Toy Story 5: Establishing A New Era For Our Fateful Toys

When Toy Story 5 was announced, audiences were once again concerned that Pixar was merely milking the Toy Story franchise. While the general consensus among fans of animation is that the original trilogy are three of the greatest films ever made, and one of the best trilogies of all time, the fourth installment in the franchise, 2019’s ‘Toy Story 4’ created even further division with fans. The film, instead, focused less on the toys as a whole and more on Woody (Hanks) and his character arc, faced with the pitfalls of starting over with a new owner. Nevertheless, the previous installment delivers an effective film with an emotional ending that continued to fuel that division.

That being said, Toy Story 5 takes a different approach, this time putting the spotlight on Jessie (Cusack). Now the new sheriff on duty, she was now in charge of taking care of their kid, Bonnie (Scarlett Spears). That job would soon find itself further complicated following the arrival of Lilypad (Greta Lee), Bonnie’s new smart tablet, a device that has taken over a bulk of her free time. Leaving the rest of her toys largely unplayed, it is up to Jessie to help Bonnie make friends and remind her what play is like outside of the tablet. While the film could have easily been a full-on rally against technology, one that preaches a message about the dangers of this new era for the next generation. it chooses a more nuanced approach. As a result, it is work that is likely to generate serious discussion long after the credits roll.

Despite the weightier themes about the intersection between youth and tech, they do not compromise the film’s humor and sense of adventure, very much keeping in the spirit of the franchise. To that point, Toy Story 5 is the funniest installment since ‘Toy Story 2,’ and a big contributor to this is a new character named Smarty Pants, an electronic potty-training toy voiced by Conan O’Brien. Another case of great casting, Smarty Pants is a brilliant character, a toy that has to truly be taught what it is like to be played with. Reconciling with the dichotomy of being a piece of technology and a toy, this internal conflict helps drive home the message of the story, making him a complicated and slightly tragic character, while still being hilarious.

The film ultimately illustrates the importance of imagination and childhood whimsy, doing so in an incredibly powerful way. It is a great thesis on why kids shouldn’t have to grow up faster than they are expected to and why the period of being a kid (and not having any social pressure), and getting the chance to figure out who you are, make up some of the most pivotal moments in a person’s life. These moments may not last forever, but they stay with us forever. Toy Story 5 is just a gorgeous movie, one filled with lush animation, a beautiful score, and a witty script, showing the team at Pixar are incapable of making a bad Toy Story film.

One could argue that this latest installment is less of an ensemble piece. While Woody plays a supporting role, Buzz (Allen) would be considered as more of a co-lead, in spite of serving a minimal role to the story. Meanwhile, the rest of the familiar cast of toys are essentially reduced to cameos, a fact which may leave some audiences feeling disappointed. That being said, in this era of the series, ‘Toy Story’ should focus on more character-centric stories that feel smaller and more introspective at scope. How will it ever top the epic, sprawling finale of ‘Toy Story 3?’ The simple answer is no, which is why the franchise is no longer trying to, as the film aims to establish a new era for our fateful toys. This time around, the new direction for the franchise succeeds, delivering another poignant adventure that maintains much of its spirit, making Toy Story 5 another great time at the movies for all audiences.

still courtesy of Disney/Pixar

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Brett Schutt

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