Item: Toy Story 4
Rating: 9
Author: Alex Maidy

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

PLOT: While on a road trip, Bonnie's new homemade toy Forky (Tony Hale) runs away and Woody (Tom Hanks) tries to find him. While Buzz (Tim Allen) and the rest of the toys try to rescue him, Woody discovers the long lost Bo Peep (Annie Potts) who teaches him what life can be like without a kid.

REVIEW: The question everyone has been asking is why Disney and Pixar even made TOY STORY 4. With the third film serving as a perfect close to the trilogy, a fourth movie felt like it could be nothing more than a cash grab, especially in light of some of Pixar's other sequels which have lacked the creative vision of their original stories. While films like INCREDIBLES 2 and MONSTERS UNIVERSITY are better than most animated fare out there, the TOY STORY sequels have always built upon, and improved on, the prior movies in the franchise. TOY STORY 4 is no exception as it embodies the same heart as the movies that came before it and even pushes the envelope of what animation is capable of achieving. TOY STORY 4 is also going to go down as one of the best films of the summer and maybe of 2019.

If you had any concerns since TOY STORY 4 was announced almost five years ago, forget all about them. Director Josh Cooley has taken the story which evolved from ideas by John Lassetter, Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, and many others before the final draft by Stephany Folsom and Andrew Stanton, and crafted a chapter in the series that brings a satisfying conclusion to the tale of Woody. The third film brought a conclusion to Andy's tale, but once you see TOY STORY 4, you will realize there was a little more left to say. This does not necessarily mean the door is shut on future sequels down the line, but you will never get the feeling that this movie is tacked on or unnecessary. In fact, if you found yourself emotionally struck by the third movie, TOY STORY 4 is going to hit you even harder.

As you can tell from the trailers, TOY STORY 4 finds Bonnie's toys embarking on a road trip where Woody is looking after the newest member of the ensemble, Forky. Voiced by Tony Hale, Forky doesn't quite understand why he is alive or what it means to be a toy and Woody takes it upon himself to teach him. When Forky gets lost, Woody trails him to an antique store which also happens to be the destination of his lost love, Bo Peep (Annie Potts). It is there that Woody and Forky run into the creepy Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) who has her eyes set on taking something valuable that belongs to Woody. At the same time, Buzz (Tim Allen) finds himself at the adjoining carnival where he enlists the help of prizes Ducky and Bunny (Jordan Peele and Keegan Michael-Key) to save Woody. Eventually, Woody and Bo Peep reunite and the separate groups come together in a quest to get Forky back to Bonnie.

TOY STORY 4 brings all of the toys from prior films back including Mr. Potato Head, voiced by the late Don Rickles using archival audio. But most of the toys, including Rex, Slinky, Ham, and all of Bonnie's other toys, get less screen time in favor of the above mentioned characters as well as Duke Caboom who is bound to be the scene-stealer of the summer. Voiced by Keanu Reeves, Duke Caboom is similar to Buzz Lightyear in the first TOY STORY, with great one-liners and some of the funniest parts of the whole movie. I never realized how much I wanted Keanu Reeves to voice a character like this, but he is so invested in making Duke Caboom memorable, you will find yourself wanting his action figure as soon as you walk out of the theater.

The same goes for Forky, Ducky, and Bunny. All of these talented comedic actors imbue their characters with life and none of their best moments are ruined in any of the trailers so far. In fact, TOY STORY 4 is an epic adventure that ties together so many different settings that we have not seen from Pixar in a long time. The animation is jaw-dropping in every scene from the rain-soaked opening sequence to the antique store which features over 10,000 distinct items including easter eggs from every single Pixar movie to date (as well as the upcoming ONWARD). You will spot many familiar faces from Pixar history through the film which all build towards a story direction I honestly did not see coming but makes for a much more poignant ending than I was prepared for.

The music is once again provided by the great Randy Newman whose familiar character themes are as comforting as ever. His new tune for the film, "The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy" performed by Chris Stapleton, is assuredly going to get an Oscar nomination. There are also so many quotable moments in this movie that I found myself walking out of the theater with tears in my eyes from laughing so hard. Key and Peele add a dimension of humor to the story that we have not had in previous films and Tony Hale's performance echoes his great work on Veep and Arrested Development and somehow gives so much depth to a character that is almost a blank slate. But this series has always been about Tom Hanks and Tim Allen's characters with each getting some great character arcs here, especially Hanks who gets to tip his cap as the iconic Woody.

TOY STORY 4 is another home run for Pixar and one that perfectly sets up future movies (or Disney+ series) with characters new and old. It also works wonderfully as a conclusion to the series. What is great about the TOY STORY franchise is that so much care is put into these creations that revisiting them always feels like an unexpected prize. TOY STORY means so much to multiple generations now that those like me that were teens when the first film came out have their own children and are experiencing some of the same emotions that Woody, Buzz, Bo Peep, and all of the characters are feeling. For a G-rated movie, TOY STORY 4 has some heavy themes that it explores wonderfully in a movie that is truly a treat for all ages. If TOY STORY 4 marks the end of this adventure, it couldn't have been done better.

TOY STORY 4 hits theaters on June 21st.