Noticed a brief mention of this in another thread, but I definitely think this deserves its own. And while I’m more of a lurker and less a thread-starter, well, someone’s gotta do it.
So “Toy Story 3” was screened yesterday at the ShoWest trade show in Las Vegas in a close-but-not-quite completed form. From what I’ve read, 85% of the animation was done, and there was a temp track in place of Randy Newman’s score.
Media outlets were, of course, asked not to reveal any plot details, but without giving anything away, many sites are just raving about what was shown.
I mean, my anticipation for this film was through the roof the second I heard about it, but now it’s reached some insane level I didn’t even think possible. Almost every article I’ve read has referenced the “last thirty minutes”, or so. I need to see this thing, now.
I have to say, I was quite surprised about the emotional depth of Up, and somehow I never quite expected TS3 to reach that level.
But now I guess it is safe to say that we are looking at another “best picture” nominee in the making.
Yes, even with that Lincoln Logs joke.
If Pixar pulls of a film that ends with such an insane emotional punch, it has to be utterly brilliant.
As much as I love Toy Story and am looking forward to Toy Story 3, I have a deep suspicion that Toy Story 3 will not win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It’s a sequel and usually sequels (with the exception of LOTR), unfortunately, have not won Best Picture _____ in the past, despite how undeniably good a film it might be.
It’s true, I wasn’t expecting it at first, either. Mostly, I don’t think I expected it because the first two films of the series didn’t really pack that emotional punch. Don’t get me wrong, I’m extremely emotionally invested in “Toy Story”, but I figure most of that had to do with the nostalgia factor - the fact that “Toy Story” was the very first one, fifteen years ago - rather than the content of the films themselves.
Then I saw that first theatrical trailer, with the wonderful montage of home movies set to Randy Newman’s “Losing You”. That was when I first realized just how special this was going to be.
Haha, yes, even with that Lincoln Log joke. Which I’ve grown to appreciate, almost, since first seeing it.
In the end, though, to be honest, the Academy Awards - like all award shows - mean next to nothing to me. So long as we get a beautiful film that provides us with a satisfying conclusion to the series, everything else is meaningless.
