Toy Story 3

Since my "Birthday Story Bash" theme was all about Toy Story, I simply have to tell you what I thought of Toy Story 3! I'll try not to give anything away, but if you simply cannot hear anything about the movie until you see it for yourself, then go see it right away! (Then you can come back and compare notes with me!)

A dear, wonderful friend and I (both back for summer vacation after our first year away at college) went to see this movie on opening day (yesterday, June 18). After getting our tickets and making our way to the theater marked "Toy Story 3," we settled into our seats along with people of varying ages--adults, high schoolers, and young kids alike. Pixar movies are great for people of all ages! =)

After sitting through advertisement after advertisement, and then the cute movie "short" from Pixar, it was finally time. It was a thrilling moment for me--after the long wait, I was finally going to watch Toy Story 3!

And oh! this movie did not disappoint in the slightest! If I had to describe it in three words, I would say that the movie is heart-warming, heart-pounding, and heart-breaking . Yes, all three of those words!

Heart-warming: This came in many forms! Whether it was the family dynamics between Andy, his mom, and his sister (which were certainly true to life--arguments and all!), or the romantic elements between Buzz and Jessie (this isn't giving anything away if you've seen Toy Story 2, because that was hinted at towards the end), I was touched by it all. There were many moments that were cute and funny!

Heart-pounding: Yes, there was quite a bit of action in this movie--even more so than the other two, I think. And there were moments when I was really afraid for the characters. The villain is quite dastardly, and while he reminds me of Stinky Pete from the second movie (a bit), I thought he was even more evil. Lots of danger involved in this movie!

Heart-breaking: Oh! This was the hardest and most moving part of the movie. There were numerous sad moments throughout the movie, and there were some that even brought me to tears. And this wasn't the occasional tear that trickled down my cheek like when I watched other Pixar movies--this was practically sobbing in the theater because I just could not hold in the emotion. It's practically impossible (at least it was for me!) not to cry! If you've seen the previews, you know that Andy is getting ready to go to college. And this really, really hit home for me and my friend. Pixar captured the feelings so well.

Overall, this movie has it all! If you loved the first two Toy Story movies, this one is a must-see! But if you're anything like me, be sure and bring some tissues. It's harder to watch than many other Pixar movies, but it's more than worth it, especially with its great message about putting others before oneself. I highly, highly recommend it!

(Picture is from the Pixar website.)