“Toy Story 5” tackles the rise of tech

"Toy Story" was the movie that made Pixar the studio it is today. Before, they were known for their shorts, but this was their first foray into feature-length films. It set the standard for what computer animation could look like and the stories it could tell. That was XX years ago. It is now 2026, and "Toy Story" is still going. Kids who watched the original in theaters are now taking their kids to see Woody, Buzz, and all the rest on the big screen.

When Bonnie gets a Lilly Pad tablet (voiced by Greta Lee), it's up to Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack) and the other toys to fight off the threat of tech.

The common thought is that this franchise should have ended at "Toy Story 3." I am in that camp, but after this one, I think that we need to change that mindset. The first three are "The Andy Trilogy" since they focus on the toys' experience with Andy. The last two movies are part of "The Bonnie Trilogy"-assuming they make a sixth. What separates the two, aside from the kid, is how the kid is used in the movie. Andy barely factors into the plot beyond being the motivation for the toys. Bonnie is more of a character. She has her own storyline in her movies, and we see her life outside of playing with her toys.

The best thing that this movie does is sideline Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen). I'd go as far as to say you could take Woody out entirely and nothing would change, and Buzz barely factors into the story at all. Focusing on Jessie is a great way to do something different, five movies in. Her quest to find Bonnie a friend is something deeper than anything we got with Andy. The fight between Jessie and Lilly Pad basically boils down to the best way to make friends, and I wish it had more to say about tech and children. As someone who is in education, I am seeing schools/districts revolt against tech being' the primary way kids learn: lots of places are moving back to paper and pencil testing/assignments. It would have been a great way to comment on a topical issue. It clearly wants to say something (it shows many houses with kids on devices and not playing with toys), but seems afraid to take a real stand: it could be because you can watch any of the “Toy Story” movies on such devices.

The last two "Toy Story" films have been good and, mostly, justified their existence, but have not reached the heights of the original three. There will no doubt be a sixty entry in this franchise, and I am sure it will be enjoyable, if not superfluous. I just hope it has something more important to say.

6/10

Rated PG for some thematic elements and rude humor

1h 42m