Woody, Buzz and the Gang Come to Terms With Big Changes in Toy Story 3

Pixar has not let me down before. Nonetheless, I felt some sense of trepidation when I first began seeing previews for Toy Story 3. The first two were so iconic, how could this one possibly measure up? I needn’t have worried.

The movie reunites us with several old friends from Andy’s playroom: cantankerous Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), shrill Mrs. Potato Head (Estelle Harris), loyal Slinky Dog (Blake Clark) and Bullseye, feisty cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack), the awestruck aliens (Jeff Pidgeon), insecure dinosaur Rex (Wallace Shawn), gruff pig Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and, of course, heroic space ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and stalwart cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks), the leader of the ragtag group of toys, which has grown considerably smaller.

After an exhilarating opening sequence that shows just how imaginative young Andy was, we find ourselves skipping ahead about a decade. The dreaded time of being outgrown seems to have finally arrived; the toys spend their days crammed in the toy box, cooking up fruitless schemes to attract Andy’s attention. He is off to college now, and as Andy’s mom tells him to figure out what to do with his stuff before he leaves, anxiety is running high.

In Toy Story 2, Buzz led a heroic effort to recover Woody from the clutches of an immoral toy collector while Woody struggled with the question of whether it would be worth going back to Andy if he was almost certain to cast him off one day. Woody’s devotion to Andy pays off here, as he is the one toy deemed indispensable enough to accompany him to college. But when a bag mix-up leaves his friends stranded on the side of the road, about to be picked up by the garbage, it’s the first of many times when Woody is compelled to come to their rescue. For his life may revolve around Andy, but Woody will not leave his friends in the lurch.

Toy Story 3 is a movie that can be appreciated on its own, but it’s both funnier and more poignant if you’ve followed these characters from the beginning of the trilogy. The screenplay, written by Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich, is packed with clever references to the previous films, along with allusions to such classics as Cool-Hand Luke and Lord of the Rings and beloved toys like troll dolls and Fisher-Price's Chatter Telephone.  It’s an ensemble effort, with each toy having something to contribute as they face a series of harrowing challenges.

The bulk of the action involves Sunnyside Day Care, a deceptively pleasant-looking center where Andy’s toys, along with his sister Molly’s Barbie (Jodi Benson), wind up. Feeling betrayed by Andy and looking forward to some real playtime again, they reject Woody’s pleas to return home with him. So the cowboy sets off on his own, while Buzz and his buddies remain to discover that all is not sunny at Sunnyside, despite what the seemingly benevolent Lotso Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty), day care kingpin, tells them upon their arrival.

There are moments in the original Toy Story that are quite frightening, but Sunnyside offers the most terrifying scenes of the trilogy as the toys are viciously assaulted by toddlers who haven’t learned how to treat their playthings with respect. When the new arrivals dare to protest their placement, Lotso and his henchmen lay down the law, using every dirty trick in the book to keep them imprisoned. Their only hope is Woody, who, after falling into the hands of a sweet, somewhat hyperactive youngster named Bonnie (Emily Hahn), must decide whether to make a break for home immediately or attempt to bust his friends out of their dangerous detention.

The sight and sound gags in the movie are plentiful, with Buzz and Mr. Potato Head particularly rich sources for hearty laughter. The introduction of Ken (Michael Keaton) as a conflicted romantic interest for Barbie creates both tension and comedy, and the complex plan the prisoners hatch together, with each toy playing a vital part, is ingeniously plotted out and executed. The toys’ “Live together, die alone” philosophy, long nurtured by the pull-string cowboy who is to them what Jack is to the castaways on LOST, remains in force throughout the movie, even in its darkest moments, which reminded me of The Brave Little Toaster, an eerie animated movie exploring similar territory.

Meanwhile, the animated short Day & Night nicely reinforces the idea of embracing the Other that was so central to the original Toy Story.  This sweet, creative short features a pair of two-dimensional characters drawn in a retro style, but each sheds light on a landscape rendered in vivid 3-D.  Aside from a radio broadcast expounding upon the theme of getting to know those who are different, the story unfolds without words.  While visual spectacle is most apparent, each of the characters goes through a range of emotions while trying to decide what to make of this curious stranger.  A strange but beautiful short, it grew on me gradually, and by the end I was thoroughly touched.

