Disney Pixar's much anticipated third instalment of the Toy Story franchise, Toy Story 3, is to be released in the UK on July 21st. The film, directed by Lee Unkrich, who takes over the role from John Lasseter, will focus on a new period in the life of Andy, the Buzz and Woody's beloved owner, and takes a look at what happens to the toys when their child owner is no longer a child.
Fans of the Disney Toy Story series of films will be delighted to hear that almost all of their old favourites are back for the third instalment. Tim Allen returns as Star Command's finest space ranger Buzz Lightyear, while the evergreen Tom Hanks reprises his role as Woody the Cowboy. Joan Cusack is also back on board as Jesse the Cowgirl while the unmistakable droning tones of John Ratzenberger also makes a welcome return as Hamm, the wise-cracking Piggy Bank.
To breathe a fresh perspective into an already strong existing cast, Disney Pixar has also brought in several top names for the third film in the series. Michael Keaton stars as the 'girls toy' Ken, Timothy Dalton also debuts as the wonderfully named Mr Pricklepants and Whoopi Goldberg adds her considerable vocal talents to the character of Stretch.
It is worth noting however that the premise of Toy Story 3 differs markedly from the first two John Lasseter-directed films. In the original Toy Story (now available on Toy Story DVD), the main focus was on the relationship between Andy and his toy friends and how little can come between the love a child has for its toys (or indeed the devotion a toy has for its child!)
The second film, though with a different storyline, examined a similar theme and perhaps it is with this in mind, and with the passage of ten years since Toy Story 2 was released (fifteen since the 1995 release of the original Toy Story), that Toy Story 3 branches out into new and unexplored territory, namely to discover what happens to the Toys when Andy eventually grows up?
The new film begins with 18 year old Andy, the child from the original Toy Story, having just a few days left at home before heading off to college, with his toys wondering precisely what the future holds for them...
For many parents, viewing this humble beginning will strike a resounding chord within them. They will understand that emotional trawl through the attic space, or through the boxes filled with toys that had been lovingly stored in the garage or bedroom cupboard, once a child has flown the nest. Such an emotive starting point for the film will inevitably stir up the memories of the time they found their own version of Hamm, Buzz or Woody; a toy that was once so beloved of their child but a child who has now left home...
Just retelling this simple but emotional rite of passage isn't enough and, as always, the creators of Toy Story 3 now allow us to view this journey from a totally different perspective and you can guarantee it will have that unerring touch of rare quality and foresight, that comes with all Disney Pixar productions.
Indeed, it is this quality which makes Disney Pixar pictures so popular among both children and adults alike. Movies like The Incredibles, Wall-E, Monsters INC and Finding Nemo have that rare commodity of universal appeal. There is the gentle simplicity of a story that a child can understand, empathise with and become totally absorbed in and yet there retains a level of sophistication and humour that appeals in equal measure to all members the adult audience.
So while the new Toy Story 3 film may be the first to be shown in the new sound standard Dolby 7.1 and it may also be shown in 3D (IMAX 3D in selected cinemas), its greater accomplishment lies not in the technical computer generated wizardry in providing the best possible movie-going experience for the viewer, but in immersing the viewer in a story which is encapsulating, enchanting and unfailingly amusing.
In these modern days of computer gimmicks, it is often overlooked that the simple, yet involving storylines of the Disney Pixar stable of films are quite wonderfully written. Writing a film for one target audience is difficult enough, but writing a screenplay that has to appeal to every audience, from the youngest child to the oldest film buff, is truly a work of art. This is where Disney Pixar is often so strong and why its movies are always enjoyed across the globe.
In addition to an engaging storyline, characters have to be fully dimensional, even if they are computer generated and once again, films like Toy Story 3, Up and Monsters, Inc all have a cast of actors that have global appeal, not just to the audience at home or in the cinema, but also to critics across the world. Some of the biggest Hollywood greats such as Tom Hanks, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, James Coburn and Woody Allen have lent their voices to some of Disney Pixar's most memorable characters and it is this combination of universal appeal, engaging storylines, great characters and strong direction that, when achieved, ensures the success of the film and the enjoyment of the viewer.
Following on from such a strong base as provided by Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in the first two films of the franchise, Toy Story 3 certainly has a lot to live up to in order to match the high standards set in the previous instalments. It will be interesting to see how Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Mr Potato Head and Hamm all get on now that Andy has flown the coop and left home.
What does the future hold for the toys that we've all come to know and love as much as one of our own? Will they go on to an exciting new chapter in their lives? Or will they be left to gather dust in a cardboard box in the garage?
You can find out on July 21st at a cinema near you!