Film: Toy Story 3
Cast includes: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Estelle Harris, John Morris, Jodi Benson, Emily Hahn, Blake Clark, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger
Director: Lee Unkrich (Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story 2)
Genre: Animated Adventure (2010)
In brief: With Andy busy growing up, Andy’s toys spend most of their time having adventures on their own… train robberies, explosions, devilish villains and barrels of monkeys. Andy’s 17 now and he hardly ever notices his old friends waiting… not so patiently… in the toy chest. “He never plays with us any more,” they complain. “This job isn’t about getting played with; it’s about being there,” Woody tells them. But Andy’s getting ready to go to college, and Molly’s getting Andy’s old room… as soon as Andy cleans it out. What goes to collage… what goes in the attic… what goes in the trash… Andy has to figure it out.
The toys never considered the possibility of being separated, but when Woody goes into a box marked “college,” the others go into a bag to be stored in the attic. And yet, things get even worse… the bag mistakenly goes into the trash. In an attempt to fix things, Woody gets them into a box of things being donated to Sunnyside Day Care. It’s just a detour because Woody thinks they’ll soon be headed back to Andy’s house. However, the other toys love the idea of being played with, and they want to stay at Sunnyside. When Lotso greets them, everyone is convinced they’ve found their new home… everyone but Woody. “I have an owner, and it’s Andy,” Woody says as he leaves his pals behind… “after all we’ve been through.”
It doesn’t take long before the rest realize they’ve made a mistake. Being played with by toddlers… well… it’s not age appropriate! And friendly Lotso… he’s not the great guy they all thought he was. So another Toy Story adventure is off and running… running from toddlers, running from trash collectors, running from evil toys with hidden agendas. But what are they running to? Andy really is growing up. Sure Andy loves them, but Andy has to leave his toys behind… all except Woody. The theme song… You’ve Got a Friend in Me… says it all. Loyalty is complicated!
3 popped kernels
Another fun adventure for Woody and his pals
Popcorn Profile
Primary Audience: Kids
Gender Appeal: Any audience
Distribution: Mainstream wide release
Mood: Jubilant
Tempo: Zips right along
Visual Style: Animated/computer
Character Development: Not that kind of film
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Pure entertainment
