Toy Story 4 (2019)

Toy Story 4 (2019)

10/10

Starring the voices of

Tom Hanks

Tim Allen

Annie Potts

Tony Hale

Directed by Josh Cooley

This animation is just amazing, and all I felt while watching it was a deep level of nostalgia. It’s funny, interesting, and very thrilling. At first, the focus on Woody made me feel like the animation was getting derailed, but then the introduction of Forky and the return of Bo Peep completely captivated me. I didn’t want the reunion between Woody and Bo to end.

The movie stays true to the idea it established in the first Toy Story (1995): toys exist to be played with and bring joy. That said, I felt like they dumbed down Buzz Lightyear’s intelligence a bit just to add some jokes. This wasn’t the same Buzz we saw in Toy Story 2 (1999) or Toy Story 3 (2010). And like the previous movies, the ending of this one sets itself up in a completely new dimension. You never see it coming, and when it hits you, the emotions make you wish, “It ain’t so.”

But the way the animation always writes Woody as someone who finds a way to take care of his crew and his kid is something I never get tired of seeing.

Toy Story 4 is a computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It’s the fourth installment in Pixar’s Toy Story series and their twenty-first full-length production for Disney.

The story picks up after Toy Story 3 (2010). We see Woody facing something familiar from the first Toy Story—being left out of playtime. This time, though, Woody is more mature and handles it a little better than he did before.

Bonnie is starting kindergarten, and Woody decides to tag along by sneaking into her backpack. At school, he secretly helps her by providing the materials she needs to make Forky. Bonnie loves her new toy, but Forky is suffering from an existential crisis. He desperately wants to go back to being a spork, and Woody is hellbent on making sure Bonnie stays happy. She’s found joy in Forky, and Woody is willing to do anything to keep her from being sad again.

The entire movie revolves around the lengths Woody is willing to go for Forky.

The Toy Story franchise has been a financial juggernaut for Disney, and each time a new film is released, it tops the box office and outperforms the previous installment. What I love is how the story grows with time. We saw Andy grow into an adult, and now we see Bonnie starting kindergarten.

I don’t know if Disney will make a Toy Story 5, but if they do, I’ll be there to watch it. This is an animation that has found a way to entertain at every turn. Take the time to go see this movie with your family.