What made Toy Story 3 great was more than just colorful characters and great graphics, though those were certainly in abundance. What made Toy Story 3 great was a strict adherence to some basic story principles, and those principles can also make a life great. I’ll create a short, incomplete list:
1. We knew exactly what the characters wanted. There wasn’t a scene in the movie when we didn’t know what the principles characters wanted. Whether it was to escape the daycare, or get back to Andy, or find a new home, the ambition was clearly defined. And because it was defined, the audience sat wondering how the characters were going to get what they wanted, rather than wondering what it is the characters were trying to accomplish.
2. The characters were good. A constant theme through the movie is family, brotherhood, and a sense that under no circumstances would they separate. They were in the adventure as a team, weak or strong, and they would live or die as a team.
3. The point was love. This may be the most powerful force in the movie, and one of the reasons the Toy Story franchise has made billions. The sole ambition of the group of protagonists was that they love each other, and that they get back to the service of the one who loved them and whom they loved in return. It’s an age-old theme, but it’s powerful and it triggers a remarkably meaningful response in almost all of us.
4. The antagonist was clearly defined. The Toys knew exactly who was against them, and so they knew whom they were trying to escape from. The audience is not left to wonder who the bad guy is because it was made clear. The interesting thing is the bad guy was bad because he had been hurt and couldn’t trust anymore, and so couldn’t love. He was controlling and wanted to be in charge and enslave people. The Toys still gave him the benefit of the doubt, but once he was proven bad, they decided to escape. An entire study could be done on the bad guy in the film, and the dynamics that surround him. The toys did not seek vengeance, for instance, they simply sought to be out from under the bad guys thumb. And toward the end, they even tried to redeem the bad guy.
5. The ambition is realized. The final scene of the film is incredibly powerful. The Toys, who intensely desired to be played with by their owner, actually got what they wanted. The writers at Pixar were setting up the final scene all along, even bringing in extra characters early on in the movie to make it happen. And man does it pay off. I doubt there was a person in the theater that wasn’t fighting back tears. It’s a heavenly scene, for sure.
There is, without question, a very real spiritual overlap in this movie. The Toys want to be reunited with their owner. Their owner loves them. Something has come between their owner and they are confused about whether their owner still loves them. It’s powerful stuff, and it’s relatable because it’s true.
So what do we do with this in our own lives? Tomorrow I’ll talk about the kinds of stories we can tell based on the overall narrative we are living within.
Related: Million Miles, Living a Better Story Seminar
What I want? One of the hardest questions I have wrestled with as a believer. It’s so easy to settle on surface or visible things, but when I’ve gone deep and can see clearly, it takes staying clear and not coming back to the surface.
And then, the next hard question – Will I trust Him to provide my deepest desires? It’s so tempting to either try to meet them on my own or to give up my hope to not make Him out to be a stingy God. Living in the space between knowing what I want and then having it – sometimes with faith, sometimes not – now there’s the thing.
But there is nothing like when, finally — IT’S TIME!!!
So story is all about beginning with the end in mind. I just wished our lives were as simple as movies to create. Not that we can’t have great stories it just takes more work and we have to be willing to sweat.
Looking forward to tomorrow’s installment.
Yeah, while I was reading this blog entry, I was thinking that life is so much more confusing.
I love Toy Story 3, but I think I identify with stories in which the action is hit and miss because the truth of the protagonist’s situation is hidden, or at least partially hidden. But maybe that’s just me, and speaks to the story I’m living.
Looking forward to tomorrow’s entry.
Absolutely, the point is love! It was great to see how they worked that out among each other, especially when the toys were encouraging Woody to go with Andy. None of them seemed jealous of Andy’s choice and were excited for their friend and willing to work to make it happen. Even Andy’s love for his toys- he held onto them far beyond the age where it made sense to, and didn’t even want to give them away (but keep them in storage). His allowing someone else to love and play with them was love of the same kind as the toys’ wanting the best for Woody. Definitely a tearjerker!
