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Family.com Entertainment DVD Review: Toy Story 3

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DVD Review: Toy Story 3

Smart, funny "threequel" is scarier than the first two.

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Sandie, Angulo Chen

From our provider:

Common Sense Rating: for ages 6+ Stars: 5 out of 5 (About Common Sense Ratings)

MPAA Rating: G Studio: Pixar Animation Studios Directed By: Lee Unkrich Cast: Joan Cusack, Tim Allen, Tom Hanks Running Time: 103 min Release Date: 06/18/2010 DVD Release Date: 11/02/2010 Genre: Family and Kids

What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that while the third movie in Pixar's flagship Toy Story franchise is bound to please moviegoers of all ages, it is scarier and more intense than the first two (which is why we've rated this "threequel" at a higher age than Toy Story and Toy Story 2). Overall, the latest adventure shared by Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), and the rest of Andy's favorite toys is kid-friendly -- but there's a fairly long scene of the toys in serious peril toward the end of the movie that many 3- to 5-year-olds could find quite upsetting. There are also a few new toys that act a bit mean and creepy (particularly a Big Baby doll and a cymbal-clapping Monkey) and scenes in which favorite characters are trapped by cruel authority figures. But there are also wonderful, touching messages about friendship, loyalty, and imagination. Note: The 3-D version of the movie may make certain parts feel more immediate/lifelike, but the movie's intense scenes have a strong impact no matter which version you see.

Families can talk about how the core group of toys have had to change since Andy's gotten older. How are they different? Who's missing, and why? What is the movie saying about childhood, play, and toys that mean a lot to kids?
Even though Andy's about to head off to college, he ultimately takes a moment to rediscover his favorite toys. Which of your toys do you think will stay with you forever? Parents, tell your kids about your beloved toys that you kept until you were grown up.
Why is Lotso so angry? Why is his motto "no owner, no heartbreak"?
How does the third movie compare to the first two? Which one do you like most and why?
What is the role of consumerism in the Toy Story movie franchise?

Andy (voiced by John Morris) is heading off to college, and his mom (Laurie Metcalf) asks him to clean out his old stuff. Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), and the rest of Andy's favorite toys have survived yard sale after yard sale, but now the best they can hope for is a one-way ticket to the attic. After an unfortunate mix-up, the toys -- particularly Jessie (Joan Cusack) -- believe it's for the best if they jump into the donation box for Sunnyside Daycare. When they arrive, they're greeted by a cuddly purple bear called Lotso (Ned Beatty) and Ken (Michael Keaton), who get the gang -- including Bullseye, Hamm (John Ratzenberger), Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (Don Rickles, Estelle Harris), Slinky Dog (Blake Clarke), and Rex (Wallace Shawn) -- fired up to meet their new little playmates. But Andy's toys quickly realize that these toddlers don't so much play with toys as terrorize them .. and that Sunnyside isn't the toy paradise they thought it was. Now they'll have to use all of their ingenuity to escape their preschool prison.