Getting your
Trinity Audioplayer ready...In “Toy Story 5,” Pixar adjusts its spotlight a wee bit away from its two venerable franchise heroes of more than 30 years — the ever-helpful cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) and over-eager astronaut Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) — in order to focus on the plight of plucky cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack), a beloved supporting character we met in “Toy Story 2.”
What a smart and sweet move. Never fear, though, the object of Buzz’s affection does receive a helping hand from the bumbling boys and other toys while she wrestles with a brewing existential crisis that’s eroding her confidence and making her wonder if she matters anymore in this tech-dominated world. It’s a door-opening premise that takes a shrewd, but not condemning, view of how technology is impacting our lives and presents the more old-fashion toys with a legit, of-the-moment conflict.
That this hyper-relevant story line is told mostly from a refreshing female perspective illustrates a big reason why this series is still going strong after more than three decades. In keeping with the spirit of its predecessors (“Toy Story 3” remains my favorite), this fourth sequel is animated with ingenuity and cleverness while exploring pertinent themes with a light touch. Director Andrew Stanton and co-director Kenna Harris (who share screenwriting credits) hone in on the importance of having balance in life and realizing that we are all important to other people, no matter how useless we might feel on occasion. Pixar’s pep talk couldn’t arrive at a more opportune time, and, or course, can be counted on to make you tear up.
The hard lesson to learn here, for both kids and adults, comes in balancing addictive screen time with finding connection offline with true friends. It takes shy, 8-year-old Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) awhile to gain that understanding since she becomes so plugged into her always-on Lilypad (voice of Greta Lee) — a gift from her worried parents. Whenever “Toy Story 5” directs its attention on Bonnie, Jessie, her horse Bullseye or a well-adjusted, play-focused potential new friend for Bonnie named Blaze (Mykal-Michelle Harris), a guaranteed lump in the throat results.
The comic relief arrives mostly in the form of Woody and Buzz and their shenanigans as they tangle with Lilypad while a squadron of Buzz Lightyears tromp through forests and piers. It adds to the fun, even if the Lightyear side story initially seems like a distraction. (It makes sense later on).
“Toy Story 5” — complete with a catchy Taylor Swift song and an inspired new toy figure Pizza With Sunglasses (voiced by Bad Bunny) — will warm even the coldest of hearts, particularly in the scenes with Bonnie and Blaze combining their imaginations for collective creativity when they play with toys (re-created joyously through old-school animation).
It is those sweet, touching moments when all the reasons why Pixar remains the world’s animation leader come out to play, making everyone in the audience feel like a kid again.
Oh, and a bit of advice: Don’t leave when the credits start rolling; there’s a little something extra for you.
Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.
‘TOY STORY 5’
4 stars out of 4
Rating: PG (some thematic elements, rude humor) Cast: Voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Greta Lee, Scarlett Spears, Mykal-Michelle Harris
Directors: Andrew Stanton and Keena Harris (co-director) Running time: 1 hour, 42 minutes
When & where: Opens June 19 in theaters