A better ending than Toy Story 3?
In an age of reboots, remakes, and Disney driving things into the ground, my original thought when I saw Toy Story 4 was announced was that this is an unnecessary film to get more money out of nostalgia. While that thought isn’t technically wrong, I was still overjoyed with the result.
The newest adventure of Toy Story follows the gang going on a roadtrip with Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw) and a newly created toy, Forky (Tony Hale). When Forky misunderstands his life as a toy, things quickly go awry. Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen), along with some old friends, must work together to help Forky and keep Bonnie happy.
The first thing I noticed was just how good the animation looks. It’s absolutely stunning the advances we’ve made in how detailed the visuals can be now. There are moments where I can’t help but just stare at the lighting, the movement, or in one scene, the cat.
That doesn’t mean the original magic of Toy Story is gone though. The cast is back and better than ever with laughs and smiles aplenty. The new addition of Forky provides some scenes that are absolutely hilarious while also bringing a nice little message to the movie that both kids and adults can take to heart.
The flip side to that brings the main flaw of the movie and that’s the supporting cast. While the main characters of Woody and Buzz and Forky shine, along with a few people who help along the way, the majority of the old friends from the originals have little to no real screen time. They’re almost entirely ignored and that’s a shame with how great some of them have been in the past.
The thing that truly surprised me was that I thought this iteration wrapped the franchise up even better than Toy Story 3 did. Of course we don’t know if there will be more, as we all thought the third would be the last and here we are, but I certainly won’t be complaining if they decide to end it here. It’s hard to explain without spoilers but it just brings a new sense of closure, especially with some of the toys you’ve grown to love.
Toy Story 4 is an emotional tale that focuses in with a more character-driven arc and makes you love these toys more than you already did. There’s multiple themes that the film portrays that can be understood by all ages, despite the film being primarily directed towards children. Expect that classic nostalgic magic from every Toy Story before it and don’t forget the tissues. Go watch this movie.
The Movie Hall 