REVIEW: Toy Story 3

The third Best Picture-worthy Pixar film in a row, (and probably only the third serious animated Best Picture contender ever) Toy Story 3 could have easily been the phoned-in installment of this franchise and still would have made buckets of money. Instead, what the film does is open with fun, imagination, lightheartedness and humor, and then begins to set up what will be the proverbial rug being yanked from under you. Once again Pixar uses non-human characters to further show us things about our own humanity. In Toy Story 3's case, these lessons are about loyalty, love, loss, and the true meaning of friendship, be it human or toy, child or adult. While it may not have the full-on weep-inducing sequences of Up!, I did find myself getting teary in a couple spots, but left smiling bigger than I have in a long time. *Side note; The opening short, Day & Night, may be one of the most brilliant pieces of short film I've ever seen, animated or otherwise. Bravo to Pixar once again.