We saw Toy Story 3 the other night, and found that - contrary to my fears a year or more ago - it is a very worthy successor to the previous Toy Story films. Lots of LOLs, and fun throughout.
I began to have a sense of persistent déjà vu as the story progressed, though. Here is the basic arc of the tale; WARNING! SPOILERS!!
A young man is growing up, going off to college, and has seemingly abandoned the __________ he loved as a child. He hasn't really abandoned them, though. It's all a big misunderstanding.
The __________ find themselves in a jam, separated from their master. They bravely decide to find their way back to him, but are thwarted in their quest by hostile __________ that plot and scheme, and finally manage to send the brave __________ to the city dump!
At the dump, the __________ are very nearly destroyed, but are pulled from a Conveyor of Death at the last possible moment.
Together, having learned to rely on one another, the _________ finally succeed, are reunited with their master, and are given a new lease on life.
Now, fill in the blank with the word "toys" and you have the synopsis for Toy Story 3. But change the word to "appliances" and you have the synopsis for The Brave Little Toaster! If you think I found this disappointing, you would be mistaken. Toaster has been a family favorite for a long time.
Toaster, a Disney film, like most of Pixar's stories, is a cautionary tale about Leaving Important Things Behind, a moral I very heartily endorse in our throw-it-away-and-don't-look-back culture. Not surprisingly, there are creative connections behind the scenes, Pixar's John Lasseter and Joe Ranft (recently deceased) having been involved in the project at various points. The final product was directed by Jerry Rees, a friend of Lasseter's.
So, I thought the nod to Toaster altogether appropriate. Why waste a good story? John Lasseter has been telling the same story in all his films for years now, and that's a good thing.
And don't even get me started on the religious symbolism of the two films...
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