Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang are back again. This time Andy is all grown-up and ready to move to college. He has all but forgotten about his old toys. Desperate for attention, the toys find themselves donated to a day care where they find it hard adapting to new kids and new toys. Woody refuses to give up hope on Andy, but he cannot leave without his friends. The group go on a crazy adventure trying to find their old owner.
The voice cast slips back into place effortlessly. It is as if they never left. For a cast with such recognizable voices, they find a way to divorce themselves entirely from their previous iconic characters. Ned Beatty and Michael Keaton make for equally strong additions. Beatty slips between evil mastermind and cuddly buddy with such ease, and Keaton's low self-esteem Ken doll tries to put on a brave face comically. Whoopi Goldberg even swoops in low under the radar for a brief role. Blake Clark admirably steps in for the late Jim Varney as Slinky Dog. Its hard to tell a new person was even recast.
The plot is surprisingly intense. It is a testament to Pixar's storytelling talent that they can dig up such emotions with a simple family film. The movie never forgets the heart though either. The friendship between the toys keeps them likeable and their love and loyalty to Andy are still the major motivation progressing the plot and characters forward. Their simplicity of character reminds the audience of the simplicity of childhood and its fleeting and evolving nature is depicted by this new adventure. This added intensity and heart take precedent over the comedy.
The comedy is seriously lacking in comparison to the previous installments, but the story is so engrossing that it is almost never forgotten. Not to say it is nonexistant. Much of the laughs revolve around Buzz Lightyear. Buzz goes back to his routes believing himself to be a real spaceman and even has a short-lived Spanish alter ego. The day care working as a metaphor for a retirement home grants a number of sight gags, but the politics of the toys already there quickly directs the tone back into drama.
In the end, a new status quo is met. The memories will live on forever, and new memories will be forged. But you will never forget crying over the fate of a plastic cowboy. The closest cinema will ever get to a perfect film.
10/10
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