Toy Story 4

Of every studio producing content today, Pixar is perhaps the most consistently excellent. Of all of their franchises, none has done more to advance the world of animation than Toy Story. Those concentric circles make Toy Story 4 a really big deal. It is the continuation of a 20 year old franchise and a signal of where Pixar sees itself heading. Endless sequels seem to be their formula going forward, so it is an open question whether they will have something new to say when they return with characters we have known and loved. Luckily, Toy Story 4 has just enough fresh perspective to justify its own existence—which is more than can be said about the fourth entry in nearly every other franchise.

When we rejoin Woody and the gang, they now belong to Bonnie. After years of serving as Andy’s toys, they now have a certain wisdom about how best to serve a child. That wisdom inspires Woody to sneak into Bonnie’s backpack to accompany her on her first day of Kindergarten. While there, Bonnie is initially scared and alone. To cope with the rush of emotions, she makes a new friend out of a plastic fork, pipe cleaner and popsicle sticks. “Forky” is born. Immediately, Forky provides a sense of security for Bonnie and Woody views this as a relationship he must protect at all costs.

Woody spends the rest of the movie ensuring that Forky and Bonnie stay together. In the process, he encounters questions of identity that draw upon his history throughout the series. There is danger, there is fun and there is love. It is, through and through a Pixar experience.

All of the quintessential elements are there, and yet, there is something about the storytelling that feels unrealized. There were elements that never really connected and wound up feeling like a plot device rather than that trademark Pixar symbolism. Why, for instance, is Buzz Lightyear listening to his “inner voice?” It is mostly used to advance the story rather than say something about human beings. For any other animated movie, that would be par for the course, but for a Toy Story movie, it feels like a disappointment.

That said, the movie does a miraculous job of weaving together characters, old and new, for a story that feels like it has real stakes. There are genuinely tense and genuinely hilarious moments. Old characters are brought back and repurposed, new characters are given their moments to shine. It all feels tightly choreographed and expertly made. That said, this should be it. Characters arcs have seen fitting conclusions and there is an almost Endgame feel to the shape of the story. If they are ever coming back, they should know the bar will be even higher.

On the road of life there are old friends, new friends, and stories that change you. Watch the new trailer for Toy Story 4 now, in theatres June 21. Woody has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that's Andy or Bonnie.

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