A Classic Toy Story

Went to see Toy Story 3 recently. It's an amazing movie and I can't think of a better ending for the 15 year old trilogy. I wouldn't be surprised if it makes over a billion dollars at the box office.

Plot & Direction: 10/10
Screenwriter Mr. Arndt really knows how to pull on people's heart strings. Combined with Mr. Unkrich's directing it can only be a recipe for excellence. Like the other two Toy Story movies it's about the toys' dangerous journey to get back home, and the pacing is perfect. Adding in pop culture references like Apple's Safari was a nice touch.



Characters: 10/10
Brilliant likable characters, even the "bad" toys make me want to play with them. Voice acting is spot on for all the toys and many popular Pixar, and even a Ghibli character makes appearances in the movie.






Use of Technology: 10/10
It's mind boggling how much 3D animation has evolved since 1995 when the first Toy Story was released. This time around Pixar used a new color bleeding pipeline to soften the lighting in all the scenes. It bounces digital photons around in a level and accentuates their satuation, which probably means lighting would have to be trickier to implement and control. Here's an example of the digital phenomenon in action. Making an animated film in 3D means each frame has to be rendered twice which significantly increases production time and costs, but I'm glad they put in those extra resources because it does add to the experience instead of just being a gimmick. Since most shots are taken in enclosed or low to the ground areas the glasses actually work with the narrow focal length to differentiate what's in the foreground and what's further away. Character and environment animations of course are second to none; the fur on the plushies look so real you could almost reach out and grab them.

Final Verdict: 30/30
Everyone should watch this ASAP!


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Meanwhile, in Japan