Coco (2017 film)

Directed by Lee Unkrich and screenplay by Unkrich and Adrian Molina from a story by Unkrich, Molina, Matthew Aldrich, and Jason Katz, Coco is the story of a 12-year old boy whose encounter with mysterious ghostly spirits accidentally transports him to the Land of the Dead where he tries to find his great-great-grandfather to return him to the living world. Inspired by the Mexican holiday in the Day of the Dead, the film is look of a boy wanting to know about his family’s roots as well as those who lived before his time. Featuring the voices of Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renee Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguia, and Edward James Olmos. Coco is a rapturous and touching film from Lee Unkrich.

Set in a small town in Mexico just before the Day of the Dead, the film is about a 12-year old boy who has a love for music and idolizes a famed musician despite his family’s hatred for it as it relates to some family secrets where the boy later encounters the spirit where he finds himself in the Land of the Dead. It’s a film that play into a boy who has a love for music but doesn’t want to upset his family as he’s trying to keep it a secret. The film's screenplay by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina follows the journey that Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) embarks on as he lives with a large family who makes shoes at their small town but they have a disdain for music dating back to their ancestors when Miguel’s great-great-grandfather left his wife Imelda (Alanna Ubach) to pursue a music career as Miguel believes his great-great-grandfather is the famed musician Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt).

Wanting to participate in a talent contest, Miguel runs away from his family where he tries to borrow de la Cruz’s guitar from his tomb as he finds himself in the Land of the Dead where he would meet his relatives including his great-great grandmother Imelda who tries to get him to return only if he doesn’t become a musician. The script has Miguel not just learn about family’s importance but also what it means to be great musician where he meets a dead trickster in Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal) who claims to know de la Cruz where they make a deal as Hector is eager to go to the land of the living to visit his daughter in the hopes he won’t be forgotten. During their journey together, Miguel would learn some big secrets about his family as well as why Imelda and Coco were abandoned as they reach de la Cruz’s home where he’s having his annual ceremony as more revelations occur about Miguel and his family.

Lee Unkrich’s direction is definitely astonishing in terms of the world he creates of the living as well as the Land of the Dead where it has a lot of attention to detail about the holiday that is the Day of the Dead. With the animation directors Guilherme Sauerbronn Jacinto and Nickolas Rosario, along with animation supervisors Gini Cruz Santos and Michael Venturini, Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina provide a look and tone that play into this air of tradition that is celebrated annually in Mexico. It’s a celebration of loved ones who aren’t around anymore as pictures and murals are presented with the living offering food or something special where the spirits of the dead would take it as they cross over from the Land of the Dead to the world of the living as spirits. When Miguel takes a strum of de la Cruz’s guitar, it would transport him to the Land of the Dead as it’s a world that is about the celebration of life where Unkrich’s compositions in its wide and medium shots capture it with such grand detail.

The direction also create these compositions and matching images as it play into the movies that de la Cruz starred in as well as what Miguel would match as he plays music like the man whom he believes is his great-great grandfather. The animation takes great attention to detail in some of the spiritual creatures that Miguel meets as a street dog named Dante would join him in the journey who seems to know more than he lets on. The meeting between Miguel and de la Cruz is tremendous in its scale but it also play into secrets about Miguel’s family including his great-grandmother Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguia) whose memory is fading away. It adds to the stakes of what Miguel has to do to get home with the help of his deceased relatives who deal with revelations about their misfortunes. Even as they have to accept the power of music that can bring someone back to life and bring a family together. Overall, Unkrich and Molina create a dazzling yet heartfelt film about a boy whose love for music brings him into a journey to the dead in order to help his family.

Cinematographers Matt Aspbury and Danielle Feinberg do amazing work with the look of the lighting and backgrounds of some of the interiors at the places in the Land of the Dead including de la Cruz’s home with its usage of colorful lighting and shades. Editors Lee Unkrich and Steve Bloom do excellent work with the editing as its usage of rhythmic cuts help play into the drama and humor with some flashback montages to establish key moments in the film. Production designer Harley Jessup and art director Tim Evatt do incredible work with the look of the buildings and the bridge of orange petals with help from visual effects supervisor Michael O’Brien in adding some textures including the look of the old movies starring de la Cruz.

