Another Toy Story

This is another essay I wrote for Advanced Writing. This essay is a review of Toy Story 3.

Eleven years after space ranger Buzz and the rest of the toys rescued cowboy Woody in the second installation of the Toy Story franchise, the next chapter in the saga debuted. After years of wondering whether the story of Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang would continue or not, fans got their answer when rumors of a third film were finally confirmed and Toy Story 3 was released to audiences in June 2010.

Toy Story 3 once again takes the toys outside the comfort and security of Andy’s house and into the big, wide world. Andy is grown up now and is about to leave for college. He packs Woody up in a box with his things to take to college and plans to put the rest of the toys—Buzz, Mr. Potato Head, Jessie, and the rest of the gang—up in the attic. But through a misunderstanding, the toys are taken out to the trash instead. Thinking Andy meant to throw them away, the toys escape the trash and decide to go with some other toys being donated to Sunnyside Daycare. Woody tries to convince them that Andy was going to put them in storage, but they don’t believe him and they (along with Woody) go to the daycare. And thus begins the new adventures of these old friends as they encounter new obstacles and meet some new friends—or are they?

This newest addition to the Toy Story universe introduces some new aspects into the series. One of these new features is the departure from the usual human enemy. In the original Toy Story, Woody and Buzz went up against Andy’s devious, toy-destroying neighbor Sid. In Toy Story 2, Buzz and the rest of the toys rescue Woody from toy enthusiast Al after he kidnaps Woody from Andy’s house. However, Toy Story 3 introduces a new brand of villain as that of a toy—Lotso, a pink stuffed teddy bear. Lotso has a much more prominent role throughout the movie compared with antagonists in the previous films, a detail that can be attributed to the fact that the toys can interact with him freely—as opposed to their need to hide their existence from the humans.

The three films also include different rescues. The original Toy Story features more of an escape, with Buzz and Woody working to get free from Sid. In 2, Buzz and the rest of the toys are the ones rescuing Woody. In the third, however, Woody returns to the daycare that he already escaped from to rescue Buzz and the rest of the gang. In the end, it’s the same, though: everyone works together to try and get back to Andy.

In quite a few scenes of the movie, it takes an adult audience to truly appreciate what’s taking place. Lotso is in essence a ruthless dictator over the toys of Sunnyside Daycare—asserting his authority over everybody with no thought to how his actions affect anyone but himself. In a statement that breaks the typical "dumb blond" stereotype, Barbie snaps in defiance to Lotso, “Authority should derive from the consent of the governed, not from the threat of force!" A perceptive viewer will notice many other political references throughout the film. Some of the toys even find a new love interest—and that means some interesting incidents between them.

But Toy Story 3 is still an animated film—its main intended audience is children, and they can find much in this new adventure to enjoy as well. Buzz, Woody, Rex, Mr. Potato Head and the rest of the toys stick together, showing what friendship is all about. Kids will be interested to see some new and interesting sides of characters not seen in the previous movies—such as the discovery of Buzz’s Spanish mode. Kids will we be engaged in the movie from the very start with an exciting western action scene. But this movie has something for everyone.

Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toys meet some new friends and travel to lots of new places in this latest installment in the Toy Story series. It’s another action packed adventure for these toys. It’s a journey of discovery, learning, and the struggle to maintaining those relationships that have been there for so long. Does the gang make it back to Andy this time? Toy Story 3 has twists and turns you never would have expected. You’ll laugh, you’ll smile—and maybe you’ll even cry—while you watch this instant Pixar classic.