Rating: ****
Review Date: 11/16/14
Cast: Tim Allen, Tom Hanks, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Carl Weathers,
Wallace Shawn, Timothy Dalton
Buzz, Woody, Jessie, Rex, Potato Head, Pricklepants, and Trixie are on their way to Grandma's house when their car gets a flat tire and they're forced to spend the night in a remote roadside motel. When Mr. Potato Head wanders off to check out the amenities, the toys start disappearing in classic horror story form, leaving Jessie terrified and alone. Can she find and rescue her friends before morning, or will they be lost forever in this nightmare motel?
A fantastic and superbly animated outing from Pixar that does a delightful job of spoofing classic horror tropes and playing to the strengths and weaknesses of the lovable cast. It moves quickly and avoids the forced sentimentality and mean-spiritedness that dragged down the last couple of films. It's just the toys on an adventure, doing their thing, and it's wonderful. The addition of a battle scarred Combat Carl also brought a smile to my face.