There
may
be
a
number
in
the
title,
but
Toy
Story
3
is
anything
but
“just" a
sequel.
As
Andy
heads
off
to
college,
Buzz
(Tim
Allen)
and
Jessie
(Joan
Cusack),
along
with
Rex,
Hamm,
Barbie,
Slinky
Dog
and
Mr.
And
Mrs.
Potato
Head,
are
anticipating
being
put
in
the
attic.
Mistakenly
donated
to
a
day
care,
they
meet
the
disarmingly
sweet,
strawberry-scented
bear
Lotso
(as
in
Lots-O-Huggin",
voiced
by
Ned
Beatty).
Lotso,
it
turns
out,
is
keeping
the
school"s
toys
in
line,
telling
his
right-hand
plastic
man
Ken
(Michael
Keaton)
to
send
them
to
the
toddler
room,
where
the
most
slobber-filled
damage
occurs.
(When
Ken
meets
Barbie,
unpredictable
results
occur.)
Where"s
Woody?
Having
a
parallel
adventure,
since
the
pull-string
cowboy
(beautifully
voice-acted
again
by
Tom
Hanks)
was
meant
to
go
away
with
Andy
but
winds
up
blocks
from
home.
Then
a
meeting
with
a
kindergartener
reminds
Woody
of
what
a
toy"s
life
should
be,
and
he
goes
to
save
his
pals.
What
follows
is
a
series
of
adventures.
Probably
most
unexpected
is
the
film"s
darkly
funny
tone,
which
often
veers
into
David
Lynch-like
territory.
When
the
children
go
home,
the
day-care
center
transforms
into
a
house
of
hysterical
horrors:
a
lurking,
droopy-eyed
giant
baby
as
Lotso"s
goon
and
a
shrieking
cymbal-clashing
guard
monkey
are
so
disturbingly
funny
that
just
one
close-up
elicits
yet
another
stream
of
laughter
from
the
audience.
And
an
epic
flashback
sequence
revealing
Lotso"s
back
story
is
simply
superb.
The
most
surprising
thing
about
“Toy
Story
3" is
its
authentic
and
effective
sentiment
aimed
at
the
adults
in
the
audience.
From
the
opening
sequence
of
home
videos
showing
a
young
Andy
blissfully
playing
with
his
toys,
to
the
teenager
driving
himself
off
to
college,
this
film
is
tribute
to
the
bittersweet
farewell
we
all
must
give
to
our
childhoods
as
we
move
on
to
new
adventures.
While
the
vocal
performances
of
Hanks,
Allen
and
company
make
up
a
perfect
ensemble,
and
its
visual
leaps
astound,
“TS3's"
real
power
sneaks
up
on
you.
By
the
time
its
poetic
ending
arrives,
encapsulating
the
transformative,
continuing
power
of
play,
we
recognize
that
none
of
us
move
from
one
stage
of
life,
or
beyond,
without
help
from
our
friends.
Don"t
miss
this
one
for
anything,
it"s
a
must
watch.
Rating:
4
out
of
5*
Starring:
Voices
of
Tom
Hanks,
Tim
Allen,
Joan
Cusack
and
Michael
Keaton