*** Official TOY STORY 3 Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Brian Borst]

Originally Posted by mattCR

Orson Scott Card has a great write up that really explains what I was thinking:



http://www.hatrack.com/osc/reviews/everything/2010-06-20.shtml


I tend to agree. Those two are easily the two best films I've seen this year.

Agree with that (except for the other movie he mentions. Haven't seen it). I already loved this movie in the opening, which amazingly was even bigger than TS2's incredible opening. When the 'home video' footage started playing with 'You've Got A Friend In Me', I already had to fight the tears. I grew up with these characters, so it was both 'seeing old friends again' and 'knowing you have to say goodbye' at the end (I cried at the end, and get choked up while I'm typing this, strangely). I know that sounds kinda lame, but that's how I felt. I can't wait for Inception, and it's going to be good, for sure, but for me Toy Story 3 is already the best movie of the year. Pixar honestly can't do wrong.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Originally Posted by Mike Frezon

I felt the poignancy of the ending came from the loss of childhood. Andy's still young enough to be close to his toys, but old enough to realize the little girl will make better use of them. Woody's choice was just wonderful and heartbreaking. He's lived for Andy but now knows he has to move on. I did not like Bo Peep being dropped just like that, but there was no room in the plot for her. She's never left the house in the previous movies.


When the gang was slowly drawing near to their end and they had all accepted their fate, I found myself wondering if they were really going to end the movie like that. Perhaps Pixar really didn't want to do anymore.


I couldn't help but think of the song "Puff, the Magic Dragon" while watching the movie.


I think it would be great if someone(s) would make a list describing the in-jokes and references to other movies. The only one I noticed was "The Claw". I missed the fact that Sid was one of the garbage men. What was the Cool Hand Luke thing with the bear?

 

[Johnny Angell]

I forgot to mention a couple of things. Buzz in Spanish mode was a laugh riot, laugh-out-loud funny. So was Mr. Tortilla Head.


At the end, did they imply that Ken has the hots for Woody?

 

[mattCR]

Originally Posted by Johnny Angell



When the gang was slowly drawing near to their end and they had all accepted their fate, I found myself wondering if they were really going to end the movie like that. Perhaps Pixar really didn't want to do anymore.


I couldn't help but think of the song "Puff, the Magic Dragon" while watching the movie.


I think it would be great if someone(s) would make a list describing the in-jokes and references to other movies. The only one I noticed was "The Claw". I missed the fact that Sid was one of the garbage men. What was the Cool Hand Luke thing with the bear?

I have to agree here. Now that we should be past spoilers, the moment in the incenerator, as all of them turned to each other for comfort, to hold hands and acknowledge their fate together was maybe one of the most brutal and touching scenes in film as I can remember. It made me think in some ways of "Titanic" but as they turned to each other, that wordless expression of: we are here for each other. Wow. I thought everything about that sequence was beautiful. And I think it was that moment where Woody knew this was his family, and he had to stay with them.


One other thing: I thought the look into the revised play at the preschool was also brilliant during the credits. All of the toys knew the little kids needed to be able to play; when they started working cooperatively to help, and rewarded each other, that was another great tie in to that portion of the show.. it wasn't that the kids were "bad kids" or that the toys didn't want to.. it's that the toys were willing to work together to make sure they could handle the kids and still be there. I thought that was a great, wonderful moment as well.


If you think about it, the first two Toy Story films were focused around the toys, their adventures. And that's still true here. But Toy Story 3 managed to seemlessly integrate the humans as real people, people you cared about and saw how they figured into the lives of the toys. Who wasn't rooting for the little girl to have her imagination? Or smiled a bit as woody got played with that first time and cracked a smile at the joy of a small kid? And while Andy had only bit moments in the first two films, he came off as almost everyone I know imagined him.. he cared for his toys; they were reminders to him of growing up; but he turned into a good kid who knew that the time to leave behind childs things was here.. and yet, those items had been friends to him when he needed them, and he couldn't chuck them. Knowing that someone else could have those same adventures was enough for him.


The farther I get from the first time I watched this, the more brilliant I really think this is. This is a film with a lot of depth of plot..while there are bad guys, most find redemption.

Really great stuff!

