By Matthew Moorcroft

Highest Recommendation

• Directed by Andrew Stanton
• Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Greta Lee
• PG

Like all of the nigh-perfect entries in the series that came before it, Toy Story 5 plays as equally if not more to the adults in the audience as it does the children it’s supposedly aimed. In the case of prior films, those extended to it’s existential questions about the nature of life, mortality, getting old, and eventually moving on and finding purpose in one’s self beyond that of your initial programming. And while all of that is here, Toy Story 5 is also much more direct in it’s ideas then prior films, seemingly having a target beyond just it’s usual tug at the heartstrings; that being the iPad kids and the parents who unable them.

And it was probably always going to turn out like this. While the beauty of the Toy Story movies is in their timeless relatability – kids are always going to have toys and they are always going to wonder if those toys have lives outside of them when they aren’t around – the times do change. What kids play with evolve and grow, and in some ways Toy Story 5 returns to that fertile ground that ultimately provided the backstone of the conflict in the first film: that of the evolving toy.

But here it’s a much bigger, more dynamic topic, which is the clear rise of tech and screens and phones in the lives of kids. It’s not hard to see why Andrew Stanton, after writing nearly every film in the series, took it upon himself to direct this particular installment. He has already flirted with questions about our increasing need for tech in the past, as one needs to look no further then Wall-E for that, but Toy Story 5‘s angle on the topic is considerably more nuanced then one would expect. You would expect it to demonize tech, but instead it’s a film about how things change and there isn’t much you can do about it, you just need to adapt and be there for the people who care about you.

Much of this is set in motion by the appearance of Lilypad – played by a wonderful Greta Lee, who is a highlight of the whole film – and the threat that possibly represents to the toys at large. This applies especially to Jessie, whose abandonment issues still plague her and are at the forefront in this installment. As sequel setups go, especially now that Woody – back in a supporting role that justifies itself by simply just being a ton of fun – has his arc completed, it’s a good one. And Stanton uses every chance he has with the premise to be as clever and creative as he can be, particularly in sequences involving 50 something hi-tech Buzz Lightyears who are following a star in desperate attempt to get back to Star Command. It’s absurd, silly, and in great Toy Story fashion, even moving by the end of it.

Where Toy Story 5 truly begins to excel though is in how it reframes the central thesis of Toy Story into something really powerful. There has been an argument to be made that the Toy Story movies are, in a lot of ways, about parenthood. The toys view themselves and act like surrogate parents to their kids, but here Toy Story 5 it’s very much front and center with Jessie. The film’s framing of Jessie’s influence on the kids that she has been with, particularly Emily – who does return here for a gutpunch, those who are emotionally destroyed by “When She Loved Me” be warned – feels very much like a parent wondering if their kids ever think about them after they leave, which to many would be a resounding “yes” but as Stanton has gotten older, and his films more obviously about reflecting on his experience as a father, there is a real argument to be made about Toy Story 5 being the most personal Toy Story film yet.

Like all of Pixar’s other films, it’s also routinely gorgeous and wonderfully made, with the film’s animation style finding a good balance between the hyper-photorealism of Toy Story 4 while returning to the more cartoony stylings of the first two films. Bonnie’s imagination sequences are a particular highlight here, with their pastel colors and painterly style that’s easily the most stylized the series has ever decided to be. The entire cast is pretty much game as per expected for this, though this time it’s actually the new cast that shines brightest. The aforementioned Greta Lee is excellent here but Conan O’Brien, Craig Robinson, and Shelby Rabara make really strong impressions here. O’Brien is particularly stellar, playing a potty-training device from years prior who has missed upwards of 7 years of his kid’s life, played for both great comedy and solid emotion, and O’Brien’s uproarious delivery helps with that.

You would think that they would eventually make one that’s lesser in quality, but Toy Story 5 is another winning for not just Pixar, but the now seemingly unstoppable Toy Story franchise. While I have no idea how much longer they can play this game – the actors are getting older and diminishing returns has to set in at some point – it’s certainly not today that the franchise is in the need of retooling. Another winner for Pixar, and another phenomenal Toy Story film to the books.