Don’t want to start at the end? Read Parts One, Two, Three, and Four.

The Prospector has tightened the screws on the ventilation grate, trapping Woody and the Roundup Gang on one side and Buzz, Deluded Buzz, and Andy’s other toys on the other. Before either group can figure out how to reopen the grate, Al shows up to gather his luggage before heading to the airport. Now the movie is in the same place where the first movie was when Buzz and Woody ran from Sid’s yard to try to catch Andy’s mom’s car. If Woody ends up to that plane to Tokyo, he will never see Andy or his friends again. There are no more reprieves, though there will be roadblocks.

Roadblock #1 after the cut.

Feeling lost? Get caught up with Parts One, Two, and Three.

Now where were we? Oh, right. Woody has just decided to stay with the Roundup Gang and go to the toy museum because he realizes that Andy will eventually grow up and no longer want him. Andy’s other toys are still searching for Woody, unaware of either his decision or the fact that they have the wrong Buzz in their midst. Deluded Buzz still doesn’t know that he’s a toy. And Al is completely unaware of any of this. All he knows is that his valuable Sheriff Woody doll has been fixed and he’s about to close a deal that will make him fabulously wealthy.

Everyone learns more (except Al) under the cut.

Parts One and Two, for anyone who missed them.

Woody is now fully aware of his situation. The longer he sticks around Al’s apartment, the greater the chances that Al will ship him off to Tokyo where he’ll never see Andy again. All he wants right now is to get back home to Andy. But for the purposes of the story, he can’t leave yet. So what’s stopping him?

Find out after the cut.

Part One, in case you missed it.

Woody’s nightmare is a different sort of scene than the video game opening. It isn’t intended as a fake-out. We may initially buy into it, believe Andy is really back early from cowboy camp, and possibly miss the clue of the characters playing with a deck of cards where every card is the ace of spades. But once Andy drops Woody, we know that this isn’t happening and is more than likely a dream. It’s not even just that we know Andy isn’t going to throw Woody away anytime soon; it’s Andy’s blank expression and stiff movements as he holds his arm perpendicular to his body and delivers the line “I don’t want to play with you anymore” in an emotionless monotone. If you haven’t recognize this as a dream sequence by the time Woody falls through the cards into a garbage can lit by a spade-shaped spotlight full of detached arms, you really need to see more movies.

Out of the nightmare and back to Andy\’s room under the cut.

I am excited for Toy Story 3. Because I know I am going to see it no matter what, I’ve been trying to read and watch relatively little of the pre-release peeks at the film. But what I’ve seen and heard so far I like, for the most part. I think the premise is an extremely bold move and I can’t wait to see how Pixar pulls it off.

Roughly eleven years ago – and yes, it really has been that long – I was feeling a little less excited and a lot more worried about Toy Story 2.

Why was I worried? Find out under the cut.