 

[Chad R]

Originally Posted by Johnny Angell

At the end, did they imply that Ken has the hots for Woody?

No, just that Ken is a little...effeminate. A girl's toy. What little girls think would be the perfect match for their Barbie.

 

[David Norman]

Originally Posted by Johnny Angell
What was the Cool Hand Luke thing with the bear?

"Brainwashed" Captain Buzz's speech to the newly captured and imprisoned gang of toys -- to paraphrase a bit:


Any toy not in his room spends the night In the Box

Any toy found out at night spends the night In the Box

Any toy trying to escape spends the nght In the Box,

Etc


Lotso certainly has a bit of Strother Martin in him.


Along the same line, when Potato Head tries to escape and intentionally gets caught and put in the box to distract the

guards certainly has more than a bit of Steve McQueen in The Great Escape and his cooler antics.

 

[Greg.K]

I wonder how "Spanish Mode Buzz" worked for Spanish translations of the movie?

 

[Johnny Angell]

Originally Posted by Greg Kettell

I wonder how "Spanish Mode Buzz" worked for Spanish translations of the movie?

I was wondering about that during the movie itself. How would that play out in a Spanish version. Memo to Pixar: cover this issue in a blu-ray extra.


The Box (smacks fore head), why didn't I get that.


Matt, you are right, humans were much more important in this film. I'm glad Andy turned out to be worthy of Woody and friends.

 

[RobertR]

It's very nice to have a satisfying feeling after watching a movie (and on film, to boot, something that seems harder and harder to find!). The story, the writing, and the technical craft were all very well done. My wife laughed hysterically at Spanish Buzz. Loved the way the film captured that childhood feeling. I avoided the 3D showing, as I think that gimmick has worn out its welcome. Thanks to Disney for letting my wife and me see it for a buck.

 

[Brian Borst]

Originally Posted by Greg Kettell

I wonder how "Spanish Mode Buzz" worked for Spanish translations of the movie?

Probably another language (Italian, maybe?) although I don't know how they would translate the brilliant Gypsy Kings cover of 'You've Got A Friend In Me' in the end credits.

 

[Ron-P]

This one didn't work to well for me, it was too serious and lost what the other two films had and were mostly all about, humor. It's really a shame too. While I can watch 1 & 2 over and over, seeing TS3 once is enough.

 

[Malcolm R]

One of the few bad reviews I've seen of TS3 was in one of the local papers:


http://www.vt-world.com/NC/0/2620.html

 

[mattCR]

Originally Posted by Malcolm R

One of the few bad reviews I've seen of TS3 was in one of the local papers:


http://www.vt-world.com/NC/0/2620.html

Well, he's bold enough to say he's hated every other pixar movie in the first sentence. So, there is that.

 

[Malcolm R]

I just found it odd that he seems to take the exact opposite view of most of Pixar's fans who feel they're a triumph of substance over style with great stories and writing. Not just a bunch of pop culture references and rude humor like many of the Dreamworks pics.


I find myself disagreeing with Max on almost every film review anyway, so it's not real surprising that he pans TS3 while singing the praises of SATC2. I'm not a huge fan of the TS films myself, but they're leagues better than most of the animated films coming out today.

 

[TravisR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malcolm R

I find myself disagreeing with Max on almost every film review anyway, so it's not real surprising that he pans TS3 while singing the praises of SATC2.

I could be wrong but it just seems like he's the guy trying to go against the grain by saying that he dislikes what everyone else likes (which is possibly the lamest form of human being in the world).

 

[Johnny Angell]

Usually I can chalk up a person's dislike for a movie I love to personal taste, but this guy is an ignorant boob.

The screenplay is little more than an afterthought – assigned to a dependable pro like a book report.

What makes Pixar movies better than the rest is the fact that story is king at Pixar, you twit.

The cast is not based on talent or who is best for the part, but simply based on who has the most recognizable voice (“Hey, it’s the guy from ‘Cheers’ and the lady from ‘Seinfeld.’ Neat.”) Since almost every penny of a Pixar movie’s gargantuan budget is spent on the animation, most of the filmmakers’ efforts are put toward making it look good at the expense of everything else.