Sound designer Christopher Boyes does amazing work with the sound as it help play into the way a guitar string is tuned as well as the sounds of the spirit creatures in the Land of the Dead. The film’s music by Michael Giacchino is phenomenal for its mixture of lush orchestral music and traditional-based Mexican mariachi music that play into the drama and sense of adventure as the music soundtrack that is cultivated by music supervisor Tom MacDougall feature an array of original songs composed Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, Germaine Franco and Adrian Molina with Michael Giacchino, and some traditional pieces as the music is a major highlight of the film.

The casting by Carla Hool, Natalie Lyon, and Kevin Reher is superb as it feature some notable small roles and voice appearances from Pixar regular John Ratzenberger as dental patient crossing over to the land of the living, Natalia Cordova-Buckley as the famed artist Frida Kahlo, Carla Medina as the departure agent, Cheech Marin as a corrections officer, Gabriel Iglesias as a clerk working at the Land of the Dead, Lombardo Boyar in a dual role as a mariachi Miguel meets in his small town and a musician from the Land of the Dead, Luis Valdez in a dual role as Miguel’s uncle Tio Berto and Don Hidalgo, Sofia Espinosa and Jaime Camil as Miguel’s parents, Herbert Siguenza as Miguel’s late identical twin uncles in Tios Oscar and Felipe, Selene Luna as Miguel’s late aunt Tia Rosita, and Alfonso Arau as Miguel’s late great-grandfather/Coco’s husband in Papa Julio.

Edward James Olmos is terrific as Hector’s friend Chicharron who lives in a world of those who are being forgotten where Miguel learns about Hector’s fate if he is to be forgotten. Ana Ofelia Murguia is wonderful in her brief role as Miguel’s great-grandmother Coco as a woman whom Miguel spends a lot of time with as he’s convinced she’s waiting for someone. Renee Victor is fantastic as Miguel’s grandmother who runs the family shoemaking shop as well as be the family’s lead enforcer in ensuring that music isn’t around the family. Alanna Ubach is brilliant as Miguel’s great-great-grandmother Mama Imelda who is also Coco’s mother as a woman that is trying to get Miguel home but also carries some family secrets about why she dislikes music where she later is forced to deal with the revelations that tore her family apart.

Benjamin Bratt is amazing as Ernesto de la Cruz as the famed singer who was considered the greatest artist in all of Mexico as he is believed to be Miguel’s great-great-grandfather where he’s a man that loves what he does but is ambiguous about how he became so famous. Gael Garcia Bernal is incredible as Hector as a trickster that is trying to cross to the land of the living to see someone important whom he believes would remember him as he helps Miguel to find de la Cruz as he claims to know him leading to some major revelations for Miguel. Finally, there’s Anthony Gonzalez in a sensational performance as Miguel as 12-year old boy that loves music and wants to play music where he finds himself in the Land of the Dead and hopes to get the blessing of the man he believes is his great-great-grandfather to become a musician so he can return to the land of the living where he would learn the importance of family as well as sacrifice.

Coco is an outstanding film from Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina. Featuring a great ensemble cast, rapturous visuals, a heartfelt music soundtrack, and touching themes about the importance of family. It’s unquestionably one of Pixar’s best films but also a film that manages to embody the idea of family and how to celebrate those who are no longer around but remain alive in spirit and through love. In the end, Coco is a magnificent film from Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina.

Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters Inc.) – (Finding Nemo) – The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up - Toy Story 3 - Cars 2 - Brave - Monsters University - Inside Out - The Good Dinosaur - (Finding Dory) – (Cars 3) – The Incredibles 2 - Toy Story 4 - (Onward) - Soul (2020 film) - (Luca (2021 film)) - Turning Red - (Lightyear) - (Elemental (2023 film)) - Inside Out 2 - (Elio) – (Toy Story 5)

© thevoid99 2018

Toy Story 2

When Toy Story first came out in the fall of 1995, the film proved to be an event as it was the first computer-animated feature film of its time. The film drew rave reviews and massive box office giving Pixar Studios the power it needed as they returned three years later with their second film A Bug’s Life with Walt Disney Studios as its distributor. While Disney wanted a sequel to Toy Story to be a direct-to-video release, Pixar and the people involved with the film refused as it eventually became a feature-film that finally came out in the fall of 1999.

Directed by John Lasseter, with additional direction by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon, and screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Rita Hsaio, Doug Chamberlain, and Chris Webb that was based on a story by Lasseter, Stanton, Brannon, and Pete Docter. Toy Story 2 tells the story of Woody being kidnapped by a toy collector as Buzz Lightyear and other toys go on a rescue mission. During his captivity, Woody discovers that he was an old TV star as he is about to be sold to a Tokyo toy museum with other toys. The second film is a more ambitious film that blends all sorts of genres as it also introduces to new characters for the franchise.

