Review: Toy Story 5

Image courtesy of Pixar.

There have been several endings to the "Toy Story" movies where the series could logically end - but here we are with a fifth entry that is overall good, but a lesser entry of the bunch, albeit among the most topical. There are, I'm sure, other films of recent memory that have done a decent job of observing the older generation looking with apprehension at the younger generation - but I can't immediately think of any that capture it as aptly as this one.

Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) appear once again, but it's Jessie (Joan Cusack) who takes center stage in this latest entry. In the film, Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) is now 8 years old and having a difficult time making friends. She still plays with Jessie and her other toys, but seemingly feels left out when most of the other children spend much of their time on gadgets.

This doesn't go unnoticed by Jessie, Buzz, Woody, and the other toys. The film's humans are depicted as almost always being haloed by a glow coming from their devices, creating a sense of unease for the toys and, frankly, for anyone else who believes that the modern world is currently becoming digital to the point that almost everything else might soon be obsolete.

When Bonnie's parents purchase a device known as Lilypad (Greta Lee) for her, it instantly puts her in touch with a group chat of young girls her age. However, they smirk at her continuing to play with her toys, which in turn leads Bonnie to shove them aside for her new gadget. Jessie believes that she can help Bonnie by smuggling herself along during a sleepover at one of the new friend's houses, but this only makes things worse.

Lilypad proves to be a capable nemesis for Jessie and the gang, causing all sorts of problems for them at the mere push of a button. Later in the film, Jessie meets a group of outdated devices (led by Conan O'Brien's Smarty Pants) that teaches her that both she and her friends and some of these devices each have their purpose in Bonnie's life.

The "Toy Story" movies have been Pixar's longest running - and likely - most successful series. It's an interesting move to make Jessie the central character in this film - giving Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang supporting roles - and to focus on children's increased use of devices and decrease in other forms of play or activity. 

It creates a sense of unease when I see adults constantly plugged into devices, but even more chilling when I think of how entire generations are being raised on them. This picture utilizes this concept adroitly. 

While the "Toy Story" films have been high on quality during their 31-year run, this entry feels more in line with some of the other Pixar sequels - definitely still good, but not on par with the best of the animation studio's efforts. Earlier this year, on the other hand, I thought that "Hoppers" was the best Pixar movie I'd seen since 2020's underrated "Soul."

While some will no doubt argue that the film's central concept - that something is lost when most humans, including children, have their heads buried in screens all day - is old and fusty, I appreciated that the film ends on a note of encouraging children to engage in active play and use their imaginations. This would be a good film for parents to encourage their children to see.