Friday, August 6, 2010

Thursday Night at the Movies - Toy Story 3

The first Toy Story movie came out in 1995. My oldest was 11 and my youngest was 8, prime age for this movie. The second installment was in 1999. None of my kids was interested in it and I think we rented it. Now the third movie is here and my kids aren't kids any more. And, neither is Andy, the beloved owner of the toys. Andy is going off to college and it's time to put away childish things.This movie is not a kid's movie. It is all about abandonment. The toys feel like Andy doesn't love them anymore. All except for Woody, of course, who is all about seeing the best side of everything. Woody appears to be heading off to college with Andy but the rest are going to the attic. But through a series of accidents, the toys end up at a day care center. Here they meet evil toys, who consign them to the toddlers who don't play with them as much as abuse them. This is entirely too dark for children, in my opinion. Woody, torn through loyalty to Andy and loyalty to his friends, tries to rescue them. Through another series of accidents, in a scene that isn't even hinted at in the trailers, they end up on the verge of being destroyed in a trash incinerator. I think this scene would give small children nightmares.

This is not to say that it isn't a good movie, because it is. It's just not for children. This movie is for the adults who took their small children to see the original movie and are now dealing with their children going off to college.

1 comment:

Rod (Padrographs) said...

Cliff, I think you hit the nail on the head. It is a great movie, but not a kids movie. It doesn't need 3D either.