Great observations, Don, and I agree with every one. I love a powerful story, and left the theater realizing I had just seen one. I was glad my kids got to go, too, but ultimately, we went because I wanted to see a great story, and I was not disappointed.
I think what the characters wanted was defined, but it changed throughout the movie, especially for Woody. I struggle with this, especially in the context of a great story and it being a character that wants something and is willing to overcome conflict to get it. Because Woody does want to be reunited with Andy, and he is willing to overcome conflict. But then when they’re reunited, Woody realizes that going to college with Andy isn’t where he’s supposed to be. What do we do with that in real life? What do we do when we’ve wanted something and we’ve overcome conflict only to discover that what we achieved isn’t where we’re supposed to be at all?
SO much in life is about the journey and what we learn along the way.
Until Heaven, I’m not sure we ever “arrive” and say, Hey, this is exactly what I thought and hoped for. (heaven will be beyond, but you know what I mean)
I always say, the best part of my day is the first 15 seconds after I get off the treadmill…I feel sooo accomplished and good, but by second 16, it dawns on me, oh crap, I have to do it all over again tomorrow. I just can’t ever “arrive” and stop.
Life keeps moving, seasons change, except for GOD, He is the one and only constant. That is why He is peace and He is rest.
Actually I haven’t seen the movie (yet), so can’t comment on the particulars. But my thought when I read your comment was that like shellybell said, it’s about the journey. Even if you pursue something only to learn that it’s not what you really wanted you learn a whole bunch of stuff about who you are and your inner strength to overcome conflict and go after the things you want. Learning what we don’t want in life can be a major achievement in many ways and it helps free us to find the things we are really meant to be doing. There’s so many choices and so many options which seem attractive, sometimes we need to try a few of them out before we can learn they’re not where we’re supposed to be.
In some ways I’m in that position right now. I pursued a particular career path thinking it was what I wanted to do. It took me years, financial investment in further study, and was no easy thing to achieve. Now I’m here I realise it’s not who I am at all and just because I can achieve something doesn’t mean it will benefit me or my walk with God to do so. But I’m so glad for the experience. I learnt how to set a goal and walk towards it without giving up when it seemed impossible to achieve. I also have a much greater sense of clarity about what I do want and also how to find contentment. As well as a much greater sense of freedom to be myself and not get sidetracked by the seemingly exciting ambitions of other people. I also know I’m not going to regret never taking a risk or end up sitting around wondering what if. And NOTHING in life is wasted.
I’m glad I’m not the only dweeb in the world who drew the analogy between Andy and the toys and God and us. Haha.
I noticed the same thing about the film’s antagonist (Lotso), Don. In fact, it was the single biggest thing that jumped out at me. To me, Lotso is actually a sort of closet protagonist. The other characters did not really develop in any sense, nor did they need to. However, Lotso is the one who experienced internal conflict: he had the opportunity to repudiate who he had become, and chose not to. That’s what makes him a tragic villain. Here’s the longer article:
http://extantmagazine.com/redemption-toy-story-3/
closet protagonist is a great way to put it. i almost wrote an entire blog about him. he is a terrific antagonist, and kudos to the folks at pixar for telling his back story. you normally don’t get a lot of that. but it also made the movie more painful because you wanted him to get redeemed, and instead he got justice. it was a great twist, but not a pleasant one. i think it gave the movie much more depth in the end, and made it more rich. i’d even argue that literary twist is why the movie stands out amongst the others in the franchise.
I agree, but I’d say this is not the first time that Pixar did this. In “Up”, the bad guy was also apparently a likeable man until he was falsely accused, and in his quest to clear his name, he became evil.
He had several things in common with Lotso, including the fact that, when the protagonists first met him, he seemed like a good guy, showed them around a bit, etc. It was only later that he showed his true colors. And like Lotso, he had his chances to make things right, but chose not to. Sadly, I think that in both stories, if the bad guy would have chosen to do good, all would have been forgiven.
