Campus Events Commission shows 'Toy Story 3' as one of its first free movie screenings

For college students who have grown up watching the “Toy Story” movies, there’s certainly a large amount of nostalgia attached to them.

Campus Events Commission screened Pixar Animation Studio’s “Toy Story 3” in Ackerman Grand Ballroom Sept. 30 and will be showing it again Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. This year CEC is no longer charging $2 for these movie screenings.

Noga Alon, third-year economics student and event staff for ASUCLA, doesn’t think making the movies free will affect screening attendance.

“Sneaks are what get people excited. People who are into ‘Toy Story 3’ have already seen it,” Alon said.

Still, there was an unusual crowd for this screening, with the larger part of the 400 chairs filled by students.

Mary Pons, second-year anthropology student and events supervisor, is more concerned with the confusion the change may cause.

“Now that the movies are free, only students are admitted and they have to show their BruinCards,” Pons said.

The group of students who did show up for the Thursday screening reacted as if they were in a movie theater seeing “Toy Story 3” on opening night. Nostalgic laughs and sighs of lament filled the room as the audience watched the opening scene that showed how much had changed in Andy’s life since “Toy Story 2.”

A whole new batch of characters were added, and favorites included the overly theatrical Mr. Pricklepants, lovey-dovey couple Ken and Barbie, and Bonnie, the sweet little girl who creates make-believe scenes in which her toys are the stars.

Some in the audience said they felt a little guilty about what they’d done with their toys.

“My old toys must be lonely now that I’m in college. After watching this movie, I feel like I should donate them,” said Julia Selfridge, a fourth-year microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student.

“Toy Story 3” is a return to the time when you cared deeply for a toy’s life and where you can leave your stress over papers and LSAT prep behind. This film kept the audience laughing and made many cry like a baby (don’t pretend you didn’t!). Pixar has done its job once again.