Featuring the voices of previous players like Tom Hanks Tim Allen, Jim Varney, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, John Morris, and R. Lee Emrey plus Joan Cusack, Estelle Harris, Jodi Benson, Wayne Knight, and Kelsey Grammer. Toy Story 2 is an adventurous and heartwarming film from Pixar.

After being accidentally ripped by Andy (John Morris) before going to cowboy camp, Woody (Tom Hanks) gets shelved as he finds the old squeeze penguin toy Wheezy (Joe Ranft). When Andy’s mom (Laurie Metcalf) takes Wheeezy to sell for a garage sale, Woody with help from the dog Buster saves Wheezy only to be found by a toy collector named Al (Wayne Knight). Andy’s mom refuses to sell Woody as Al decides to steal him while Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) tries to save him. With a chicken feather and a license plate ID as clues, Buzz finds out who Al is as he organizes a mission to save Woody with help from Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), Slinky the Dog (Jim Varney), Rex (Wallace Shawn), and Hamm (John Ratzenberger).

During his captivity, Woody learns he was a popular toy/TV star in the 1950s as he meets Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl (Joan Cusack), the horse Bulls-Eye, and Stinky Pete the Prospector. Learning that Al wants to sell him and the other toys to Japan to a toy museum, Woody doesn’t want to go only until he gets fixed and learns about Jessie’s story of abandonment. When Buzz and the gang finally reach Al’s toy store and his apartment with another Buzz Lightyear joining them. They learn what Woody wants to do as Buzz reminds Woody about being a toy as they’re stopped by Al prompting Buzz and the gang to go on a more daring adventure to save their friend.

In this sequel to the 1995 landmark film, director John Lasseter and his team create a story that is far more ambitious than its predecessor. Even as it recalls themes of growing up and abandonment which would play out in the third film eleven years later. Yet, the heart of the film is the friendship between Woody and Buzz as it grows much stronger in the second film. When Woody gets kidnapped, Buzz feels that he owes Woody for rescuing him in the previous films as supporting players like Slinky, Rex, Mr. Potato Head, and Hamm join in the rescue. Woody meanwhile, learns about Jessie’s own issues in a wonderful sequence that recalls Jessie’s brief life as a toy to a young girl until she got abandoned and be sent to Goodwill.

Jessie is a new character to the franchise as she is a rare female character that is more active and is willing to go out there and do what’s right. She is definitely an equal to Woody and Buzz while the character of Stinky Pete is also interesting as he is someone who had been inside a box that hopes to be loved and seen. Yet, when he realizes that Woody wants to return home, Pete’s sudden change of character becomes evident since he had never been played. Other antagonists like Al and Zurg aren’t fully-realized antagonists as Al is just a greedy man while Zurg is just a villain that wants to destroy the other Buzz Lightyear.

The direction of John Lasseter, along with help from Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon, is truly spellbinding from the way he opens the film with a wonderful sequence of Buzz fighting aliens. The look of the film is broader with a wide depth of field as Lasseter allows the frame to show more space and characters in the film. At the same time, he mixes all sorts of genres for the film while bringing in a few film references to give it some humor. From the wide shots and close-ups Lasseter uses to the wild, intense camera movements such as Woody’s first ride with Bulls-Eye is truly amazing to watch. Overall, Lasseter and his team of co-directors and animators create a film that is equal to its predecessor.

Cinematographer Sharon Calahan does some great work with some of the lighting used for the film to bring some mood to the look such as the scene where Woody tries to sneak out at night or the scenes on top of the elevator where Buzz and the gang try to rescue Woody. Editors Lee Unkrich, Edie Bleiman, and David Ian Slater do a fantastic job with the editing such as Jessie’s flashback scenes as well as the amazing rhythm for many of the film’s action sequences. The overall work in the editing is superb as it plays it straight while adding some stylistic flairs for some of the film’s dramatic and funny moments.

Production designers William Cone and Jim Pearson do some wonderful work in the look of Al‘s Toy Barn along with the apartment and the look of Zurg‘s base in the opening sequence. Sound designers Gary Rydstrom and Tom Myers along with sound editor Michael Silvers do a fantastic job with the sound from the opening scene to the scenes in the city as the sound work is masterful.

