Movie Review: Toy Story 5 6-19-26
In this movie, Bonnie Anderson gets a LilyPad in the mail, a frog-shaped tablet that can do anything you want it to, including make friends with complete strangers online. Jessie, who took over for Woody after he became a lost toy, believes that Bonnie should make friends with people in-person and not just online. With the help of toys both old and new, Jessie goes off on adventure to find a human around Bonnie’s age who’s not brainwashed by tech: A nine-year-old aspiring cowgirl named Blaze.
Toy Story 5 may reuse story elements from previous installments, but it makes up for it with animation that’s lightyears ahead of what was possible for even Toy Story 3, fun new characters, another great score from Randy Newman (if you ask me, however, Randy should retire soon), and a strong message on how relying too much on technology can be unhealthy for you.
There’s also an army of newer Buzz Lightyears who were stranded on a tropical island, all of whom think they’re actual Space Rangers. They go on a journey to find ‘Star Command’, which they think is an actual star. The Buzzes aren’t really necessary to the plot, but they make up for it in the movie’s third act.
Like other movies I reviewed in the past decade, there are some nitpicks I have about Toy Story 5: Bonnie is supposed to be eight, but still looks five. I know it’s a little unfair, but look at Inside Out 2. It may have been two years, but Riley Anderson (no relation to Bonnie Anderson) went through quite a growth spurt. In fact, her old outfit from Inside Out 1 doesn’t even fit anymore!
Also, it’s supposed to be three years after Toy Story 4, yet the characters are already using SmartPhones and tablets. To quote Timon in The Lion King, “Did I miss something?!”
In conclusion, despite its small flaws, unless Coyote vs Acme says otherwise, Toy Story 5 is the ideal movie to see in theaters during the summer, especially when you look at two other titles that seem inferior: Minos & Monsters and a live-action Moana. You’re telling me that Disney is spending millions upon millions of dollars to remake one of their most loved animated movies of the 2010s when it doesn’t need it, yet you’re skipping out on movies that could benefit from a live-action remake like The Aristocats, The Fox and the Hound, Oliver and Company, or even Atlantis? The only good thing that could benefit from a live-action Moana remake is a potential remake of Moana 2, which could definitely use a fixer-upper.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
