‘Toy Story 3’: Pixar wins again (4.5/5)

Toy Story 3

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack
Directed by: Lee Unkrich
Rating: G
Running time: 1 hour, 43 minutes

Be prepared to be taken “to infinity and beyond” once again.

Pixar has pulled off the impossible: Meeting (and exceeding) the challenge of concluding a beloved storyline.

I have no shame in admitting that I was heavily skeptical going into the latest Pixar production. I wondered how the minds behind such groundbreaking and adored films as “Toy Story,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles,” “Cars,” “Ratatouille,” “Wall•E” and “Up” could excuse this apparent slip of creativity.

But I am exorbitantly happy to say that in no way is “Toy Story 3” a mistake.

Many “kids” my age feel a certain ownership over Andy’s toys. (After all, I was only 9 when “Toy Story” came out in 1995!) Woody, Buzz and the gang were as much a part of our childhoods as they were his.

And in a hugely unanticipated way, this sense of investment is exactly what makes “Toy Story 3” spectacular.

While Andy is preparing to leave for college, he faces the heart-wrenching decision of what to do with his old toys. Through a series of mistakes and misunderstandings, rather than ending up in the attic, the whole gang finds themselves at Sunnyside Day Care.

There they are taken under the wing of Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear (who is animated so wonderfully you just want to pick him out of the screen and squeeze him). Lots-O’ turns the toys’ feelings of abandonment into joy as he explains that at the day care, they will always be played with and never be outgrown.

The ever-loyal Woody (Tom Hanks) insists that they belong to Andy and that it was a mistake that brought them to Sunnyside, but the other toys quickly fall in love with their new surroundings.

Woody sets out on his own to return to Andy and runs into a handful of others who inform him that Sunnyside is no place for a toy, a fact that Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie, Hamm, Rex, Slinky Dog, the Potato Heads and the rest soon discover.

“Toy Story 3” is full of hilarious antics, from Barbie and Ken to Buzz’s Spanish mode and the aliens’ continuing obsession with “the claw.” The script is wonderfully clever and overflowing with quotable lines. Director Lee Unkrich walks the fine line between heartwarming and corny with ease, never for a moment slipping into the “groan zone.”

Having watched (thousands of times) and loved the first two “Toy Stories” only made the third that much more meaningful. I felt a real connection with Andy’s poignant decision that transformed “Toy Story 3” from just another installment into a bittersweet conclusion (be sure to take some tissues; I certainly needed them).

Although this movie is absolutely appropriate for all ages and should be enjoyed by those 2 to 102, timid children may be frightened by a few of the new characters (namely a freaky baby doll and a terrifying cymbal monkey).

The 3-D aspect is a nice complement to the latest adventure (save the obnoxious glasses) and ties in nicely with the always impeccable animation of which Pixar is constantly capable. But if you have to wait for the film to come out on DVD, the loss of 3-D will not impede on this incredible film in the slightest.

Pixar has absolutely outdone itself again. “Toy Story 3” is a wonderful sendoff for our small, plastic friends and a loving gift from Pixar to its loyal audience. From beautiful animation to a captivating story, “Toy Story 3” is superb from beginning to end and is a lesson in the magic of moviemaking.

4.5 of 5 stars