Toy Story 3 (2010)

Toy Story 3 (G)

"Third Time's the harm"

The franchise has always been a funny relate-able tale for kids and a smart parable about the threat of obsolescence for us adults. Unfortunately by not having anything new to say and no new ways to say it these movies themselves are now becoming obsolete. The Pixar charm and magic has mostly drained away, leaving us with sequelitis: rehashed jokes, plot lines, and surprisingly manipulative/downright cliche emotional cues. If it wasn't for moments like Chuckles the Clown or an ingenious use of a tortilla, I'd almost think this film has earned it's direct-to-dvd roots. Lucky for all involved (scriptwriters/artists/voice talent) just going through the motions still works (i.e. makes $$$), especially when your previous two films laid the groundwork for this world our plastic pals live in. I feel like the cranky old Prospector for saying it, but perhaps Pixar should permanently shelve this beloved series before they break it beyond repair and it ends up in a landfill of terrible movie sequels for an eternity.

6.5 Snakes in my Boot out of 10 (GOOD)