Histoire de Jouets 3 / Toy Story 3 (Bilingual)

What made the original Toy Story so great, besides its significant achievement as the first-ever feature-length computer animated film, was its ability to instantly transport viewers into a magical world where it seemed completely plausible that toys were living, thinking beings who sprang to life the minute they were alone and wanted nothing more than to be loved and played with by their children. Toy Story 3 absolutely succeeds in the very same thing--adults and children alike, whether they've seen the original film or not, find themselves immediately immersed in a world in which Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (Don Rickles and Estelle Harris), Ham (John Ratzenberger), Rex (Wallace Shawn), the aliens, and the rest of Andy's toys remain completely devoted to Andy (John Morris) even as he's getting ready to pack up and leave for college. Woody scoffs at the other toys' worries that they'll end up in the garbage, assuring them that they've earned a spot of honor in the attic, but when the toys are mistakenly donated to Sunnyside Daycare, Woody is the only toy whose devotion to Andy outweighs the promise of getting played with each and every day. Woody sets off toward home alone while the other toys settle in for some daycare fun, but things don't turn out quite as expected at the daycare thanks to the scheming, strawberry-scented old-timer bear Lots-o'-Huggin' (Ned Beatty). Eventually, Woody rejoins his friends and they all attempt a daring escape from the daycare, which could destroy them all. The pacing of the film is impeccable at this point, although the sense of peril may prove almost too intense for a few young viewers. Pixar's 3-D computer animation is top-notch as always and the voice talent in this film is tremendous, but in the end, it's Pixar's uncanny ability to combine drama, action, and humor in a way that irresistibly draws viewers into the world of the film that makes Toy Story 3 such great family entertainment. (Ages 7 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

The clarity of Blu-ray makes Toy Story 3 look terrific. The extras include Teddy Newton's extremely clever 2-D/3-D short "Day & Night," which juxtaposes imagery effectively, even without 3-D glasses. In some very funny behind-the-scenes footage, Spanish animator Carlos Baena shows how he worked out the movement style of the hilarious "Spanish Buzz." The mini-documentary The Gang's All Here features interviews with the returning and new vocal cast members. Blake Clark speaks poignantly about replacing his friend, the late Jim Varney, as Slinky Dog. In a rare interview, toymaker Albert Chan recalls how he decided to make Buzz and Woody toys after the big companies turned Pixar down: he's sold more than 35 million Buzz Lightyear figures to date. But the most satisfying extra is the Epilogue, which shows the toys at Sunnyside enjoying life without Lotso and Andy's Toys having fun in Bonnie's Room--including Mr. Pricklepants in an improbable staging of "Romeo and Juliet." --Charles Solomon