Toy Story 3

Pixar stuck the landing on Andy's goodbye. That's where I have to start, because that was the scene I was most worried about going in, and they did right by him. They did right by all of us, really, anyone who's been watching these movies since we were kids ourselves.

Quick thing that matters more than people give it credit for: same actors, same Woody, the whole way through. You can feel it. There's a continuity to that character you cannot fake by shuffling voices around between sequels, and trust me, you'd notice. It's part of why this works.

Pixar stuck the landing on Andy's goodbye.

Bonnie is the heart of it for me. Sweet, innocent, happy as hell. Watching her play hit me right in the childhood. There's something about a kid who is just genuinely delighted by her toys that makes the entire premise of these movies click into place, and she sells every second of it.

The toys themselves are the easy layup at this point. We've spent enough time with this gang that they walk back on screen and you're just glad to see them. No warm-up, no reintroduction needed. They show up, they have a great time, you have a great time.

Seeing it in the theater absolutely made it better. Big screen, kids around me losing their minds, the whole experience cranked up a notch. If you've got the option, go see it that way.

I brought the kids. They loved it. I loved it. Everybody walked out happy. That is a rare thing for the fourth movie in any franchise, let alone one I've been watching since I was a kid myself. I went in not expecting much and came out wanting to watch it again.

Pixar didn't have to make this one. I'm glad as hell they did.