The music by Randy Newman is a highlight of the film as it plays a wonderful mix of bombastic orchestral pieces along with low-key dramatic and funny moments to country-western music for Woody’s old show. Featuring a jazzy version of You’ve Got a Friend in Me by Robert Goulet and the theme to Woody’s show by Riders in the Sky. The real moment of the film’s soundtrack is the somber song When She Loved Me that is sung by Sarah McLachlan in Jessie’s flashback scene. It is truly the most heart-wrenching song of the soundtrack as McLachlan’s vocal performance truly captures the sense of loss that Jessie endures in that sequence.

The casting by Mary Hidalgo and Ruth Lambert is phenomenal as it features cameo voice appearances from John Lasseter and Lee Unkrich as Rock N’ Sock ‘Em Robots, Andrew Stanton as the Evil Emperor Zurg, Jodi Benson as Barbie dolls, and Dave Foley in a cameo as Flik from A Bug’s Life. Other notable voice appearances include R. Lee Emrey as Sarge, Joe Ranft as Wheezy and from A Bug’s Life Heimlich, Jonathan Harris as Geri the Cleaner, Laurie Metcalf as Andy’s mom, John Morris as Andy, and Jeff Pidgeon as the Squeeze Toy Aliens. Estelle Harris is wonderfully funny as Mrs. Potato Head along with Annie Potts as Bo Peep. Wayne Knight is very funny as over-zealous toy collector Al while Kelsey Grammer is great as the manipulative yet charming Stinky Pete the Prospector.

John Ratzenberger and Don Rickles are amazing as in their respective yet hilarious roles as Hamm and Mr. Potato Head. Wallace Shawn is joyfully superb as the insecure yet video-game obsessed Rex. Jim Varney is excellent as loyal yet sassy Slinky. Joan Cusack is phenomenal as Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl with her lively vocal performance as well as the sense of anguish she faces about her memories in being a toy as she is the real highlight of the film. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are spectacular in their respective roles as Woody and Buzz. Hanks brings that every-man quality to Woody along with a sense of fear about not being played with only to remember the value of being a toy. Allen brings a performance that is very engaging as Buzz along with some humor about his own reaction to the Buzz Lightyear toys. Even as he gets to be very silly as the other Buzz.

Toy Story 2 is truly a superb sequel to its 1995 predecessor as John Lasseter and company step up their game in bringing a film that is entertaining and heartwarming. While it’s hard to say which of the three films of the Toy Story trilogy is the best as they each have something different to offer. The second is truly one of the most lively and imaginative thanks to the introduction of new characters like Jessie and Bulls-Eye along with old characters from the previous everyone knows and love. In the end, Toy Story 2 is a joyful film that allows the audience to spend more time with Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the characters of the beloved franchise.

Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug’s Life - (Monsters, Inc.) - (Finding Nemo) - The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up - Toy Story 3 - Cars 2 - Brave - Monsters University - Inside Out - The Good Dinosaur - (Finding Dory) - (Cars 3) - Coco - Incredibles 2 - Toy Story 4 - (Onward) - Soul (2020 film) - (Luca (2021 film)) - Turning Red - (Lightyear) - (Elemental (2023 film)) - Inside Out 2 - (Elio) – (Toy Story 5)

© thevoid99 2011

Toy Story 3/Day & Night (short)

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 6/28/10 w/ Additional Edits.

When Pixar studios unveiled Toy Story in the fall of 1995, the film changed the face of cinema altogether by being the very first feature-length, computer-animated film.  Toy Story was a revolutionary film as it launched Pixar Animation Studios into the stratosphere with help from distributors in Walt Disney Pictures. Since that landmark film, the studio would release nine more feature films to massive acclaim and box office including a sequel to Toy Story in 1999. Since the release of the widely-acclaimed Toy Story 2, plans for a third film had been in the works going back and forth as Pixar continued to create a string of massive hits. In 2010, Pixar finally unveils the third and final film of the Toy Story trilogy simply titled Toy Story 3.

Toy Story 3 tells the story of cowboy toy Woody, space commander Buzz Lightyear, and other toys dealing with the idea of Andy leaving for college. Realizing that their future is uncertain and fellow toys are no longer around, the toys suddenly find a new home at a daycare only to realize that it's a prison as it's up to Buzz and Woody with their comrades to return to their original owner. Directed by longtime Pixar cohort Lee Unkrich and screenplay by Little Miss Sunshine screenwriter Michael Arndt. The film deals with the idea of growing into adulthood along with the importance of toys to a child. The result is a fitting yet heartfelt end to one of the greatest animated stories ever told.

