly you realize just how good everything looks. I remember being stunned last year, when the first two TOY STORY movies were reissued in 3D, at how beautiful the animation was. In my memory, I remembered at least the first one being somewhat primitive, but I was wrong. But the new film--in both subtle and very obvious ways--puts the others to shame, even beyond the 3D.
The only question racing through my head this week is how soon can I see TOY STORY 3 again. This is the gold standard of filmmaking, and if the Academy has a tough time finding 10 films to fill up its Best Picture race, why not slot this one in twice for kicks. It's that good, but please don't take my word for it. And I'm begging you: if there's an IMAX screen playing this movie within 100 miles of you, it's worth the journey and the money. Alright, everybody else: you have your benchmark for the year. This is what you should be aiming for. Start jumping.
And by the way, prepare yourself for yet another dialogue-free and utterly original opening act to Toy Story 3 with the Pixar short DAY AND NIGHT, which is loaded with creative genius. And the hits keep on coming.
-- Capone
capone@aintitcool.com
Follow Me On Twitter
