Toy Story 3

Pixar seems infallible (if we don’t include Cars). Churning out hit after hit after hit, one begins to wonder when uplifting themes like friendship and hope begin to lose their charm. With Toy Story 3, the animation studio proves once more that the inner child will never grow restless.

It’s been 11 years since we’ve last seen the gang in action, but the long time lapse is fitting: the third installment explores the question of what happens to toys when their owners outgrow them (in this case, when Andy is headed for college). As Andy prepares for the big move away from home, he must decide whether his childhood toys should come along for the next phase.

Through a series of mishaps, the toys end up at Sunnyside daycare, a fate that was embraced quite willingly. However, their enthusiasm quickly dwindles when the gang must confront the ugly toy hierarchy of Sunnyside, headed by a jaded and deceptively cute stuffed animal named Lots-o-Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty). Toy Story 3 is as fantastically funny and endearing as the previous movies in the trilogy. There’s not a dull moment in the animation, with plenty of moral dilemmas to drive the many twists and turns. The fast-paced sequences benefit from the 3-D animation that literally makes the toys jump out at you.

Several new characters are introduced this time around (the Ken doll is a standout), but the film concentrates on old favorites who stick it out through thick and thin. Woody (Tom Hanks) is once again our unrelenting beloved hero who never loses faith in Andy. His wisdom and selflessness are perfectly captured in these words: “It’s not about getting played with—it’s about being there for Andy.” There really is no shelf life for a toy and lifelong friend.