Day & Night

Directed by Teddy Newton, the short Day & Night is about two personalities called Day & Night meet up as they each show a different background of day and night, respectively. At first, the two don't like each other only to find positive aspects of their respective qualities. The short is truly one of Pixar's best as it combines 2D, hand-drawn animation where inside the 2D figures are 3D, computer-animated backgrounds. With music by longtime Pixar collaborator Michael Giacchino, it is one of the most ingenious and entertaining shorts as it proves that Pixar is still the best when it comes to breaking ground in animation.

Toy Story 3 (Note: Seen in 2D, not in 3D)

After being the toys for Andy (John Morris) for many years, the toys are facing the moment they've been dreading the most. With Andy set to go to college, the toys have no idea about what is next. While Woody (Tom Hanks) is trying to remain optimistic about their future, even in the possibility that they will all go to the attic. The rest including Buzz (Tim Allen) and Jessie (Joan Cusack) are unsure. When Andy decided to put the toys in the attic while keeping Woody for himself to bring to college, a misunderstanding by Andy's mom (Laurie Metcalf) sends the toy to the trash where Woody tries to save the toys.  Fortunately, the rest of the toys including a Barbie doll (Jodie Benson), that belonged to Andy's little sister Molly, managed to escape as they go into a box after overhearing that Andy's mom suggested that Andy should donate the toys to the local daycare.

Woody doesn't believe that going to the Sunnyside daycare center is a good idea as he reluctantly joins them to Sunnyside where they're greeted by lots of toys including the a big bear named Lotso (Ned Beatty) and Ken (Michael Keaton) who is smitten by Barbie.  While Buzz, Jessie, Bulls-Eye, Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), Mrs. Potato Head (Estelle Harris), Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger), Slinky (Blake Clark), Barbie, and the Squeeze Toy Aliens are amazed by Sunnyside.  Woody remains unsure as he decides to leave with the rest of the gang staying at Sunnyside. With Woody escaping, he almost makes it only to be found by a young girl named Bonnie (Emily Hahn). Bonnie takes him home where she plays with him along with her other toys including Trixie the Triceratops (Kristen Schaal), Buttercup the Unicorn (Jeff Garlin), a doll named Dolly (Bonnie Hunt), and a dramatic hedgehog in lederhosen named Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton).

Back at Sunnyside, the toys realize the place is a nightmare as they were abused and mistreated by toddlers. Realizing that Sunnyside is a prison, Buzz and the gang tries to figure out what's going on where Mrs. Potato Head (who now wears one eye) finds her other eye in Andy's room. Seeing Andy upset about the loss of the toys as he intended to put them in the attic, they realized that Woody was right all along.  Buzz attempts a breakout realizing that Ken along with a few other toys including Big Baby and the big purple octopus known as Stretch (Whoopi Goldberg) are part of a dark gang led by Lotso. Lotso and his gang including a glowing bookworm (Richard Kind) capture Buzz as Jessie and the gang are now trapped in cages with Buzz under Lotso's control.

After learning about the story of Lotso from an old toy named Chuckles the Clown (Bud Luckey), Woody decides to return to Sunnyside to bust his friends out only to realize that it's going to be more complicated as he learns from the Chatter Telephone (Teddy Newton) that there's no way out at night.  With Woody, Jessie, and the gang planning the breakout while trying to get Buzz out of Lotso's control, the team make an escape as they're confronted by Lotso and his gang as leads to a climatic battle to return home.

Going back to the original Toy Story in 1995, the film told a story of toys being played while being something more than just a toy to a child. Four years later with the second film, the sense of fear of not being played was being hinted as Woody, Buzz, and their friends try not to deal with it until the moment happens. In Toy Story 3, that fear and sense of dread finally arrives as the third film is the darkest of the trilogy.  Yet, it's balanced by a sense of hope as well as sadness concerning what happens in the end for the toys in which the story of Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang is given a fitting close.

