Friday, January 14, 2011

Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 was released in June 2010, more than a decade after Toy Story 2. It is available on DVD alone and in a box set with the two previous movies. It was the highest domestic-grossing movie of 2010, bringing in over $415 million in the United States, and over $1 billion worldwide. My reviews of the first two movies are here and here.

blug1.png blug2.png Like its predecessors,Toy Story 3 passes the first two Reverse Bechdel tests in the first few minutes. In this case, Mr. Potato Head (in the role of "One-Eyed Bart") is in the middle of a train heist, and is about to be stopped by Sheriff Woody. Woody says, "You have a date with Justice" to which Mr. Potato Head replies, "Too bad, Sheriff, I'm a married man," which serves as an introduction for Mrs. Potato Head (and thus does not pass RB-3).

pink1.png The second female is seen before the two-minute mark, when Jessie saves Woody from falling off the train. (The first female is Mrs. Potato Head.)

blug3.png As the fight between "One-Eyed Bart" and Sheriff Woody continues, with more and more characters from the first two movies joining the fray, Woody and Mr. Potato Head (and later Buzz) exchange a few one-liners. There are some more one-liners in the Toy Chest during "Operation Playtime" although since Mrs. Potato Head and Jessie are closely involved, it's not clear whether the conversation counts as two males talking to each other. Immediately after, however, the entire group is talking about what will happen to them next, and if there's any doubt, at the eleven-minute mark, Buzz and Woody have a one-on-one conversation on top of the dresser.

pink2.png pink3.png Twelve minutes into the movie, Andy, Molly and their mother are in Andy's room. Their mother is trying to convince Andy to clean up before he leaves for college, and as the two are leaving the room, she says to Molly, "Molly, you're not off the hook either…" She then tries to convince Molly to donate some of her toys to charity.

Toy Story 3 easily passes all three levels of both Bechdel tests within the first quarter-hour. And while the first two movies were decidedly male-dominated, the third is not. Every human character besides Andy is female, and the female toys play larger roles. For example, Barbie is critical in the plan to escape Sunnyside and return Buzz to normal.

Andy's father is still missing, and there's even a picture of Andy, his sister Molly and their mother with the father conspicuously absent.

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