Toy Story 4

Rating: 5/5

Just when you think Pixar can't possibly make the Toy Story franchise any better, they prove their immense skill by coming out with the fourth installment.

Woody (Tom Hanks) and his gang are enjoying their lives at their new home with Bonnie. However, Woody does feel a little under-appreciated, as he was so used to running the show when they were all Andy's toys. When Bonnie is about to go to her kindergarten orientation, Woody sees an opportunity to make his move and show his knowledge and worth. At orientation, Bonnie is feeling very scared and lonely, and Woody, being the experienced toy he is, takes notice. He helps her out by sneaking craft supplies and a little trash to her so she can create something. The end result is Bonnie's new favorite toy, Forky (Tony Hale). When Forky goes home with Bonnie, he has a major struggle understanding that he is a toy and not trash. Then Bonnie and her family go on an end of the summer road trip, and Forky makes a break for it, so Woody must go on an adventure to get him back and make sure he is returned back home to Bonnie.

When Toy Story 4 began, what struck me right off the bat, was how unbelievably impressive the animation was. With this being the fourth Toy Story film, the characters themselves were not new, but the way they were presented absolutely was. Something that had been not as defined in the previous movies was the difference in texture and sheen between the plastic or porcelain toys. The original Toy Story was groundbreaking with its' animation, but it doesn't even hold a candle to the detail put into Toy Story 4. The scenes within the antique shop were where I really noticed this concept the most. The dust on the baseboards, the lifelike quality of the cat's fur, or the light reflecting off of Bo-Peep's (Annie Potts) cheeks were all immensely astounding to behold.

It is no secret or surprise when someone says that a Pixar film made them cry, as they have a strong tendency to evoke tears from their viewers, however I honestly didn't expect it from Toy Story 4. Going into the movie, I was more than a little unsure about what my opinion was going to be, because I felt the third film had a wonderful sense of finality to it, and originally I had anticipated the fourth movie to be a little unnecessary. None of that rings true now. I found myself enjoying Toy Story 4 more than 3. This particular Toy Story movie used music to bring bring forth the emotion it was trying to convey, along with its' brilliant storyline and animation. I don't think I remember the music being such a prominent element in the other films in the way that it was in this one, and that is what really made the tears come to my eyes; especially in the final act.

You'd think that with there being so many children's movies in existence now, that there can be only so many stories to tell, and after awhile they'd all grow a bit repetitive, but Pixar has always been able to dodge that bullet. Toy Story 4 brought some more frightening aspects to their plot, as well as some unexpected hilarity and oddities. It is without a doubt one of the stranger additions to the franchise, and that could perhaps be why I loved it so much. I really admired the bravery behind the story, and how the writers knew that they needed to bring something new to the table, and were able to deliver that creativity in spades. Pixar rarely fails to make me crack a smile, but Toy Story 4 definitely made me laugh out loud more than their average film had. It was one of those memorable movie theater experiences where there were times when just the adults were laughing, then sometimes just the kids, and then the blissful moments where the laughter from the entire audience almost muffled the volume of the actual film. Pure movie magic.

As much as I loved Toy Story 4, I really do hope this is the last one Pixar decides to do. This one ended on such a wonderful high note, that I would hate to see the franchise get cheapened with an unnecessary fifth installment. Although, I had initially thought this one was going to feel unnecessary, so who knows. Pixar obviously knows what they're doing, and they clearly felt the world needed more Woody and Buzz in their lives, and boy were they right.