toystory3_biggroupToy Story 3 is terrific. It has just the right amount of nods to the past two movies, while telling a fresh story with depth. I had heard that it was good and getting great reviews across the board, but really wondered if it would live up to the hype. Amazingly, it exceeded my expectations. It doesn’t take long to fall in with the familiar characters and enjoy the trademark humor, all the while wondering how it will turn out in the end. Instead of twisting aspects of what we enjoy from childhood, and turning everything upside down as in the Shrek movies, the Toy Story-Tellers cultivate that connection we have with our past by adding vintage touches of creativity and wit. Initially, I came away thinking, “This is the best of the three. This is my favorite”; only then to pause and remember how original Toy Story was when I first saw it. What a happy dilemma of attempting to choose a favorite. I suppose it isn’t so different from trying to choose a favorite toy. You really can’t. You have your reasons for enjoying them all.