Wait... you were thinking that there wasn't any more life in the Toy Story franchise after the 3rd installment perfectly wrapped things up? Well, think again. Welcome to the age of ever-lasting franchises. Buzz, Woody, and all our favorite toys are back in the 4th (and, I think, final) installment of the Toy Story franchise... and they're (almost) better than ever.
I, for one, didn't think that Pixar could pull this off. I honestly thought that Toy Story 3 was the best movie of the year that it came out and that it legitimately deserved a chance at Best Picture. It ultimately lost the the cute, but forgettable The King's Speech. I dare you to find a more emotional moment in a feature film than Woody and Co. holding hands as they sank to their doom. I don't often cry in movies, but I definitely choked up during this scene. But the emotion wasn't done there. (Spoiler Alert!!) The passing of the toys from Andy to Bonnie at the end of that film perfectly ended their (Toy) story.
Fast forward 9 years. Woody and the gang are settled in to their new lives as Bonnie's favorite toys. However, something isn't quite right with Woody. He's no longer the favorite and doesn't get picked to be played with. He's stuck in the past and can't quite understand why he's not the #1 toy in Bonnie's life. However, he's not the only one struggling. Bonnie has to go to kindergarten, and she's unsure of this next milestone in her life. Woody senses that she needs his help and stows away in her backpack on her first day of kindergarten. During her first day of kindergarten, Bonnie creates "Forky," her new favorite toy. Yes, he's just a spork with feet, arms and a face, but it doesn't matter to Bonnie. There's just one problem with Forky (voiced perfectly by Veep/Arrrested Development veteran Tony Hale)... he thinks he's trash, and wants to return to said trash can. Woody, through trying to save Forky from self-harm, has found his new mission in life. Obviously, the plan doesn't work out pefectly and, once again, our favorite toys are on the run and desperate to get back to Bonnie. I don't want to ruin anything for you, but they end up at an antique store being hunted by nightmare-fuel inspired toys. They meet new friends (most notably "Duke Caboom," voiced by MVP du jour Keanu Reeves), and must thwart their enemies to escape.
While this is all fun and games, and works perfectly well for kids, the Toy Story movies have always had a deeper meaning in them. Toy Story 4 is no different. It held a special meaning to me because it's essentially about growing older and saying good-bye to the past, while finding new meaning in your life. As an almost 40-year-old, I found this message quite refreshing. Toy Story 4 tells us to live life to your fullest. You can honor and cherish your past, but it's important to find meaning and excitement in your present. Woody's journey is emotional and heartwarming, and the ending will have you searching for your nearest box of tissues.
Toy Story 4 closes out the saga of Woody, Buzz & Company in a highly entertaining yet sweet and sincere way. I'm kind of bummed that even this wonderful series has fallen victim to sequel fatigue. It's the right kind of sequel and not an unnecessary cash grab (although my living room full of Toy Story toys begs to differ). Maybe Avengers: End Game took all this summer's box office return out in its wake, but there does seem to be a real (and quite scary to moviegoers like me) downward trend at the box office. I thought this movie would be a cure, but it appears to be another symptom of that trend. Hopefully movie studios can right the ship, but with a full slate or sequels, remakes and reboots on the horizon, I'm not confident in their ability.
