Can you believe it’s been 15 years since Toy Story first captivated children across the country with toys that come to life? Today is opening day for Toy Story 3, which finds Andy all grown up and off to college (crazy right?). Presented in Disney Digital 3D and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks (Woody) and Tim Allen (Buzz), Toy Story 3 will warm the hearts of parents and children alike.
It’s been some time since I’ve seen a Toy Story movie, but the familiarity of the characters made it easy to jump right into the plot. I’m not certain if this will be the last Toy Story movie (the ending, as always, leaves this up for interpretation), but it was my favorite. The action-packed movie follows Woody, Buzz and the gang as they plan their escape from…day care! What happens to those cherished childhood toys when the child grows up? Follow the gang as they wrestle with where they belong now that Andy is moving away. The movie is funny and tender. I found myself tearing up at the end as I think about my children growing up. They’ve also thrown in some humor that only an adult would appreciate. I should mention that there are some adult themes which may be a bit mature (scary) for younger kids. But my son, who has never seen a Toy Story movie sat the entire hour and forty minutes and only covered his eyes for one of the scenes. Here is a brief synopsis (without giving too much away).
“Toy Story 3” welcomes Woody, Buzz and the whole gang back to the big screen as Andy prepares to depart for college and his loyal toys find themselves in… day care! These untamed tots with their sticky little fingers do not play nice, so it’s all for one and one for all as plans for the great escape get underway. A few new faces—some plastic, some plush—join the adventure, including iconic swinging bachelor and Barbie’s counterpart Ken (voice of Michael Keaton), a thespian hedgehog named Mr. Pricklepants (voice of Timothy Dalton) and a pink, strawberry-scented teddy bear called Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear (voice of Ned Beatty).
My son has never sat through an entire movie, let alone one where he has to wear glasses, so I know he enjoyed it. While the movie is presented in 3D, I didn’t find it distracting (as I often do with 3 and 4D movies). At one point, my son took off his glasses and they were lost in the darkness of the theater. I was able to watch the movie (sans glasses) without any problems (rare for a 3D movie).
Since we saw the movie at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre, we were able to check out the Toy Story 3 Fun Zone afterward. Every ticket purchased for Toy Story 3 at the Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre includes admission into the 25,000 movie-themed amusement park attraction. My advice? See the movie early so you can plan on spending ample time in this space. There were a lot of tears when we left. Just a quick walk away from the Theatre brings children to the “Zone” where they can meet Buzz and Woody, watch “Dancing with Toys” (a life stage show featuring Toy Story characters), bounce in Buzz’s Bounce House, play carnival games, test the latest movie-themed toys from Mattel and LEGO, soar on Bullseye’s Bungee Jump, and compete in an obstacle course. The “Zone” is impressive and offers a diverse range of activities for children in various age ranges. For more information, visit the Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre.
No compensation was received for this post. We attended a screening at the El Capitan, courtesy of the company.
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