Yeah, you hire Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusak, Ned Beatty, MIchael Keaton and others because they have no talent and work cheap so that you pan put all your money into the animation.

Maybe the movie would be worth sitting through if there was a little comedy to liven things up. But there isn’t. “Toy Story 3” didn’t make me so much as chuckle. Not once.

In my theater I and many, many adults were laughing out loud frequently. This Toy Story was extremely funny. Come on, you had to think Mr. Tortilla Head was funny or Ken and Barbie, or Spanish Buzz.

The majority of the screen time is devoted to frantic, colorful, boring chase scenes.

Wasn't the final chase scene the ended up at the incinerator just dullsville. None of you liked that, did you guys?

It is deeply perplexing to me that “Sex and the City 2” – a film that is positively bubbling over with intelligence and insight about humanity – has gotten brutalized by critics. Meanwhile, “Toy Story 3” – a movie with zero substance, zero characterization, zero wit, and nothing to say about the world – is receiving glowing reviews.

I have not seen either SatC, but I do know that second one did receive poor reviews. That's probably the only thing this guy got right in his review. I have found in the past when there is a trend in the critical reviews, that it means something.

I don’t get it. And I’m sure not jumping on the bandwagon. Pixar movies stink. Computer animated movies stink. “Toy Story 3” stinks.

The first sentence in this quote is the most accurate one in his review, he doesn't get it. In his last three sentences he eloquently trashes all Pixar movies, all computer animated movies, and TS3. I think this guy has risen above his level of incompetence. To quote Bugs Bunny: "What a maroon!"

 

[Ron-P]

Originally Posted by Johnny Angell


In my theater I and many, many adults were laughing out loud frequently. This Toy Story was extremely funny. Come on, you had to think Mr. Tortilla Head was funny or Ken and Barbie, or Spanish Buzz.

...and that about sums up the three funny moments in the film.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I don't know whether I love Pixar for consistently inspiring me to write better or hate them for consistently making me feel inadequate.


I have to say, this was probably the darkest, creepiest G-rated film since 2001. The hand-holding scene really got to me. (I got my son a kids' book of the story that refers to them holding hands to "stay together.")


My son fell in love with the Twitch and Sparks toys at the Disney Store and I caved. When they turned out to be "bad guys" he was pretty upset. He turned to me several times during the movie and asked about that. When they made nice during the end credits I let out a big sigh of relief.


The strange thing about that is that his favorite character in the TS films is Emperor Zurg. Although I suppose he turned out OK in the end as well. (His cameo here was a great surprise!) Good thing we have a PS3 so we can get the version of the game that lets you be Zurg. . .

 

[Paul D G]

Originally Posted by Chris Will Unfortunately, Hollywood’s current obsession with 3D has ruined these plans. As of yesterday, all of the local theaters in my small city have pulled the 2D version.

I'm with you on that. We went to see it this in 2D this past weekend as well (i wait a couple of weeks before seeing the major films) and was very disappointed that we were in one of the smaller theaters in the complex. In fact we went this weekend to avoid this happening. As we walked out I noticed all the large theaters were also showing it, but in 3D. I don't think it will but I hope this 3D fad fades. It's one thing to see something specifically made in 3D, like Avatar, but nearly everything else has been 3D conversion jobs and therefore nothing but a money grab. Back to the movie: My five year old was freaked out by the monkey, and really upset during the incinerator scene, and as soon as the credits started demanded that we leave. I couldn't convince him that the movie was still on. We managed to get through the closing montage but I'll have to wait for the BR before I can enjoy it in detail.

 

[BrettB]

Saw it yesterday for the third time. Three times in a little over two weeks is too much but still had a good time, 3d, crappy seats and all. All the magic should be back by the time the blu-ray hits.


I think this one has the best action of the 3. The opening is better than Buzz's video game opening of 2.


I'd say humor is on par with the others. The one thing I seem to be in the minority on is Mr. tortilla head. I just don't dig it near as much as others seem to.


Emotionally 3 takes the prize of course. The incinerator scene is so well done it's ridiculous. Got a major LOST vibe from it.


And then the ending, which is pretty much perfect, has you crying like a schoolgirl and smiling at the same time.


The series has a legitimate claim to best trilogy.