Toy Story 5. Jessie’s girl.
by Brandon Norwood
When this movie was first announced I asked myself how? 4 was a literal epilogue to rectify the one mistake made in 3. Giving Bo Peep (Annie Potts) a proper ending with Woody (Tom Hanks) coming to terms that not every kid needs him.
Here we are seven years later with Toy Story 5. Good news is that this entry is very good. Bad news is that it's a step down from the previous four films.
Image courtesy of Disney and Pixar.
With tech slowly taking over everyone's lives. Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) finds herself the odd kid out. Literally. All kids have left toys behind for screens. In order for her to make friends and fit in, Bonnie's parents get her a Lilypad (Greta Lee). With Bonnie now enamored with her new tablet and Jessie (Joan Cusack) out on an adventure to get back to Bonnie and the gang, Buzz (Tim Allen) and a returning Woody head out to make things right.
Putting Jessie front and center makes sense as Woody and Buzz have had all of their character development over 4 films. In fact, walking out of this, I wish they had left Woody stay with Bo Peep. Woody's reasoning for being on this adventure is very thin. He's here for basically old and fat jokes, even if the humor is as sharp as ever.
But by having Jessie take center stage, we get to reckon with Jessie coming to terms with her abandonment with Emily, as well as reckon with the fact that devices are here to stay. Through Jessie's story, we also get a excellent new human kid named Blaze (Mykal-Michelle Harris) who now lives in Emily's old house. I love that Blaze wears a bonnet to bed. It's such a small, yet accurate detail that I loved and I am sure other black folks will appreciate that touch.
Image courtesy of Disney and Pixar.
I love that this tackles the rise of tech invading everyone's lives including cyber bullying which is what the internet does best. Pixar does not shy away from the effects that come with trying to fit and the failures to do so. Since the rise of the digital age, we've become even more fragmented and angry across the board. A lot of parents are gonna love this as it did resonate a lot with parents at my screening.
However, for me, I found this to be a good entry in a series that is in my eyes effectively over. Woody's story is done. Buzz only has one hang up in this film which has been there since the end of 2. And yes, Bo Peep is in this albeit briefly. This is Jessie's film through and through.
It's already been confirmed that both Disney and Pixar want two more entries in this series. I wonder what exactly will these next two be as this was not as good as the first four, and even then as much as I like 4, it's not as good as the first three films.
Image courtesy of Disney and Pixar.
Disney is at serious crossroads with what they plan on doing. Everything they have made since 2019 looks great on a spreadsheet and is financially viable. Make no mistake, this is going to make a lot of money as this will be as crowd pleasing as the last for, however this all does feel creatively bankrupt. Disney has pumped out so much subpar Star Wars stuff that the first movie in seven years was met with a shrug. And rightfully so as that was an extended 2 part episode of the show. Marvel has pumped out so many bad TV shows and movies it makes me looks at Doomsday with such disdain as it opens the same day as Dune: Part Three. Even Pixar has suffered. Yeah Turning Red was awesome and Inside Out 2 was a worthy follow-up, but they used to be able to do this in their sleep. A potential 6 and 7 just begs the question why? Get out while you still can. When making 4, Tom Hanks said it was exhausting playing Woody. America's dad isn't getting any younger y'all.