This element is a crucial part of every good antagonist. It’s something I’ve tried to instill in the students I have directed in our church dramas: Every great villain is, from his perspective, the hero of the story. He is righting a perceived wrong or making the other characters see truth as he sees it. If an actor plays a villain as a villain – evil for evil’s sake – it just becomes two-dimensional moustache-twirling. But a villain with a mission is much more real, much more threatening, and – in a twist on the audience – much more identifiable with some part of ourselves.
Haven’t seen the movie yet, but just finished reading A Million Miles In A Thousand Years. Twice. Back to back. Because Max Lucado said he couldn’t wait to read it again.
I can relate to David Knapp’s comment, “Not that we can’t have great stories it just takes more work and we have to be willing to sweat.” And it reminds me of the Viktor Frankl quote at the end of 1M Miles, s/t to the effect of “Ask not what life can do for you, ask what you can do for Life.”
Looking forward to Part 2. Thanks, Don.
Thanks so much, Richard!
de nada…
just to clarify, Max Lucado’s comment only influenced my decision to read 1M Miles 2x back-to-back. The real reason I reread it is because I liked it so much. Thanks for giving the gift of yourself to your readers, Don.
Thanks for your thoughtful insights. I’ve really enjoyed growing up along with Andy through these movies. I’m looking forward to seeing TS3 soon, especially with these insights in mind.
For what it’s worth, Robert Velarde has written a great little book called “The Wisdom of Pixar” that talks about the spiritual themes of all of Pixar’s movies. If you want to do more thinking about how these kinds ideas flesh themselves out in the other 2 TS movies or Up or Cars or Finding Nemo, you might want to check it out. You can find it on Amazon.
Cheers!
I picked up on the spiritual overlaps as well, though I think it’s tough to draw a completely definitive line, since Andy did call the toys “junk” at one point during the movie. Even still, that last scene was pretty powerful.
Question:
And I have a feeling I am setting myself up because I haven’t seen the movie, but this was my first thought…
The antagonist in the movie, the one you described as someone who couldn’t love because he had been hurt along the way, was he demonic?
Maybe the movie made it clear that he was demonic and without hope, but I couldn’t help but acknowledge the “he had been hurt” part.
Just wondering. I just can’t get over how I can’t get over this. Seriously, I can be so black and white at times and have no tolerance for bullies and the like, but for some reason, I am not wanting to write off those that seemingly can’t/don’t love…I just wonder what kind of pain they are in that makes their hearts hurt in such a way.
(I’m not talking about sociopaths or the scary psycho stuff, but people who are rigid and seemingly not showing love.)
Define demonic. He was a toy who had been replaced, and it affected him deeply. While his hurt is understandable, his choices about what to do with that hurt ended up hurting a lot of others.
Is this about Don’s comment from a previous post that those who are unloving, even Christians, are demonic?
You know, I read several responses from people upset about that comment. I didn’t read every comment, but none popped out at me that talked about those who are victimized by unloving Christians.
I had plenty of “truth” without love. The damage has been incalculable. I no longer have a relationship with God. “Demonic” is the only way to describe such people.
Finally, if the Bible says “God is love” (which I don’t believe, but that is a WHOLE other post) then wouldn’t being unloving be the opposite of God (ie, satanic,demonic)?
Thanks JamesW and KatR for your perspectives. Both will help me continue to ponder.
And yes, the demonic thing came from the post a few days ago where Don used that phrase, “to not love is demonic”.
For the most part, I’m pretty confident that if in a room and we were chatting, we would probably agree as we sifted through the specifics and examples…but it has been challenging me without that “talk”.
KatR – I can’t express to you how sorry I am for the apparent hurt you have endured from “truth” being dealt without love. Using the name of God to “hurt” people, I mean really hurt people is cruel, and in the manner I am thinking, I would absolutely use the word demonic.
Nothing I say could bring encouragement I am sure, but I will say the first step for me in my relationship with God was discovering He is faithful…that as I searched His word, He began to show me that He does do what He says. Before I could understand His love, I had to “test” Him out on His word, on His faithfulness to keep His word. But that was just me…and it has been an intensely personal journey for me.
May you be blessed KatR, may the hurt in your life turn to joy, and may you know, that a girl down south will think of you often because she thinks you are pretty cool for surviving, searching, and persevering.
