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Kim Hollis: I'll admit that at one point I was so hyped up about this movie that I even thought it had a chance to beat The Dark Knight's opening weekend record. The thing is, though, Pixar films do behave differently than other movies. They're remarkably consistent, and the fact that Toy Story 3 has now opened $40 million higher than the next closest Pixar film is absolutely incredible. It has a chance to be the biggest movie of the summer. I understand some of the disappointment about it not beating Shrek the Third, but I think a lot of that is because we all so badly want it to beat the green ogre. Disney and Pixar should be thrilled with how the film performed. And even if Shrek has the animation record, Pixar can be proud of the product that they produced. It closes out the series on a high, high note.

David Mumpower: I think that the one aspect of the Shrek comparisons that doesn’t get mentioned enough is that what makes Pixar films wonderful is that they’re emotional and touching. Many consumers are looking for a lighter experience when they drag all the kids to the theater. We’re talking about cotton candy versus an elegant entrée. When a potential movie goer knows that they will buy the Pixar DVD in a few months anyway (and this is the format where Pixar rules the world), there isn’t that same pressure to head to the theater. Mainstream consumers have made the (somewhat arbitrary) determination that Shrek is an experience best viewed in a theater while Pixar releases are a permanent part of the home media library. The fact that Toy Story 3 is important enough to convince 50% more consumers than the other recent Pixar films to see this in the theater is a triumph. And while it may not have beaten Shrek the Third, we would be remiss if we didn’t note that it absolutely drubbed Shrek Forever After.

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