TOY STORY 5
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Conan O’Brien, Scarlett Spears, Greta Lee, Shelby Rebara, Craig Robinson, and Mykal-Michelle Harris
Director: Andrew Stanton
NICK
People will continue to debate whether Toy Story 3 should have gotten a sequel. Regardless, Toy Story 5 feels like a much more worthy follow-up than Toy Story 4. Writer/director Andrew Stanton and co-writer/director Kenna Harris found the right creative story to work as a natural progression for this franchise, and it's tremendous. As expected, the film is bursting with heart and laughs, but it's the way it reaffirms the weight and importance of our formative years, even in adulthood, through the lens of modern technology's rise where it succeeds the most. It’s a beautiful and emotionally resonant tale for parents and children alike.
AMARÚ
Toy Story 2 is the best of the franchise, and Jessie’s (Joan Cusack) emotional depth is a big reason why. Centering Toy Story 5 around her was a brilliant way to prove that, with the right amount of thought, these movies can be released for the rest of our lives. It reminded us how difficult childhood can be, and shows how toys (and tech) are conduits of creativity, imagination, and friendship that, with balance, can help us navigate growing up in ever-changing times. Each generation deals with its own evolving joys and conflicts, and each generation deserves a Toy Story to help guide them through.
ADRIANO
I don’t want Pixar to keep making these, but dammit, they know how to win me over. Toy Story 5 has the same pros and cons as Toy Story 4. Its sideplots seem like epilogues to the third film, leading to some characters being sidelined, especially Woody (Tom Hanks), who you could remove entirely and it would change nothing. But the main storyline and objective are effective in their poignant approach to Jessie (Joan Cusack) and the things kids can lose from over reliance on tech. And yes, it made me cry. These toys still have that going for them.
QUENTIN
Objectively speaking, Toy Story 5 successfully hits the mark, delivering an endearing tale about the transition from toys to screens and modern childhood interactions. It also provides easy-to-digest humor and emotion. However, subjectively speaking as a childless, 45-year-old man — one who even has 30 years worth of nostalgia for this franchise — Toy Story 5 did absolutely nothing for me. I came, I saw, I left. And much like Toy Story 4, or any recent Pixar movie for that matter, it'll almost immediately fade from memory. So, if Pixar still does it for you, go forth and enjoy! If not…well, you’ve got a friend in me.
ROBERT
I don’t think any subsequent Toy Story entry can match the completeness of the original trilogy, colored by my age and how perfect an ending it was. The previous effort wasn’t egregious, but it lacked the bedrock emotionality and weight. Toy Story 5 does yeoman’s work to swim upstream against its constraints by really considering the toys’ role in how they help their owner grow into a full person. Jessie (Joan Cusack) is heartbreaking with the constant nagging of her past, but she remains resolute, which makes her the best focal point. While the ancillary stuff anchors its lofty aspirations, the core story is worth a play.
KATIE
I’m conscious that nostalgia and my reverence for the first three Toy Story films, which make the perfect trilogy before the forgettable fourth instalment, are preventing me from connecting with the latest Toy Story 5. Still, I found it oddly convoluted, inconsistent in its ideas, unfunny, and, for the first time, I was bored whilst spending time with these fantastic characters. The animation is stunning, but it lacks the emotional depth and clarity of its predecessors, quickly establishing and then abandoning its message about technology and toys. Sadly, even Toy Story is not immune to IP fatigue.
Want to hear even more of our thoughts? Nick and Shak join Amarú to take A Bigger Bite out of Toy Story 5 HERE.