This film got a close 5-star rating from the 5 children I took to see it. Here is what I like about it:
Despite some repeated themes from previous Toy Story installments (e.g. the abandonment of toys by their owners, the loyalty of the toys to each other) the filmmakers still manage to come up with fresh angles, and further build upon previous stories, without being dependant on them. In an age where toys are abandoned not so much for their owners growing up but rather for being replaced by Wii and X-box, it’s refreshing to see a film that encourages children to use their imagination and play with real toys. The humor in Toy Story 3 works for all ages and there are quite a few subtle references adults only will get (e.g. the 180 degrees Exorcist head-turning of the baby doll...). The moral of the story has several layers, much more than the average film can claim these days, and the lends itself so each viewer in the audience can get from the film what they want or need: whether it’s the value loyalty and sticking together, sacrifice, environmental (consumerism and landfills), letting go, or the acceptance of one’s place in the world.
As a general comment – Pixar is an exceptional studio, where the otherwise incomprehensible takes places time and again: this studio manages to strike a balance between cg animation and effects, art and excellent story-telling. It makes one wish live film will follow suit... My hat’s off to Pixar. They never fail to deliver.
And not to forget, as usual, the opening short animated clip is imaginative, fun and with a moral we can all use...