Thanks again!!
ooh how I was so hoping for a comment or 2. This phrase of being demonic has really challenged me and would love to hear some perspectives and why’s so as I ponder, I have some tidbits to ponder on.
anyone have a thought on it?
Ive been reading the Book of Job in the Bible this week – fascinating glimpse into the world of angels and the heavenly Father. Satan was an angel. Demonic, then, becomes a description of those spiritual beings who oppose God. Man, whom the Bible says God made to be above the angels, can be influenced by demons. So, lets not try to make this movie more than it is. Man must choose, which can be difficult for the most devout believer, as we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but spiritual powers. Praise God, His Holy Spirit is there for the beeliever that walks close to Him, and greater is He than the demons which are in this world.
Man those are great insights. Toy Story 3 was the most powerful movie experience that my family has shared together. I’m going to use this post as a guide for some family dialogue. I’m also looking forward to your next post about sharing stories, my blog is actually all about people sharing stories.
[...] via Toy Story 3: What We Can Learn From a Great Story Pt. 2 of 3 | Donald Miller’s Blog. [...]
Funny how the characters THOUGHT they knew what everyone wanted (college or attic) but as they matured and moved on throughout the story, they realized a final situation that was better than either of their previous options.
(Anybody see this happen in their own life constantly?)
I think I’ve just had an Ah-Ha! moment.
I haven’t seen any of the Toy Story movies, but Don, are you suggesting that the toys in the movies lose their God – their Father figure – when they lose their owner? They then enter a musth cycle, much like that seen in adolescent elephants when there is no mature male elephant around to steer them. One especially bad guy emerges. Order is restored when the Father figure returns.
No wonder you think Toy Story is so special that it’s worth a series of three blog posts. It encapsulates much of Don Miller’s universe in elemental screenwriter’s form – and it’s presented on the silver screen with the simplicity and clarity of children’s animation.
I’ve now finished “Jazz,” “Million Miles,” and “Father Fiction.” Reading all three helped me realize the Ah-Ha! I’ve never read three books in a row by one author before. You take the prize, Don.
Thank you, Don! I am really enjoying these posts. I am a huge Pixar/Disney fan. Have you thought of sharing your series to John Lasseter from Pixar?
I wish I saw things this clearly–it seems like my own “stuff” gets all messed up. But man, when I do a project for someone else, it is clear as day!
dear Donald,
I would like you to know that I love you.
Your friend,
Lindsey
[...] Toy Story 3: What We Can Learn From a Great Story Pt. 2 of 3 [...]
Yes, Don, I was one of the people in the theater who worked hard at choking back the tears – a 54 year old male, who was realzing once again the brevity of life and how short a time we may have with those we love. It could have been that just that morning I opened a few boxes retrieved from the attic that held memories from our two grown sons; wooden toys that I had made, pictures that they had drawn, stories that they had written. So identifying with the film was not too hard. And can I say, that when I grow up I want to be just like Woody – ever-positive, best friend material, and focued on what really matters.
[...] Part 2 [...]
[...] can check out Donald Miller’s blog for some great thoughts about story and love : here. here. and [...]
In element number 2, I think I would have stuck with the word “family” for the last sentence too, instead of team. But that’s a very powerful (and purposeful) point. Good job.
I’ve been waiting to read these posts until I saw the movie, and after seeing it last night, I can definitely say, you’re right on. The thing that struck me the most was when they first got to Sunnyside, everyone had the chance to be independent, to have no owner, and it looked oh so good at the time. Woody was the only one who remembered that they did have an owner, even if things weren’t as good between them as they used to be. Choosing to be indepedent wasn’t what they were made for. It was just a tempting escape from the life they had been living.
Donald, your writing is always superb. Reading your interpretation of the toys reuniting with their owner and the spiritual undertones such a goal implies to our Maker and ourselves brought me to tears! THank you for opening my eyes to this perspective
[...] http://donmilleris.com/2010/06/30/toy-story-3-what-we-can-learn-from-a-great-story-pt-2-of-3/ [...]