Toy Story 3

The toys are back and they're cuter than ever. They're also older, lonelier, and 3D-ier than ever before. And that's about it, which is to say that this Toy Story flick has plenty to offer, even if it feels far too dramatically light in the end. But in the reliably familiar fashion of Pixar entertainment, what it does have is most certainly enough to provide a good time. Toy Story 3 plays like a trilogy-capping swan song (sequels may follow, but this third entry is definitely designed with a franchise curtain call at its end) and it acts as a sweetly simultaneous hello and goodbye to the popular characters who first graced the big screen in 1995, when feature-length animated movies built entirely within a computer were completely unheard of.

Pixar has come a long way since then, but the toys have been absent for eleven years, so their big-screen growth has been somewhat stunted. Following such a long hiatus from the franchise that put Pixar on the big-screen map, it's nice to welcome back such familiar faces as Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), and Jessie (Joan Cusack). This is the only Pixar franchise to produce any sequels and the lack of an original group of characters proves to be of little hindrance to this latest effort.

After recently telling stories about geriatric adventurers and love-sick robots, Pixar has now returned to its feature-length roots and Toy Story 3's colourfully plastic cast are more than happy to share the screen again. They may not be as refreshingly original as some of their newly birthed Pixar cousins, but such is the inevitability of working with sequels. Toy Story 3 is a gentle ode to the characters who entertained us in the early days of the animation company's reign. It's also an excuse to break out the nostalgia by playing with them one last time.

Matching the narrative chronology to the franchise timeline, Toy Story 3 picks up approximately eleven years after the previous instalment with the chest of toys dreading the next stage in their lives. Their owner, the recent high school grad Andy, is headed off to college, which means the toys are about to be stuffed into the attic, where they'll live in solitude with no one to play with them. It's a sort of toy retirement and a move that the toys have all been begrudgingly preparing for. It's a simple set-up with only a modicum of conflict to begin with, but it isn't long before an innocent mix-up turns the toys' lives upside down.

When everyone but Woody grows convinced that Andy has intended to toss them in the trash, they stow away in a box destined for a local daycare centre. Upon arrival, the toys feel as though they've stumbled upon some great paradise, since the current toy residents explain to them that the daycare is bursting with kids who want nothing more than to play with toys. Only Woody is aware of Andy's true intention to put the toys in the attic, so he embarks on his own journey to return home. But the other toys stay behind and settle in to their new life. They are soon introduced to Lots-O'-Huggin Bear (Ned Beatty), a plush bear whose seemingly friendly demeanour masks a sinister agenda.

Eventually, the movie's plot switches gears and becomes a sort of prison break drama, which is pretty inspired stuff for an animated movie about plastic playthings. Along the way, there's the usual amount of adventure sequences, silly jokes aimed at anyone and everyone, and a lot of weepy sentimentality that feels genuine, but a little flat, too. Some new characters are tossed into the mix, such as Barbie and Ken, who provide some of the movie's finest and funniest moments. The voice work is sharp, with everyone from series regulars Hanks and Allen to series newcomers Beatty and Michael Keaton (who voices Ken) turning in some very enjoyable vocal performances. And it goes without saying that the animation is quite attractive.

Pixar's ability to piece together pixels into a lovingly luxurious series of images is always worth applauding and their work here is very good again. It may not be as groundbreaking as some of their past work and it's certainly less original, offering a clearer, deeper look at a world we've seen twice before, but the visuals are still very strong. Toy Story 3 is routinely trading in the originality we've come to expect from Pixar's last batch of movies for a cozy familiarity that benefits from recognizable charm. It's not loaded with refreshing qualities, but it's not really stale, either.

Carrying all of these thoughts with me to the finish line and now looking back, I can't say the movie worked its charms on me as effectively as it intended. As the movie neared its heartstring-tugging conclusion, I could sense the emotions I was meant to experience, but I simply didn't feel them. It was as though there was a wall between myself and the picture, preventing me from being truly touched and therefore causing a strange disconnect between screen and heart. Like with so many past Pixar efforts, I'm sure I'll be in the minority when it comes to complaining about Toy Story 3's lack of dramatic staying power. I still consider Monsters, Inc. to be the greatest movie Pixar has ever done, but that one is usually ranked near the bottom by the majority of fans.

Part of my problem with Toy Story 3 is an extension of an issue I have with the entire series. I simply do not care one bit about Andy and never have. The toys have far more life than he does and I can never see past the pixels to find the soul that supposedly lingers there. Thankfully, Andy is not the main character of these movies and his presence is far more limited than that of stars Woody and Buzz. But the fact remains that Andy is a huge part of the toys' lives and his impending departure is a focal point of the narrative. It's difficult to connect to Woody on an emotional level when all he can talk about is his undying loyalty to Andy, whose journey is one I have little interest in.

Director Lee Unkrich, taking over the reins all on his own for the first time ever (he previously played co-director on Pixar movies Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo), does a good job of keeping the movie on a fun and fast-paced narrative track. Even if Toy Story 3 doesn't hit every emotional mark with the flair it so eagerly intends, the movie is still an enjoyable ride that lithely bypasses boredom. Of course, that doesn't stop many of the jokes from slipping on the metaphorical banana peel of comedy, as the movie offers up a handful of cracks that are best forgotten. And when Unkrich wants to pour on the sap, he makes sure it runs thick.

But beyond the sentimentality and gooey handling of darker themes (fear of abandonment is a major thread through the whole film), Toy Story 3 is really a rollicking adventure with a collection of lovable toys. I may not get much out of the story on a dramatic level, but that doesn't stop this movie from being very entertaining and full of action-packed energy. Yes, the toys are back and they're still fun to watch, despite some shortcomings. They're plastic, after all, and it's impressive that Pixar continues to entertain with such passion and inspire with such dedication, all through the journeys of unusual heroes. After all these years, I'm still having a good time with these toys, even if I don't care enough to shed a tear when it's time to say goodbye.