This was a very much anticipated movie because who doesn't love this franchise?! I watched the first Toy Story animation when I was like five years old, then the subsequent three sequels. My fave one was still Toy Story 3 where Lotso was introduced. I even had Mr and Mrs potato as toys when I was a kid. Toy Story was a huge part of my childhood!
The story
I'll be honest. The starting scene with all the Buzz Lightyears being washed ashore and searching for a star was confusing af. I felt there was no utility in this sub-plot other than conveniently assisting the toys at the end to draw the movie to a close.
The story was pretty simple and straightforward. Like the previous sequel, the story follows the same toys trying to get Bonnie to play with them. This 5th movie adds a twist of modern technology taking over kids' attention, hence neglecting the toys. It reflects real world problems where kids are increasingly addicted to screens instead of engaging in physical play. Plus point for relevance.
Jessie is now the main character, with Woody and Buzz taking a back seat. I forgot Woody had already left Bonnie in the previous sequel, so new audiences will probably wonder why Woody isn't present from the start. There were many recycled elements from their old movies, like the toys returning to a static state when humans are present, or the fear of being donated etc.
The story also explored Jessie's emotional backstory with her previous owner as seen in Toy Story 2, showing the real face of Emily. The writers made her relatable and human, especially when she confessed how it hurts to love another kid again. 😞 The scene when Jessie was left behind at Blaze's house got me sad, and I thought she might follow Woody's path.
I love the wedding scenes at the start and end. 😂 It was a great idea to bring the kids' playtime stories to life, with the toys delivering their lines dramatically much to the audience's amusement. The art style was perfect too.
There wasn't any surprising twist or super hilarious scene to me, or maybe I've grown old. 🥴 I felt it was more of a feel good movie, with a similar storyline repackaged for Jessie now. They could have thrown her into wilder adventures, but chose to trap her in her boring old owner's house for half of the movie just to play into her backstory.
The characters
My favourite character was Bullseye the horse! Can I just say how cute his big eyes were?! The corduroy cloth texture on his body looked so detailed too! Though he doesn't speak, they did a great job in animating his facial expressions and body movements to resemble a real puppy.
The rest of the characters stayed true to their personalities from the old movies. Woody is his usual helpful and loyal self, but still insecure with his status. Buzz Lightyear is mission-oriented and determined, and still crushing on Jessie. The other toys delivered punchlines for comic relief, but didn't play significant roles.
The new villain Lilypad wasn't super detestable or iconic like Lotso in Toy Story 3. I even felt pity for her as her character developed positively towards the end. Smarty Pants, Snappy and Atlas were mediocre too, nothing too crazy. The toilet jokes didn't hit. I just felt the plot advancement was too convenient because all they did were send messages.
Sadly, we didn't see Blaze's discarded toys again after Jessie left the shed, or the toys that Woody saved on the tree. I'd rather see these toys save the ending than the random Buzz Lightyears from the start, because why even introduce so many characters in the first place? The giraffe with a xylophone body had so much potential. 😂
I felt like Blaze's horse and pig were just convenient characters written to assist Jessie. They don't have much personality or agency. The horse was brought in to simply send Jessie to the stable, then to the tree.
Music
For music, I love how they played the characters' songs when they appeared, like "You Got a Friend In Me" when Woody showed up in Bonnie's room. The ending soundtrack "I Knew It I Knew You" by Taylor Swift was so meh and forgettable.
There wasn't any surprising twist or super hilarious scene to me, or maybe I've grown old. 🥴 I felt it was more of a feel good movie, with a similar storyline repackaged for Jessie now. They could have thrown her into wilder adventures, but chose to trap her in her boring old owner's house for half of the movie just to play into her backstory.
The characters
My favourite character was Bullseye the horse! Can I just say how cute his big eyes were?! The corduroy cloth texture on his body looked so detailed too! Though he doesn't speak, they did a great job in animating his facial expressions and body movements to resemble a real puppy.
The rest of the characters stayed true to their personalities from the old movies. Woody is his usual helpful and loyal self, but still insecure with his status. Buzz Lightyear is mission-oriented and determined, and still crushing on Jessie. The other toys delivered punchlines for comic relief, but didn't play significant roles.
The new villain Lilypad wasn't super detestable or iconic like Lotso in Toy Story 3. I even felt pity for her as her character developed positively towards the end. Smarty Pants, Snappy and Atlas were mediocre too, nothing too crazy. The toilet jokes didn't hit. I just felt the plot advancement was too convenient because all they did were send messages.
Sadly, we didn't see Blaze's discarded toys again after Jessie left the shed, or the toys that Woody saved on the tree. I'd rather see these toys save the ending than the random Buzz Lightyears from the start, because why even introduce so many characters in the first place? The giraffe with a xylophone body had so much potential. 😂
I felt like Blaze's horse and pig were just convenient characters written to assist Jessie. They don't have much personality or agency. The horse was brought in to simply send Jessie to the stable, then to the tree.
Music
For music, I love how they played the characters' songs when they appeared, like "You Got a Friend In Me" when Woody showed up in Bonnie's room. The ending soundtrack "I Knew It I Knew You" by Taylor Swift was so meh and forgettable.
I wouldn't say this is a must-watch animation. I give it an average 3 stars, only because I had expected more expected twists in the storyline. But it's okay for a kids movie, and spreads a positive message of staying connected with other kids through physical play instead of staring at screens.
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