In Toy Story 3, the stakes are much higher than in any of the previous films as the toys not only face the idea of not being played with but also the idea of not being used at all. When they go to Sunnyside, it's a chance for the toys to be played but Woody doesn't like the idea as his loyalty towards Andy forces him to leave the rest of the gang. Woody's devotion to Andy definitely serves as a character flaw of sorts for him while he finds a new world in the arms of a young girl named Bonnie and her toys.  Realizing that there's a future for his friends in this young girl, Woody struggles with his devotion to Andy as well as his friends who are like family to him.

In Sunnyside, the loss of Woody and the danger of Sunnyside has the whole gang realize not only that they need him.  They also learn the truth about Andy's devotion to them even though he might never play with them at all. The first attempt to break out in which the truth about Sunnyside has Buzz be trapped and suddenly reprogrammed by Lotso and his gang. With Jessie and the gang now leaderless and trapped, it's Woody return that brings hope as they all hope to get Buzz out of Lotso's control and escape Sunnyside. The escape of Sunnyside is where the third act begins as it has a great mixture of humor, suspense, and drama like any great prison breakout film has.

Yet, the toys face what is probably the first true villain in any Pixar film in the form of a Strawberry-colored stuffed bear in Lotso. While Lotso starts off as this warm, welcoming kind of a bear. Underneath that sweetness is a dark, angry, manipulative toy who felt abandoned all because of a mistake. This is a toy that doesn't truly believe in love or the idea that toys hold far more value for a child. It is in that conflict that makes the third film truly a complex tale as screenwriter Michael Arndt does a wonderful job in setting up Lotso's back story and how he finds himself challenged by all of these other toys.

While the film's darkness is something new that Pixar is exploring in some respects, notably a climatic scene involving all of the toys that creates what is truly a symbolic, emotional moment. The film is balanced by its humor that is key to the franchise. While a few jokes do come back from previous films, new ones involved Buzz being reprogrammed the second time around as he ends up speaking in Spanish (through the voice of Javier Fernandez-Pena). Another funny moment involves the Ken doll who is convinced he's a boy's toy as he's often ridiculed by members of Lotso's gang while he finds love in Barbie.

If the script maintains the humor, drama, and suspense in all of its complexities of the entire trilogy. A lot of the credit should go for Lee Unkrich in presenting all of those elements in more for this third and final film. Having been involved with the trilogy from the beginning as an editor in the first film and as a co-director and editor in the second. Unkrich makes sure that the film has a sense of familiarity for the audience to feel nostalgic but also explore new worlds. At the same time, he creates new worlds for the Sunnyside sequence while opening the film with an intense, spectacular action scene where Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and Rex battle their fellow toys in an amazing fantasy sequence. When its revealed that it's a young Andy playing with his toys, it establishes the good old days with the other toys that appeared in the past.

When it comes to the main story, Unkrich maintains the film's sense of dread, anxiety, and suspense while balancing it with humor and hope.  For the back story on Lotso, the look of the film starts off light and then becomes very dark along with a lot of the second act. Scenes in the third act including a climatic scene involving a dump and an incinerator becomes one of the most haunting and emotionally intense moments. For the ending, Unkrich creates a moment that audiences knew would be emotional but not overly manipulative.  In that presentation, he creates something that is subtle and heart wrenching as the overall approach for the film becomes fitting.  Even as Unkrich finds a way to light things up for the credits scenes in the film.

The film's technical work in terms of its cinematography and look is truly pristine for many of the film's daytime scenes whether it's in Andy's room or Sunnyside. The nighttime scenes are filled with shades and dark lights to convey the dark mood for some of the scenes including some intense suspenseful moments. A lot of the animation supervised by animation director Michael Stocker is wonderful for the look of the characters and the environments they're surrounded by. Editor Ken Schretzmann does amazing work with the film's editing in terms of creating suspense and spontaneous, comedic moments. The rhythm of the humor along with some well-paced dramatic and subtle moments as the editing overall is superb.

The sound design of Tom Myers along with sound editor Michael Silvers is excellent in terms of the environment the toys are in. Notably Sunnyside for its surroundings and everything else outside of Sunnyside. Particularly the intense and climatic dumpster scene that is wall-to-wall sound design for the machines and objects around them as the sound work is exquisite. The music by Randy Newman, who had previously done work in the previous films, is filled with score pieces to convey the emotions of the film. From orchestral flourishes for the suspenseful and dramatic scenes to some comical scenes that is presented in a flamenco style.  The new original song by Newman in We Belong Together is an upbeat song that recalls the good old days of Andy and the toys while there's an amazing, flamenco-style cover of You've Got A Friend in Me by the Gypsy Kings that get things going.