I can’t say for certain whether this will be the last of the Toy Story movies, but if that’s the case, they’ve ended the saga well, with an action-packed, zinger-filled, emotionally satisfying hour and 40 minutes. I applaud the fact that John Morris, one of the few voice actors without a famous name, voiced Andy once again. It makes the movie feel just a little more real to know that this is the same kid from the first two movies, and now he’s all grown up. The toys’ relationship with Andy has always been central to these movies, though Andy himself gets very little screen time. Here, he feels more central than before as we wonder along with most of the characters just how he feels about his old toys now. The movie answers that question in a scene likely to prompt a tear or two from even the most stoic viewers.

Toy Story 3 is a film that both entertains and challenges. While there’s plenty there to delight young viewers, it will probably be adults who walk away most affected, especially if they were around Andy’s age or parents to children around Andy’s age when they first saw Toy Story. The animation is smoother than ever, though less ground-breaking this time around, and I don’t know that the 3-D ultimately adds much to the movie. But as impressive as Pixar has always been in the visual department, not to mention music (with Randy Newman again enhancing this outing), it’s the intricate, character-rich stories that make the movies so irresistible. This third installment with the duo who started it all demonstrates that this commitment to excellent storytelling is as strong as ever.

American Girl Hits the Big Screen in Kit Kittredge, Hopefully Not for the Last Time

When I was about ten years old, I fell in love with the American Girl company. First I read the books, and then I sent away for the catalogs, which I would rapturously peruse for hours, studying each of the dolls from various historical periods and marveling at all the intricate props and costumes available for purchase. My level of obsession was high enough that when Christmas arrived, I received Samantha, a Victorian orphan living with her wealthy grandmother, along with the glasses meant for World War II-era Molly and the Santa Lucia dress belonging to Kirsten, a Swedish immigrant living on the frontier in the mid-1800s. At that time, those were the only three girls in the collection. Now that number has increased to nine. One of the newbies is Kit, whose books take place during the 1930s. Though I hadn't read any of the stories pertaining to her, I trust the quality of the American Girl franchise and was looking forward to watching Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, the first American Girl movie to be released in theaters rather than on television.

Kit, a plucky ten-year-old who dreams of being a reporter, is played by Abigail Breslin, and she's only one of the big names in this charming piece of historical fiction. Others include the dashing Chris O'Donnell as Kit's doting dad Jack, who leaves town to search for work after he is laid off early in the film; the explosive Wallace Shawn as Mr. Gibson, a newspaper editor who sees reporter potential in Kit but isn't about to print one of her stories unless it genuinely wows him; Joan Cusack as eccentric mobile librarian Miss Bond; Stanley Tucci as Jefferson Berk, a charismatic magician with a ridiculous mustache; and Colin Mochrie of Whose Line Is It, Anyway? as a kindly hobo Kit and her friends encounter in a settlement just outside of town.

The context of the tale is the Great Depression, and the situations may ring all too true for many of the children watching. Job loss is rampant, and many of those accustomed to extravagant living find themselves having to drastically alter their lifestyles in order to scrape by. Kit's compassionate mother, Margaret (Julia Ormond), copes by opening her home to boarders. She also hires on Will (Max Thieriot), a teenage transient with a strong work ethic, in exchange for food. Kit's home becomes a place of constant activity, and she and her loyal friends, wealthy Ruthie (Madison Davenport) and destitute Stirling (Zach Mills), are always on the lookout for a promising lead that could win her that much-desired publication.

There's adventure aplenty in this wholesome tale, which encourages generosity, determination and tolerance. It's rare these days to see a G-rated movie, especially a live-action one; Kit Kittredge feels like a throwback to the glory days of family-friendly films. I would certainly consider it appropriate for children and adults to watch together; the movie is likely to entertain as well as educate viewers of all ages. Ann Peacock's script, based in part on the books written by Valerie Tripp, is full of fun little twists that keep even adults guessing. All the clues are laid out so that the audience can draw the correct conclusions, but they are subtle enough that if you'd rather just go along for the ride and be surprised, the solutions to various mysteries won't necessarily jump right out at you.

