Toy Story 3

The biggest battle at the box office this season is the one between the two biggest animation studios in Hollywood and their franchises. Dreamworks started off with 'Shrek Forever After', which I've not seen yet, and 'Toy Story 3'. I will warn you that this review will have some spoilers about the ending, so if you prefer to remain surprised please be careful.

Pixar is constantly amazing me. I know it might be wrong to say but each time they make a movie you are expecting them to do something wrong and turn out a bad movie. There has not been a film company that has had as much success as they have. But we need not worry as they just keep making brilliant films. I do no think many of us would have thought that we would care so much about a group of plastic characters that are computer generated. Over the course of three films we have come to know and love this group of toys and the love they have for their owner. We know that living creatures like humans and animals will do whatever they can to be with the person they love but for it to be a toy is amazing. I think it has also changed people's perceptions about their own toys. I'm sure it has made us think about this bond that we form with these things that we form relationships with in the early parts of our lives. But being something that is only for children we must grow up and leave them. There is the obvious connection with parents. Many have made the connection that Woody is the closest thing that Andy has to a father. That is why when Andy has to leave at the end he has the hardest time leaving Woody. There is one moment in this farewell that was so heartbreaking that is made me cry so hard. And that is the power of Pixar and the creators of this series. They put so much time and effort into the story and character development that we have these feelings when something bad happens to them. This however was not the worst moment for me as a previous scene tops it. As our favourite gang think they are about to face their demise they come together as they prepare to face their fate. You know they will have to get out of (if they didn't then that would be far too devastating), but just seeing this moment of unity was just a joy. There is also an excellent story before this moment as well. We get to meet a different group of toys and see what rejection can do to some toys. This is personified in the character of Lotso. The writers have cleverly taken the sweetest looking toy and made him an evil task master and prison warder. It is an excellent journey for our toys to take, especially Woody as he comes to realise who his real family is. I will admit that there are some moments which feel like repeats from previous films but it does not matter.

I spoke in my review of the first two films how I feel this is the best thing that Tom Hanks and Tim Allen have done. I think Pixar are brilliant at casting just the right actor for all their roles. Of the new cast I think they have again chosen wisely. Ned Beatty as Lotso has just the right amount of warmth and big bear tone to make him seem to nice and lovable. But then he can change his tone and become an evil and bitter old toy. Michael Keaton is also brilliant as Ken. He gives just the right amount of ego and dopiness you expect from this 'girls' toy.

This is a brilliant end to a brilliant series. It will be difficult to leave this group but we know they are in safe hands, they will be loved and well looked after. Make sure you go and give your support to them as they enter a new aspect of their lives.