The voice cast that is assembled is truly one of the film's highlights. Small voice appearances include an archived voice of Hannah Unkrich as Molly when she was a baby plus Erik Von Detten returning as Sid in a cameo role and as the young Andy, Charlie Bright. From the Pixar troupe, there's voice appearances from Bonnie Hunt as Dolly and Jeff Garlin as Buttercup the Unicorn as they are two of Bonnie's toys. Other small voice roles include Whoopi Goldberg as a sleazy octopus named Stretch, Richard Kind as a glowing bookworm, Brianna Maiwand as a peas-in-a-pod toy named Peanelope, Teddy Newton as Chatter Telephone, Bud Lackey as Chuckles the Clown, Jack Angel as a henchmen of Lotso named Chunk, and Kristen Schaal as Trixie the Triceratop.  Supporting standouts include Michael Keaton as clothes-loving Ken who is convinced that he's a boy's toy while falling for Barbie. Yet, the newest voice cast to the series that really makes an impression is Timothy Dalton as the dramatic, thespian-like Mr. Pricklepants.

Returning to the voice as Andy is John Morris who provides all of the anxieties of a teenager trying to move on without his beloved toys while Laurie Metcalf also returns as Andy's mom. Beatrice Miller provides the voice of Andy's young sister Molly as they all do a splendid job in voicing the characters. A new character in a shy little girl named Bonnie is wonderfully voiced by Emily Hahn who provides a warmth and hope Woody didn't expect from another child. Ned Beatty provides a wonderful voice for the character of Lotso where he starts off warm and cuddly only to be a man filled with anger and hate as Beatty hits all the right notes for the voice. Longtime Disney voice actress Jodi Benson brings a lot of spark and wit in the role of Barbie as she has great voice chemistry with Michael Keaton.

For the main roles that have been to the franchise for all three films, the characters are all given great moments to do as provided by the people who voice them. Taking over for the late Jim Varney as Slinky the Dog is comedian Blake Clark who does a fantastic job in providing the voice while making it a tribute to the late Varney. Jeff Pidgeon is excellent as the multi-tracked voices of the Squeeze Toy Aliens while R. Lee Ermey makes a brief appearance as the Sarge of the green soldiers. Don Rickles and Estelle Harris are funny in the respective roles of Mr. & Mrs. Potatohead as they're given some great lines and scenes while John Ratzenberger plays it cool as Hamm the Piggy Bank. Wallace Shawn is fun to hear as Rex while great non-voice roles come from such characters like the horse Bulls-Eye, a scary monkey, and from Hayao Miyazaki's Tonari no Totoro is Totoro as one of Bonnie's toys.

Joan Cusack is superb as the voice of Jessie with her determination and wit to get things going when Woody is out and Buzz is under Lotso's control as Jessie is one of the few female Pixar characters that girls can root for. Tim Allen is in brilliant form as Buzz as he tries to maintain some hope for the other toys at Sunnyside while later being reset into Spanish mode as the voice of Javier Fernandez-Pena adds a lot of great humor. Tom Hanks is also in excellent form as Woody who tries to remain optimistic while providing the sense of internal conflict his character is dealing with.

While it may not be the best of the three films, Toy Story 3 is still a brilliant, complex, and entertaining film that gives the story of Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang a fitting finale. Fans of the franchise will definitely be happy to see the characters return while be given a sequel that lives up to its predecessor. With the previous films, Toy Story 3 creates what is truly one of the best trilogies ever told where there's no weak story or anything to make it feel like it fell short in comparison to the other films. With a great voice cast, a memorable score, a fantastic script, and Lee Unkrich's sprawling direction. Toy Story 3 proves once again that Pixar is one of the best studios to make films that reaches all kinds of people. Even as the film is the first great film of the year and the new decade. In the end, Toy Story 3 is a marvelous film that captures the joy of the first two films while giving these beloved characters a bow worthy of those films.

Pixar Films:  Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters, Inc.) - (Finding Nemo) - The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up - Cars 2 - Brave - Monsters University - Inside Out - The Good Dinosaur - (Finding Dory) - (Cars 3) - Coco - Incredibles 2 - Toy Story 4 - (Onward) - Soul (2020 film) - (Luca (2021 film)) - Turning Red - (Lightyear) - (Elemental (2023 film)) - Inside Out 2 - (Elio) – (Toy Story 5)

© thevoid99 2011