Over the past decade, Pixar has defined what quality children’s animated films should be: witty and poignant with some pop-culture references and a strong moral lesson. They’re one of the few studios who can turn out a sequel that is just as good as the original film. But some of the things I’ve been hearing about the upcoming Toy Story 3 have left me a little disturbed. So this might be one Pixar film our family avoids.
To start, it would appear that Andy has grown up and is off to college, leaving his toys behind. While Pixar could have written a story dealing with love and loss as he confronts what it means to grow up, the film appears to focus on the toys themselves and how they cope with owner abandonment. The latest trailer can only be interpreted as a psychological thriller – maybe a film where Saw meets Paranormal Activity. I hope I’m not reading too much in to this, but there were elements of the first film that lead me to believe that Pixar is capable of this.
But is it appropriate for our kids? Time will tell as we approach the June 18th release. I hope Pixar comes around to continue making kid-friendly films. But watch the below trailer and decide for yourself.
