Road to the Oscars - Toy Story 3

Director: Lee Unkrich
Writers: Michael Arndt (screenplay), John Lasseter (story), Andrew Stanton (story), Lee Unkrich (story)
Cast: Tom Hanks (voice), Tim Allen (voice), Joan Cusack (voice), Ned Beatty (voice)
Music: Randy Newman
Production: USA, 2010
Release Date: 18 June 2010 (USA)
Runtime: 103 Minutes
IMDB Link: Toy Story 3

Plot

Andy is now 17 years old and in a few days he is going to college. Woody, Buzz and the rest of the toys feel left behind because Andy doesn’t play with them any longer. Andy´s mother asked him what he was going to do with his old toys; if he still wanted them he must storage them in the attic. Andy decides to take Woody to collage with him and keep the rest in the attic but before he can do this his mother, by mistake, throws them into the garbage. Before the garbage truck arrives, the toys manage to escape. Feeling abandoned the toys decided to climb into a box that was going to be donated to a daycare institution for children. Woody tries to explain to his friends that Andy wanted to keep them but they refuse to listen.



Andy´s toys arrive at the Sunnyside Daycare where they are welcome by numerous toys. A bear named Lotso runs the place. He explains to them that this was a good place for them to be because the kids will play with them the whole day. All the toys decide to stay but Woody believes that they belong to Andy. As he is trying to run away, Bonnie a very imaginative toddler discovers him and takes him to her home.

The next day the toys that stayed at the daycare discovered that they had been assigned to the smaller kids ward and because they are too young, they don’t know how to play carefully with them. After the kids are gone, Andy´s toys ask Lotso whether they could be transfer to another ward, but he refuses. They try to escape but things turn violent, Buzz is reset to the demonstration mode, restoring his “Space Ranger” persona. Lotso locks the rest of the toys in separate drawers.

Woody had a great time at Bonnie´s place, he played all day and he was welcome by the other toys. However, when he mentioned that his friends were at the Sunnyside Daycare, Bonnie´s toys advised Woody to help his friends to escape that terrible place. Chuckles, one of Bonnie´s toys, explained that Lotso was a very violent and arrogant. Both, Lotso and Chuckles, had belonged to the same owner, Daisy, One day, she had lost them and when Lotso found out that he was replaced, he got very angry and became a different bear, he was bitter and when he arrived at the Daycare he took command of it. Understanding that his friends were in danger, Woody decides to go back to the daycare to rescue them.

Back again at the daycare Woody and his friends make plans to escape through the garbage dumpster. The plan was executed to perfection but due to an unforeseen event, they finished at the local garbage dump. Finally, they manage to escape and arrive at Andy´s home just before Andy goes to college.

Woody remembering the good times he had at Bonnie´s house comes with an idea, he writes a note on the box where his friends were. Andy upon seen the note takes the box to the house of Bonnie to donate his toys. Andy spends some time playing with Bonnie before leaving for college. At the end both Andy and his toys separate but Andy knows that Bonnie is going to take care of them.



Review (Warning it may contain spoilers)

I was surprised when I found out that Toy Story 3 was nominated for Best Picture. Since the first two movies were good, I was worry that maybe this one was going to ruin the series prestige. However, upon see it all my doubts and worries were dissipated. Toy Story 3 maintains the same basic elements that made Toy Story one of the best-animated movie franchises.

The plot is very interesting and unique, some of the characters from previews films where omitted but those left keep their genuine and funny characters. Despite, being a kids movie it will make you laugh due to funny situations and gags that are well balanced throughout the film.

The movie also delivers a strong message, Andy going to college means that he is not a kid anymore and he must let go his beloved toys. However the good message is that he doesn’t throw them away instead he donates them to Bonnie so she can take care of them.

By Sebastián Nadilo