Friday, October 2, 2009 , Updated
Mini-movie review: Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in 3D
Starting a curious trend, the original Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are playing as a double feature in 3D for two weeks only (the Michael Jackson documentary This Is It will also be playing for only two weeks starting at the end of October). In addition to showcasing the two classic films (you heard me – both should be considered classics despite being "only" 14 and 10 years old, respectively) in eye-popping 3D, the special release serves as an appetizer for the highly-anticipated Toy Story 3, coming out next June (the trailer for which precedes the film).
Not much more can be said about how great both of these films are that hasn't already been said. Pixar is the gold standard in animation, and these are the films that made the company what it is today. The animation was already fantastic when they were initially released – computer animation is almost 3D anyway – so rendering the films in actual 3D just makes them that much more amazing. As with Up (Pixar's other 2009 3D film), don't go in expecting things to jump off the screen at you. In this case, the 3D is just there to add a greater depth and feel to everything, at which it succeeds mightily.
In addition to the Toy Story 3 trailer, the films include a fun new intro and intermission segment to keep kids (and adults) entertained during the 3-hour marathon. (You can actually watch most of the intermission segments at the Toy Story site.) Yeah, that's a long haul to make, especially with kids, but with films like this, it's more than worth it.
