It has been thirty years since Pixar captured the heart of audience’s around the world with the original Toy Story. The adventures of Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) have defined generations. While the initial three films of the franchise proved sufficient enough, two more installments have been made over the years. Although they may not have been entirely necessary, I will never pass up a chance to spend time with these characters.
This time around, the toys are threatened by a new foe: technology. When their kid Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) is gifted a tablet by the name of Lilypad (Greta Lee), her attention shifts and her old friends are abandoned. Jessie (Joan Cusack), who is most recently in charge of Bonnie’s room, takes it upon herself to prove to Bonnie that she isn’t too old to play with toys after all. What transpires is a journey unlike any other the toys have experienced while they try to prevent becoming a thing of the past.
In the previous films, Woody and Buzz have been at the forefront. Now the spotlight is entirely on Jessie and I thought the choice was perfect. Despite her making her introduction in the second film, there was still a lot we didn’t know about her. I appreciated learning about her backstory with her first owner Emily and how she came to live with Andy and then Bonnie. Cusack, who is starring in her first role in seven years, delivers a genuine and heartwarming performance. New additions Conan O’Brien as Smarty Pants, Craig Robinson as Atlas, Shelby Rabara as Snappy and of course Lee as Lilypad were all expertly casted. O’Brien in particular had some scene stealing moments that had me in stitches.
In true Pixar fashion, this story tugged at the heartstrings. The technology plot was depicted in such a realistic way. As a nineties kid, I grew up with various Barbies and other toys. I didn’t get into screens until later and I am glad about that. Children can be easily influenced and I thought the experience that Bonnie had with social media was spot on. It just further iterated that while tech has enhanced our lives in many ways, we mustn’t forget the times before it.
Toy Story 5 was a worthy addition to the franchise. I had a blast being reunited with these characters. The animation was once again in top form, and it was filled with a solid blend of humor and heart. I was five years old when the first film came out which was a little younger than Andy was back then. Now I am thirty five, the same age as Andy’s mom. Growing up with these films has been such a pleasure and once again I was proven that Toy Story really is one of the greatest animation franchises of all time.
Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️.5
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