Buzz and Woody are back in “Toy Story 5” and bring their friends as well for a charming and emotional PIXAR adventure.
When Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) is struggling to make friends, her parents decide to buy her a Lillypad tablet to keep up with the other girls in her dance class. The tablet soon becomes a focal point of her life, and she has less time for her toys. This troubles Jessie (Joan Cusack), as she worries she and her fellow toys will be boxed up and forgotten as Bonnie is her third owner, and she feels her time has passed.
Buzz (Tim Allen) does not believe this to be true, but is concerned over Lillypad (Greta Lee), and struggles to tell his feelings to Jessie. When Woody (Tom Hanks) and his crew arrive to reunite the gang, they figure things will get resolved, but in a sequence of events, they find themselves having to work together to solve a myriad of obstacles and save the day.
Aside from the amazing animation and great voice work by the staff, the movie is a timely and topical film that tugs at the emotions more than once. Cyberbullying, growing up, play vs screen time, and accepting the passage of time are all covered without being overly heavy and preachy.
New characters such as Smarty Pants (Conan O’Brien) add to the ensemble well and enhance the story without feeling tacked on. The topic of technology replacing play was very effective, as the abundance of screen time for children has been a hot topic, and the movie attempts to show that children need play and imagination as part of their growth process, but technology has a place as well.
I was engaged from start to finish and loved catching up with the characters who have become cultural icons. I cannot recommend this movie enough for fans, as it never feels like an unnecessary addition, as it moves the characters along well.
While it remains to be seen if a new film will arrive in the future, the ability to experience the emotions this movie raises makes it one that the entire family should enjoy.
4.5 stars out of 5
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