'Toy Story 5' Review: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen return for timely installment as Pixar gang battles rise of tech
Woody, Buzz and the rest of the beloved Pixar gang are back and face their biggest adversary yet in "Toy Story 5": technology.
Eight-year-old Bonnie is one of the only kids in the neighborhood who still plays with toys and isn't glued to some device, which unfortunately is preventing her from making friends. So her parents gift her a kid-friendly tablet, Lilypad (clearly inspired by the popular LeapFrog toy brand).
It's a rude awakening for Bonnie's toys, learning quickly from abandoned toys from other children that "the age of toys is over."
Tom Hanks and Tim Allen reprise the roles that have made them kid movie stars for over 30 years, but they take a back seat as Joan Cusack returns as cowgirl Jessie, Bonnie's most treasured toy, who takes the lead in the tense turf war against Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee).
Part of me is bitter about the fact that Disney decided to milk the "Toy Story" franchise after creating one of the greatest movie trilogies of all time. 2019's "Toy Story 4" was a fine movie, but it certainly falls short compared to its three predecessors.
The timely premise of "Toy Story 5" at least gives it purpose besides being a reliable cash cow for the House of Mouse. And what's surprising is the nuance the film lays out instead of blindly declaring that all tech is evil as Lilypad insists she has Bonnie's best interests at heart.
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Jessie, who hasn't gotten this much spotlight since her debut in 1999's "Toy Story 2," takes center stage in "Toy Story 5" as she must grapple with her own purpose as tech becomes dominant in children's lives. And the talents of Cusack truly shine even as we only hear her voice, which alone carries a lot of emotional weight.
Would it help to have watched the first four "Toy Stories"? Sure. But it's a kids' movie, so it doesn't take rocket science to understand the plot.
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Familiar faces from the previous four installments return like Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger), Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and Forky (Tony Hale) while also being introduced to a new slate of fun characters like the scene-stealing potty-training toy Smarty Pants (voiced by Conan O'Brien). Other notable additions to the cast include Keanu Reeves, Bonnie Hunt, Craig Robinson, Kristen Schaal, Ernie Hudson, Alan Cumming and Bad Bunny.
Two-time Oscar winner Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, WALL-E) and McKenna Harris co-wrote/directed this film. Oscar-winning "Toy Story" veteran Randy Newman returns to provide the musical score while Taylor Swift contributed the original song "I Knew It, I Knew You" in the end credits.
While it doesn't reach the caliber of the original trilogy, "Toy Story 5" is a vast improvement over its 2019 predecessor and leverages the tech discourse we find ourselves in to its advantage while offering grade-A entertainment Pixar is known for.
"Toy Story 5" is rated PG for some thematic elements and rude humor. Running time: 1 hour, 42 minutes. In theaters now.