Toy Story 3

Impressions before seeing it
If you're part of generation X like me then you probably grew up with Toy Story and its sequel. And, like me, you probably enjoyed the first two because they're good movies. I knew Toy Story 3 was going to be good so I did my best to avoid spoilers (I think the only thing I kept hearing from people was that it made them cry) and was finally able to see it on Blu-ray. I may not have seen it in 3D at the movie theater, but there is nothing more visually stunning than a Pixar movie on Blu-ray.

How was it?
I was surprised that this one felt a little darker and more mature than the first two, but I suppose it makes a lot of sense: Andy has grown up and so have the kids who loved Toy Story when it was first released in 1995. And as Andy loses interest in his toys and they long to be shipped off to a daycare, we learn why Woody is special: because while the other toys just want to be played with and loved, Woody is the only one who loves in return. The toys were very quick to dismiss Andy, and I think it's because of this reason, not because they believed beyond a doubt that their owner was throwing them in the trash. Later, when they regret their choices and realize Woody was right, they learn that love is faith and loyalty, not indulgence or selfishness. Also they almost got destroyed.

I loved how the opening sequence was like a more souped up, fantasized version of the same scenario Andy was playing in the opening sequence of the first Toy Story. It's been several years since I saw the first movie but I recognized it right away and was delighted by the nostalgia. I did find some parts predictable, like *Spoiler alert!* when Lotso the teddy bear turned out to be the villain, which I was expecting soon after his entrance because he reminded me a lot of the Prospector in Toy Story 2, and when they were assigned a certain room at the daycare I knew a bunch of toddlers were going to run in and rip them to shreds, but as much as I dislike predictability it didn't affect my enjoyment at all. I still love the idea of toys coming to life when no one is looking, and that will always be fun to watch.

Recommendation
Play with your toys, kids. They're better at developing your imagination than video games are. Oh, and see this movie. Not all trilogies/franchises are able to maintain their quality from movie to movie (*cough*Shrek*cough*), but this is one of the good ones.

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Impressions before seeing it
I'm a Pixar fan and I knew it would be good. They always seem to have good ideas and good execution, so expectations were high.

How was it?
Let's just say expectations were met. From the very beginning when little starry-eyed Carl watched his idol on the big screen and then married and lost his true love in a sweet little montage, the movie sets you up to sympathize with him when he grows up to be a grouch. I didn't find Carl mean at all though; I understood that he was just trying to fulfill the dream that he and his late wife had and he was getting pissed off when things threatened that. But through his adventures and the characters he meets, Carl realizes that maybe the dream isn't the most important thing in the world.

As usual the animation was also top-notch. I'm not sure if they used motion capture or not, but the character movement, especially on Carl, seemed impressively lifelike. I also thought the voice acting was well done, even the kid who did young Russel's voice, which was good because not all kids can act. ...Maybe I should watch more bad movies, because this blog is just going to make me look like I like everything.

Recommendation
If you've enjoyed Pixar's films in the past, you know what to expect and will most likely enjoy this one too. Or if you just like a good classic fantasy adventure, this one's for you.