The “Toys” are back in town. And that’s a very good thing.
If you go
“Toy Story 3”
4 out of 5 stars
Vocal stars: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty
Director: Lee Unkrich
Rated G.
Running time: 102 minutes (plus a 6-minute short, “Day & Night”)
The reliable geniuses at Pixar prove it again with the third installment in their groundbreaking animated series: Great kid-friendly entertainment can be made to delight everyone, regardless of age or gender. Being released in standard 35mm, 3D, and IMAX 3-D formats Friday, “Toy Story 3” takes Woody and company on another adventure with rousing thrills and droll comedy coming naturally out of soulful storytelling. Who doesn’t love that?
Ironically, the cartoon characters here are more fully “fleshed-out” and human than most of the actual people we’ve seen on screen so far this season. Director Lee Unkrich (a co-director of 1999’s “Toy Story 2”) and screenwriter Michael Arndt don’t dumb down their summer blockbuster with excess or cliche, though they do stick to the effective “Toy Story” formula: gentle satire and farcical action infused with poignant buddy bonding.
It has been 15 years since the original “Toy Story” became the first feature-length film rendered entirely in computer-generated imagery.
Now, owner Andy (voiced by John Morris) is grown and about to go off to college, leaving his old playthings in a pickle. Cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks), astronaut Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), their best gal pal Jessie (Joan Cusack), dinosaur Rex (Wallace Shawn), Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), piggy bank Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and the rest — they end up being donated to the toy version of hell, a penitentiary otherwise known as the Sunnyside day-care center.
There they face hordes of torturing toddlers and a villainous “Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear” (Ned Beatty), the less-than-cuddly head “inmate.” He and his toy gang won’t let the good guys leave. A humorous send-up of movies such as “The Great Escape” and “Cool Hand Luke” ensues, including genuinely exciting scenes of suspense. Because we come to care so much about these little friends — and they care so much about each other — our emotional investment in their fate is surprisingly deep.
This second sequel updates previous chapters with several fun new characters, especially Barbie’s love interest, the vain clotheshorse Ken (Michael Keaton) and a snooty English plushy named Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton), who considers playtime an opportunity for Method stage acting. Comedians Whoopi Goldberg, Bonnie Hunt and Jeff Garlin also voice new toys.
They help make “Toy Story 3” a worthy addition to what may be the best Hollywood franchise of the past two decades. Or, to infinity … and beyond!
