Wednesday, Sep. 28, 2011

Toy Story 3 (2010)

A stuffed bear named Lotso seems a little warm and fuzzy for your typical bully, but don't be deceived — he is more menacing than the average toy. In Toy Story 3, he rules over a daycare center with an iron fist and an army of loyal minions.

The third movie in Pixar's Toy Story franchise finds our toys accidentally thrown out by Andy and his family. They wind up at Sunnyside Day Care, where their dreams of being played with every day are quickly dashed after they are abused by boisterous toddlers. As the tyrannical dictator of the daycare, Lotso has set up a system where newcomers are subjected to the toddler room, and veterans enjoy the comparatively lush company of the older children. At night, a bevy of security guards and cameras ensure that no one escapes this de facto prison.

Though he is initially an unsympathetic character, the movie reveals that Lotso was once unintentionally abandoned by his owner, and when he found his way back home, he discovered that he had been replaced with an identical bear. Feeling hurt and betrayed, Lotso now believes that love doesn't exist, and wants to ensure that everyone around him is also miserable. Toy Story 3 shows that genuine connection with others can be an effective coping technique when dealing with bullied ... be they stuffed animals, or humans.