Pixar’s latest has made it all over the web today. We’ll cover the rest, but first, TIME‘s Richard Corliss tackles Toy Story 3.
His verdict: it’s "an instant classic!" The latest glowing review from the magazine’s resident movie critic (and Pixar fan) notes that Toy Story 3 isn’t just visually stunning but also "[ups] the emotional ante."
Commentary abounds as Corliss writes about the past, present and future of the studio and its flagship series. John Lasseter and Lee Unkrich are even quoted, discussing the film’s impactful content and debunking false presumptions about Pixar sequels. TIME’s critic does illustrate sequences from Toy Story 3 in masterful detail which may present challenges for those who haven’t seen the film.
Beware: Titled "End of Innocence", the article is riddled with spoilers and doesn’t hold back. Uninitiated readers who would like to stay ‘innocent" should save this critique for later. All you really have to know is that Pixar is on track to have its 11th certified hit — of this I’m sure.
But will positive reviews rescue Woody and the gang from about 11 years of latency in terms of theatre attendance? In light of the 4th Shrek’s relative box-office disappointment, it’s a legitimate question. The Motley Fool argues against the possible assumption and I whole heartedly agree.
In "Why Woody and Buzz Aren’t Shrek", writer Nathan Alderman notes the winning differences between each mega-CGI franchise. While DreamWork’s series has lost much interest from fans, the "Toy Story films still enjoy a reputation as timeless… classics." So if anyone is worried about Shrek-
like backlash — don’t be. Just ask Disney/Pixar’s 1 million+ fans on Facebook.
Speaking of social media, here’s something cool for you to try out and show your friends! With the Toy Story 3 Toy Creator, you can make your own virtual toy avatar. This Mii-like app isn’t just for sharing with your Twitter or Facebook friends; you can actually print out an image to reveal a 3D world with a webcam. My creation can be seen to the right; details here.
As anticipation rises for Toy Story 3 and news pours in, we’ll be opening toy boxes of news each day. So stay tuned and enjoy!
Last modified: June 3, 2010
I love the Toy Story 3 Toy creator. I have made a mini lazy prince. It took me a while to work out how to name it otherwise it’s all fun. Everyone should try. You can see each others mini characters on the web creator page (martin yours is very cute!!!)
I really enjoyed “Why Woody and Buzz Aren’t Shrek.” It is great to see professional writers having faith in Toy Story 3!