Walt Disney World: It's Not Just for Kids

Woohoo! This post is part of the sixth Disney Blog Carnival!
I should probably begin this review with a disclaimer-I was 11 when Toy Story came out. I justified going by saying that I only wanted see it owing to the fact that it was the first computer-animated movie. (ok the part of that makes me feel old is being old enough to have seen the first computer animated movie in theaters). Also, I did, in fact, take some of my toys to college.

Anyway, I’d like to begin by discussing the theater where I saw the movie. I saw it at my local Cinema delux. I also saw it on the Lux level. This means I was in a 21+ area, with my own personal waitstaff call button. If seeing a bargain matinee G movie on the 21+ lux level isn’t me in a nutshell, I don’t know what is. I actually got carded twice by my waiter, I blame Justin Bieber.  It was nice-most everyone in the theater was around my age, people were clapping at some points.  I have nothing against kids, in fact my first choice of companions were my teen and tween nephews, but it was fun to kind of have it be n adult viewing.

General thoughts before I cut for spoilers:  I really liked how they established Andy and Molly as being older (I LOLed at Molly reading “tween” magazine with her white ear buds).  The same guy who did Andy’s voice in the first two movies did it again in this movie, which I find cool.  I also liked how this movie has the gift that so many other Pixar Films do-that it’s enjoyable to watch again and again.  And to make you cry buckets.  I’m not as head-over heels in love with Night and Day as everyone else is. While all Toy Story films remind me of The Christmas Toy (best Christmas movie EVER!), I though TS3 had some definite comparisons:  the unwrapping scene (mirrors the Apple/Rugby flashbacks), the bear with a cane as the leader, and the clothing-obsessed Barbie/Ken.

Click on the spoiler stuff if interested below.  :)One thing I really liked about the movie was that I liked how it addressed kids growing up in a positive way.  While Toy Story 2 made it seem like a loss for the toy, I thought Toy Story 3 addressed it in a positive way.  I liked how Jessie ended up facing her fear of “Emily all over again,” but then appears to be happy in her life at Bonnie’s.  ((Plot hole I’ve never been able to figure out-it’s pretty obvious that Woody is of a different generation than Andy’s other toys, yet Andy appears to be the only owner Woody remembers.))

I was surprised by how dark the movie was.  For some reason, I tend to think of Buzz and Woody as being marketed for a younger audience than other Pixar movies.  This movie seemed a little heavy, but let’s face it-Bambi’s mother?  Disney has long history of being kind of dark.  As always, I do think that most people all ages would enjoy it.  I do think a decent number of adults will kind of be sucker-punched by the theme.  Speaking for myself, I was thinking about how the nephew who once was thrilled over getting a BuzzLite-eer for Christmas and had Buzz sheets was unable to join me owing to being at a middle school dance.

Shall we address the large, fluffy, strawberry-scented elephant in the room?  I have not been so creeped out by a Pixar creation since Sid’s babydoll creation.  Lotso is just plain creepy, and makes my concerns regarding the YouTube spoiler I alluded to earlier true.  He runs a ship at Sunny Side that is tight, sadistic, and bitter.  While he offers creepyness and darkness for the kids, if you ask me the really creepy part is him putting toys in the “caterpillar room” that weren’t for little kids.  Of course, despite the end, I still find Sunnyside Daycare a pretty creepy-seeming place.  I really don’t get why Lotso is being promoted so heavily in the parks.  The concept of being shrunk to Lotso’s size weirds me out.

I was really touched by the ending, and was balling.

Anyone have any thoughts?

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1. WDW Not Just for Kids Review: Cars 2
2. WDW Not Just for Kids Review: Tangled