“Toy Story
4” isn’t made for kids. There I said it. I could hear my brother, who I went to
see this with, saying oh crap when they give a flash back to the kid from the
first three films, Andy, playing with Woody. I remember that well. It was like
twenty some years ago. God, do I go to the movies for this? Okay, I need to put
aside my feelings and talk about this film as a film. Yet, that is so hard,
because this “Toy Story” film more than all the others beats you over the head
with this feeling of this being the finale of your childhood. In fact, this is
not the movie to introduce your kids to if they are new viewers. It’s kind of
odd if you think about it. We are at an place in the movie world where even
“Toy Story” is a epic universe. When did that happen?
So, what’s the story? We start
with a flash back to Andy playing with Woody. When the lights go out, the toys
come to life, and Andy’s sister is ready to give up one of her toys, Bo Peep
(Annie Potts). Woody, voiced by Tom Hanks, is shocked that his relationship is
basically coming to an end, but as with all toys, their fate is controlled by
the children, not them. Flash forward a number of years, and Woody, Buzz
Lightyear (Tim Allen) and friends are now owned by a little girl named Bonnie.
Woody is concerned by Bonnie starting school, and basically, hides in her
backpack. Being fearful, Bonnie creates a new friend out of a spork, and names
it Forky. Forky, voiced by Tony Hale, comes to life and becomes a member of the
family of toys.
However, he wants to be trash. He
wants to be thrown out and doesn’t know why he is alive. As Bonnie’s mom and
dad decide to go on a special RV trip before the big school year starts, Forky
keeps trying to escape as the toys come along on the trip. Forky jumps out the
window, and keeps trying to make himself trash. However, it’s up to Woody to
act as a father figure and teach Forky how to be a toy. This leads to some meta
commentary on Woody being a father figure to Forky, which in turn, is how he
feels about his first owner Andy. He comments on how wonderful it is to be a
toy, and see the things Andy will go off to do. Yet, the twist is, being a toy,
he won’t see those things. It’s a interesting commentary on parenthood and
getting older, really.
Buzz Lightyear isn’t given too
much to do, as are the other toys. Buzz tries to find his inner voice and
follow it. The voice acting between Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are charming as
always. Tony Hale isn’t bad either. As Woody gets lost with Forky after he
jumps out the window one time too many, he comes upon an antique shop where he
meets a doll named Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks). At first she’s set up as
a villain, than becomes not so much a villain as a toy who just wants her own
kid to love. More importantly however, Woody reconnects with Bo Peep who now
helps lost toys find homes.
Meanwhile, Buzz Lightyear meets
probably the two most two inspired new creations of this film. The two new toys are Ducky and Bunny, voiced by
Kaye and Peele, who provide something we have never seen before in a Pixar
story. Not only are they funny, but they provide of couple cut away gags. When
these two stuffed animals talk, they show in cut away gag styles their crazy
plans to save the day. There’s a lot going on here, but mostly this is a roller
coaster ride for people in their thirties.
I’ve read some other reviews of
this film before I saw it and basically a lot of film critics seem to have
personal crisis’s while watching this film. It’s a well made film for sure. The
animation, as usual, is beautiful. Yet the ending is a big moment for the Pixar
universe, and hints this might be it for the entire story. I won’t give it
away. Like “Harry Potter” before it, this is a film series that grew with the
viewer. What makes things like “Toy Story” and “Harry Potter” different than
“Star Wars” and the Marvel Universe is they don’t have enough characters to go
on forever. Also, they aren’t as rebootable. So if this is it, it’s been a fun
playtime.
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