1 – Toy Story 3

How did I get to the third installment of the Toy Story series as my number one choice? How could I not choose the original, or the wonderful sequel, Toy Story 2? Valid questions. The firstToy Story film is flawless and I will never forget seeing it in the theater. I was speechless. It blew me away. It’s certainly a worthy start to the phenomenon that it created. Toy Story 2 blew me away even further than the original. It’s been said many times that Toy Story 2accomplished the rare feat of a sequel topping its original. I believe it did. The second film introduced new, instantly adored characters, gave us one of the most heartbreaking sequences in film history with Jessie’s back-story, and reinforced the original characters as animated royalty. So how could a third installment 15 years after the original and 11 years after the second film possibly raise the bar higher? This is why the team at Pixar is so highly and deservedly revered. For me, Toy Story 3 knocked it out of the park.

Once again, the story is the key. Andy going off to college is the perfect vehicle to logically end this trilogy of films. It’s a masterful set-up and given the long history we all have with these characters, we were all along for the ride from the first frame. The opening sequence is incredible. Forgive me for using this quote, but they “had me at hello.” There are genuine laugh out loud scenes— the monkey with the cymbals makes me laugh just thinking about him!  Once again, new characters like Lotso and Ken are introduced and they are viable and unforgettable. Last but not least are two of the most emotional scenes in movie history. The scene in the trash incinerator is absolutely harrowing. Was I just on the edge of my seat during a Toy Story film? Yes…yes I was.

The final scenes between Andy and his toys are so heartbreaking and sentimental—yet at the same time you are left feeling so optimistic for them. It’s brilliant. I was riveted in my seat the entire time in the theater when I first saw this film. We all were, and that’s why it lands here at number one.