The Toy Story gang is back in the first of three short ‘Toy Story Toons’ and after this I can not wait for more.

The short is a great trip back into the world of Toy Story and revolves around the gangs ‘Hawaiian’ vacation.  The creativity and comedy is fast and furious here and the Pixar team is able to cram a lot into the short runtime.  The short takes place after the third film and we see all the new friendly faces we met in that film.  In fact, Ken is the lead here and Michael Keaton’s creation continues to get better and better.

But getting to see these characters we know and love is nearly worth the price of admission alone to Cars 2 and I can’t imagine anyone walking away disappointed.  If this is the caliber these Toy Story Toons are going to be taken care of we are in for quite the treat with the future installments.  Above all else this is an excellent way of getting to see these characters again without sullying the perfect wrap up of the series in the third film.

Hawaiian Vacation is of the caliber of everything Pixar has done and one of their finest shorts yet.  Sure they have the advantage of us having a strong connection to these characters and their experiences, but even without these advantages the film’s premise and execution can’t be taken for granted.  Make sure you get the kiddies to Cars 2 on time this weekend, they and you won’t want to miss it.

Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation is an A

P.S. The wait for more Toy Story action isn’t long, look for the next short in front of The Muppets later this year.