Toy Story 3

I think that the summer movie I was most looking forward to was Toy Story 3. Yes, a kids movie...yet, a movie that follows loved characters on another amazing adventure. The Toy Story movies follow the premise that once you leave the room, and no person is looking, your toys come alive. I think for me, this really tapped into my own childhood. I remember acting like I was closing the door, but then opening it again quickly, in the hopes that I might catch my toys coming alive--and all this years before the Toy Story films hit the screen.

Through Toy Story 1, we met all the characters that we would follow through the following 2 movies. We saw Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen) become apart of Andy's room, and Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) realize that Andy has more than enough love for all. In the second movie, we saw Woody stolen by a collector, where he met a few characters from his Western world, that later, joined into the family of Andy's room. Yet, Buzz and the other toys set out to save Woody, so that all could be right in Andy's room again. Both great adventures, and wonderful uses of imagination of what toys would actually do. I love the army men that spy on birthdays and holidays, to see what new toys might be joining the crew. I love that Woody has meetings with the toys to go over the happenings in the house. I love the banter that Buzz and Woody have. I could go on and on.... The third installment does not disappoint.

With the first movie being done 15 years ago, we now are seeing Andy as a young man, set out for college. I love the way that the timeline follows the actual time that has passed. Andy is faced with cleaning out his room. His mom tells him, either it goes to college, into the attic, it gets donated, or it's trash. We see him choose which toys will stay and which will go.  We see him choose to take Woody with him to college and the rest of the toys are put into a garbage bag, set to go to the attic.  Alas, Andy's mom finds the bag before it gets to it's destination and the toys are taken to the curb.  Thinking that they are being thrown out, they jump into a donation box.  All the while, Woody is trying desperately to convince them that Andy did want to keep them.

The toys are donated to a daycare. When they arrive, they meet a slue of seemingly nice toys. Soon they find that they really aren't welcome. All and all Woody works to save the toys and get them back to Andy. There is great adventure in this film. The humor that resides in the previous 2 is there, ten-fold. The one difference in this film is the touching conclusion.  I will say that I cried, in two spots, and I could see where some may cry in a third.  The first is when it looks like it's the end, and the toys take each others' hands and the look in their eyes is one of giving up (yes, I know it's a cartoon, but it's a well done cartoon).  The second would be when Andy's mom realizes that Andy is leaving.  I would think that this would really touch those parents that are seeing their child off to college within the coming months.  The final moment in this film is by far the best moment in the film.  It's a moment where you see how much each of these toys touched Andy's life, and how he really feels about them. All through the movie, the toys are just wanting to be played with.  That's why they exist, that's their purpose.  Yet, their owner has grown up.  In this moment, Andy is giving the toys away to a little girl, Bonnie, who will take good care of them.  After introducing each toy to her, and telling her all about them, he plays with Bonnie.  They go into the world of imagination, and those toys get their wish, Andy plays with them one more time.  Now I am one that does tear up easily, but this moment was just heart felt and well written, I'm tearing up a bit just writing about it.

Toy Story 3 is a wonderful movie for the entire family. Parents and children will love it! Though personally, I think that under 4 is too young for the movie theater (more for the other theater goers), you will have to be the judge of that yourself.