First a disclaimer. Based on the viewing of this film I am a robot at best and a sociopath devoid of emotion at worse. In other words this weepy didn't get me going and I'm even struggling to understand why it made anyone cry. But I'll leave that for the end. And as ever there may be spoilers ahead.
As someone was remarking to me the other day why all the excitement over a threequel? Shrek 3 wasn't greeted with such eagerness or recieved so favourably. Why has the third Toy Story burst into the top 250 at such a high place?
I brainstormed some ideas and came up with these as the reasons.
Characters
There is a big cast of characters each of which is defined and memorable. We've come to care for these little guys, as we do our own playthings and we just want to hang out with them again. These characters have flaws but they're not as unpleasant as the Shrek crew. Sarcasm is a mode of communication in the Toy Story universe not the only way to make a snarky point.
Time
Its been sixteen years since Toy Story waas released and 11 since Toy Story 2. They haven't rushed out a sequel in record time. They've taken time with their craft.
Previous Quality
TS1 and TS2 were masterpieces. When building on solid foundations its harder to screw up. In no way impossible but more difficult.
Pedigree
Come on guys. Its Pixar. When did they ever release a bad film? And before you say it "Cars" was not a bad film, it was just an average film. Most other studios would kill to have their successes be as good as Pixar's "failures"
Actual Film
No matter all that bumpf up above this. If the film wasn't good then it would be so highly praised. And it is good but I think it may be overhyped. The basic story is that Andy is off to College and his toys get donated to a Daycare centre. Its a horrible place and they need to break out and get back to him. That's cutting out alot of it but why spoil the film too much?
It was a very funny film with a fantasy sequence at the beginning,with death by monkeys (Everything is better with monkeys!) and a lot of new characters to come to know and love and in one case hate. The villain of the piece had me at one point contemplating bying a stuffed version of him just to knock it around with a baseball bat. So well done Pixar for that.
But the main thing I'm left thinking is why all the hyperbole about the tears? At its saddest the ending was bittersweet but more sweet than bitter. And the other part I've heard talk about being a tear duct wringer is when they all hold hands. Now maybe I was just more caught up in the dynamics of the plot that the characters at that point but I was thinking "No way can they end it like this." and I was admiring the bravery of such a down ending to a kids film. So it was disbelief rather than sadness at that point. There was then relief but I didn't feel sad. The only point at which I did was when the remembered all the fallen toys near the beginning and Woody missed Bow Peep. That was the most emotional part for me.
I understand why I'm meant to have felt sad about it. The loss of childhood and how our children outgrow us. But I don't have any children to outgrow me and you can still be childlike without being childish. I suppose the film does make me wistful for an easier time when all you had to worry about was the space goblins coming to invade the playmobile castle being defended by Big Ted and a Lego Diver Man. So a Wistful film for me rather than a sad one. As sad films go "Up" and "Wall-E" have this one beat in my mind. Go see this though and make up your own mind.
