The Reel Review
Concerned that a new high-tech, electronic toy has pulled young Bonnie’s attention away from them forever, her rag-tag group of toys makes it their mission to find their little girl a friend who loves toys to spark her imagination as much as Bonnie does. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack reprise their voice roles in this Disney-Pixar family animated action/adventure.
With dazzling 3D animation for the kids and heartwarming nostalgia and cleverly funny one-liners for the adults, Toy Story 5 is a delightfully charming story that, in this fifth outing, surprisingly still has some fresh messages about co-existence (between the old school analog and more modern high-tech toys) and rediscovering imagination and human connection through playing. The softly animated play sequences are wonderfully nostalgic, and Conan O’Brien steals the show as the wisecracking Smarty Pants, a short shelf-life tech device shaped like a roll of toilet paper used to help potty train toddlers. Cue the jokes!
In a refreshing turn, Joan Cusack takes the lead role in this sequel as the cowgirl Jessie, who with her horse Bullseye, makes it her mission to navigate past Bonnie’s pushy Lilypad child computer (Greta Lee) and keep Bonnie from becoming just another anxious, socially-isolated, screen-obsessed youngster like the mean girls she has recently befriended. The messages are thought-provoking and sweet and will likely choke you up as several moments trigger childhood memories. As excellent as Toy Story 4 is, Toy Story 5 is even better – on par with the sob-inducing Toy Story 3.
REEL FACTS
• Taylor Swift performs the theme song “I Knew It, I Knew You,” saying “I’ve always dreamed of getting to write for these characters who I’ve adored since I was a 5-year-old kid watching the first Toy Story movie.”
• Toy Story 5 marks the first time Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, WALL•E) has co-directed a Toy Story film in addition to writing the screenplay.
• Twice Oscar-nominated Joan Cusack (Working Girl, In & Out) made a rare red-carpet appearance at the premiere of Toy Story 5, her first acting role in six years. The 63-year-old says she stepped away from acting to have a normal life in Chicago, where she has owned and operated the gift shop Judy Maxwell Home since 2014.
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