Been a while since I've done one of these, and it's a little late, but oh well!
Toy Story 5 is another great addition to this fantastic franchise. While it may not reach the same highs as the original trilogy, but it's a step up from TS4 and feels more like a natural continuation of TS3.
Jessie takes the reins of this one, and she honestly feels like such a natural fit for a main character. Her trauma works really well with the story's themes. Speaking of that story, it deals with the rise of technology and devices being used by children. Kids are growing up too fast as a result, and the stuff that defined our childhoods is being seen as outdated and "for babies." A very real concern for many modern adults and parents. And while its stance on screentime may be obvious, it is far more nuanced and fair than the two other possible directions I was afraid it was going to go in.
As for other positives, they fixed Buzz! He's no longer as idiotic as he was in 4 and feels far closer to how he was portrayed in 2 and 3. And as the trailers have revealed, Woody's back. Thankfully, they give something to do without completely disrespecting the ending of 4, which was my biggest concern. It also addresses many people's problems with 4's ending, as it shows he still keeps in touch with his pals and helps them out whenever they need him instead of permanently saying goodbye. The fact that he is actually helpful is a plus. Bullseye also gets more screen time this time around, which I greatly appreciate. He hasn't felt this important since TS2! New characters are also great. Lilypad is perfectly condescending and arrogant while also being shown as well-meaning. Her personality feels a lot like how parents see the rise in devices, which isn't too surprising considering the director is a parent himself. The other device characters are very fun. Conan O'Brien's Smartypants, a role I'm sure he was having a LOT of fun with, is a highlight.
In terms of negatives, the supporting characters once again feel sidelined in this one, even if it isn't as much as in 4. Several of them only get one or two lines, and a few of them don't get any lines at all. I get this is bound to happen in a movie series whose cast gets bigger with each installment, but I would've liked for them to get SOMETHING to do instead of being stuffed in a box for most of the movie. The pacing feels too fast in this one. I get that this is the current Hollywood standard, but it still feels odd for a movie series that has excelled in properly pacing its story in the past. Not to say there aren't any funny moments; there are (a moment between original Buzz and the Hi-Tech Buzzes is the biggest laugh in the movie), but it did feel like the movie was in too big a rush to get to the ending.
But there's one thing I feel mixed on: the Hi-Tech Buzz Lightyears. They're entertaining ("Why did we freeze?"), and the opening with them is one of the best in the series, but I'm not entirely sure what they're doing in the story. They don't really tie into anything besides providing an exciting climax. As a concept by themselves, I love them. But in execution in the story, they leave a lot to be desired.
In conclusion, the Toy Story franchise still retains its heart, its humor, its adventure, and its reliability over 30 years in. And with confirmation from Pixar that more is to come, hopefully they can keep everything we love about these movies while providing us something new with each one.
