As much as I hate to “go with the crowd,” I have to this week for what’s new on DVD as it would be an injustice not to feature “Toy Story 3.” It’s been awhile since we last talked about the famed Pixar series, which has now grossed over $1.9 billion since the original hit theaters back in 1995. That’s a lot of money and well deserved, if you ask me,  for what many will view as the greatest ‘kids’ trilogy of all-time, now available together on DVD. Sort of picking up where we last left off, we find our crazed group of toys led by Woody (Tom Hanks) devising a plan to get their fearless owner Andy, who was now 17-years-old, to open up his chest and play with his toys.  But, as they pretty much already knew, Andy had grown tired of them as he was set to leave for college in the next couple days.  Not willing to completely let go of his once cherished “friends,” Andy placed them in a garbage bag to place in the attic. However, they would not make it to the attic that day, once Andy’s mom mistakenly grabbed the bag to put out with the trash. Feeling unwanted, the toys break out of the trash bag and sneak into a box on its way to Sunnyside daycare figuring someone would play with them there. By the time Woody explained the mistake by Andy’s mom, the toys and the box were already on their way to Sunnyside. After receiving quite the warm and fuzzy welcome from ‘Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty), the gang decide to stay at Sunnyside, knowing new children would be playing with them.  Little did they know, the kids that would be playing with them were too young and abusive, a fact ‘Lots-o’ conveniently left out. Upon hearing this news, Woody returned to help his friends do the same, sending this once happy ending into a tailspin full of adventure that will have you smiling ear to ear. Once you get to the third installment, I think everyone knows who is playing whom. So, unless you have been living under a rock the past 15 years, you at least know Woody is voiced by Tom Hanks and Buzz Lightyear is being voiced by Tim Allen.  Having said that, part of the fun with this series is meeting new toys and a few notables making a splash here were Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear, Mr. Pricklepants, Trixie, and the new crowd favorite, Ken.  All were great additions for roles most actors never turn down, as the perks that go along with it are too good to be true. So, it goes without saying the cast in this film were elated to star in this surefire hit, especially those named Tom Hanks and Tim Allen.  Reprising a role they began some 15 years back isn’t easy, but they each picked up right where they left off a decade ago in “Toy Story 2” making sure none of the magic changed for Pixar’s most loved series to date.   It’s difficult to pinpoint just one reason why Pixar is so good at what they do. And if that’s truly the case, that must mean they are good at everything they do, a fact that continues to arise whenever a new film gets released by the famed studio.  Doing what Pixar has done in the time they have done is mindboggling, given where computer animation was before they came along.  And according to Hanks, that meant “walking into a building and seeing the entire movie through storyboards mounted on the wall, which was a quarter-mile long.” Wow, hard to believe that was just 15 years ago, but that’s how far studios like Pixar has come with CGI, perfecting what we see today on the big screen. And at least for the foreseeable future, that will not change as I can’t help but compare other films from this genre to what Pixar does. It just amazes me that this company, which was bought from George Lucas for just $5 million back in 1986 has grown into what we see today, seemingly holding the world hostage with its lure. And “Toy Story 3” is a prime example of that, as it might just be their most well-rounded film yet, much less the best of the series, a feat that is more impressive the longer you dwell on it. A+ For more DVD reviews, click here

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