The Movie
The recent arrival of Toy Story 3D on my doorstep was cause for celebration: Another review is another excuse to watch my former favorite film from perhaps my favorite studio. And while UP has pretty much usurped Toy Story for me, how can we not watch in rapt respect, perhaps even a bit of awe the movie that began Pixar's monumental shakeup of the Hollywood status quo?
The talking toys here seem a little quaint today, largely because Pixar has come so far in the ensuing 16 years. The script plays as efficiently as ever though, not a word or an action wasted as Sheriff Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks, coming off of back-to-back Best Actor Oscars) butts heads with the new toy on the bed, a shiny new Buzz Lightyear (knocked out of the park by Tim Allen). Their friction and their journey unearth comedy gold, imparting some rather profound lessons of selflessness and dedication along the way.
I was unable to catch "Toy Story in 3-D" when it hit theatrically in October 2009, but now we all have the chance to see what the fuss was about. This new edition is comprised mostly of previously released materials, but in addition to the inclusion of the all-important Blu-ray 3D, Disney has re-authored the 2D Blu-ray to deliver new trailers.
The Picture
Following an updated, more dynamic Pixar logo, the Blu-ray 3D treats us to some lovely new stereoscopic effects, deftly manipulating the computer-generated characters and objects and tweaking their focus to make them more immediate for this new edition. Certain shot layouts seem to flaunt the 3D, especially when a one character is situated in the foreground, or anytime we are looking through any sort of window.
Quick but iconic shots like Buzz's point-of-view from inside his helmet are even more striking now, and Rex shoving his mug in the camera might not frighten but it does impress. Detail is remarkably well-preserved, from the minute specks in the pavement to aspects I never even noticed before, like the translucence of the purple airfoils on Buzz's wings.
Shots that exploit the unusual scale of the toy world, such as Woody/Buzz under the car/truck, also make dramatic use of the technology. And a hyper-extended Slink or the string of Christmas lights spanning the chasm from Sid's to Andy's house offer a clear, striking illusion of depth.
I noted some ghosting in the rotating glowing Dinoco gas station sign and a few other minor anomalies, and the movie was so sharp in 2D that the difference here might not seem obvious at first, but this really is a wonderful new way to watch one of our family favorites.
The Sound
We are once again treated to Disney's exemplary DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 ES sonic complement to the top-notch visuals. Bass is active, powerful, and wonderfully nuanced. The five loudspeakers are well-utilized as well, with frequent cues to help to establish this imaginary world in true 360-degree space. No surprises when compared to the 2D soundtrack, but none are needed.
The Extras
All of the Blu-ray extras here have been directly ported over from the 2D Blu-ray edition of last year. It is quite an impressive array, and Disney/Pixar thought enough to create them all in HD. "Paths to Pixar - Artists" is one of the best, a well-produced look at how several creators came to do what they do, while the three brief "Studio Stories" simply animate insider anecdotes recounted by employees. Almost all of the "Classic DVD Bonus Features" are here too, in standard definition naturally. The only thing that appears to be missing is The Claw interactive set-top game. A full listing can be found below.
Both the 2D and 3D discs provide a Pixar-themed "Maximize Your Home Theater!" calibration tool, and the 3D disc even offers a section dedicated to 3D!
Disc Three is a DVD of the movie with all of the new bonus features plus the archived audio commentary by director/co-writer John Lasseter, producers Ralph Guggenheim and Bonnie Arnold, co-writer/storyboard artist Andrew Stanton, co-writer/supervising animator Pete Docter, art director Ralph Eggleston and supervising technical director William Reeves. Disc Four carries a Digital Copy of the movie for iTunes and Windows Media. Previously, this final platter was only available as part of the three-movie, ten-disc "Ultimate Toy Box" from last year.
Final Thoughts
This one is actually tough to call. With four discs and four different ways to watch including two in HD, the Toy Story Blu-ray 3D set is a fine value... assuming you don't already own the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack or the Toy Box edition. (Hand it down? eBay?) This new four-disc set is currently the only way to see Toy Story in 3D, so if you can justify the purchase, you're in for a treat.
Don't Miss the Complete Toy Story Trilogy on Blu-ray 3D:
Product Details
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