I was impressed by every aspect of this movie, from the excellent cast to the clever plotting and the attention to detail with the costumes and props. I especially loved Kit's tree house and the cart that she uses to sell eggs later in the movie. Although I've been a fan of American Girl for many years now, I found this movie even better than I expected. Nothing about it suggested to me that it should have been put on television like its predecessors; if anything, it made me wonder if perhaps the earlier films should have gotten the theater treatment as well. I'm eager to investigate that matter, and I hope that, although Kit didn't make much of a splash at the box office, she won't be the last of the American Girls to hit the big screen.

"Your Kids Have All Really Touched Me, and I'm Pretty Sure I've Touched Them."

I had never heard of Jack Black until 2002, and my first exposure to him was in the dubious vehicle of an MTV parody of the Council of Elrond. My next was in Shallow Hal, which I expected to find really crude and stupid but was surprised. Thus encouraged, when I saw the previews for School of Rock and thought it looked like a cute movie, I decided to go for it. While I encountered strong echoes of both Sister Act movies, I didn’t mind, and given the direction of the film, I doubt they were intentional.

Jack Black stars as Dewey Finn, a burn-out wannabe rock star – recently booted from the band he founded – who loafs around his timid, good-natured friend Ned Schneebly’s (Mike White) apartment and refuses to get a day job, much to the annoyance of Ned’s snippy, career-driven live-in girlfriend, Patty (Sarah Silverman). Motivation to make a quick buck arrives in the form of Patty’s shrill ultimatum that he pay up his part of the rent or get out, and opportunity knocks when a prestigious private school comes calling for Ned, a substitute teacher, to take over a class for several weeks. Dewey has no experience whatsoever, but $600 a week sounds pretty good, so he impersonates his friend in order to score the “gig,” and the fun begins.

Some suspension of disbelief is necessary while watching this film, especially early on. Dewey comes across as so completely incompetent, no way would any real-life administrator hire him. But it does make for some amusing moments. Once he meets his young charges, it’s clear that they are no fools; they smell a rat, even if uptight principal Rosalie Mullins (Joan Cusack) doesn’t. But they are willing to give their clueless substitute a chance, and when he discovers that several of them happen to be talented musicians, he finds a way to connect with them – and maybe gain a little bit of fame in the process.

The kids are engaging, and we get to know several of them fairly well throughout the course of the film. There’s goody-goody Summer (Miranda Cosgrove), the Hermione of the class; Lawrence (Robert Tsai), the shy, nerdy pianist; Zack (Joey Gaydos Jr.), the guitarist whose father disapproves of rock and roll; Freddy (Kevin Clark), the percussionist with a bad attitude; Billy (Brian Falduto), the effeminate costume designer; Tomika (Maryam Hassan), the insecure singer; and others. Their interaction with their initially delinquent teacher is delightful, and the musically inclined ones of the bunch are impressively talented. I’m reminded of Sister Act with the premise of a person going incognito in a job for which he seems particularly unsuited and eventually becoming a far better person for the experience. Its sequel comes to mind, meanwhile, as the children prepare for a major non-school-approved musical contest.

I confess I find Joan Cusack inherently annoying, and such is the case here, but her character is at least ultimately sympathetic – reminiscent of the harsh administrator in Anne of Avonlea whose shell Anne finally manages to crack. She’s not nearly as irritating, however, as Ned’s girlfriend, and I felt terribly sorry for the poor guy who is so used to being utterly ignored by women that he’s grateful for the absolute shrew he is stuck with. We don’t see a lot of Ned, but when we do, he’s most endearing.

All in all, School of Rock is a sweet film about the power of music to change lives, and while it’s not quite as compelling as Mr. Holland’s Opus, it should still do the trick in getting people to appreciate the importance of having active music programs in schools. The laughs and the message, together with a great cast, earn School of Rock an A from me.