Toy Story 4

Let me begin this by saying I saw the first Toy Story some years after release (maybe around 2008) and I really didn't like it. Couldn't see what all the fuss was about. So when my kids (and wife) proposed seeing number 4 at the cinema, I was reluctant to say the least. Add to this the necessity of seeing ALL the films in the series before the new one because, well, I want to bring them up correctly, and the task bubbled with dread. But, imagine my surprise when I actually enjoyed Toy Story 2, wasn't too annoyed with Toy Story 3 and, yes, quite liked Toy Story 4.

This was the first film for the kids at the cinema and there's something to be said for watching kids watching films, especially when they're experiencing a completely new environment. The interest dropped off slightly during the talky exposition points in the film but for the action scenes, they were buzzing.

For me, this was probably the first 'kids' film I've seen on the big screen since I was literally pubeless. It was diverting enough with some clever moments and one or two genuine chuckles - Ducky and Bunny's mooted plans for getting a key was a mirth highlight. The voice cast was fine, Tom Hanks as Woody and Tim Allen as Buzz must know these characters inside out by now. Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele (director of Get Out and Us) are great fun as the previously mentioned Ducky and Bunny and it was slightly poignant to realise that Mr Potato Head was voiced from beyond the grave by Don Rickles, who died in 2017. There are also nice little cameos for Mel Brooks, Betty White, Carl Reiner and Carol Burnett as well as Carl Weathers, Timothy Dalton and Flea. Keanu Reeves, playing an insecure motorbike stunt toy and Annie Potts as newly empowered Bo Peep are top drawer too.

The gimmick running through these films is that the toys are not to be seen or heard in their animated state by humans. In Toy Story 4, the boundaries are pushed close and sometimes traversed - Buzz simply shouts something to his kid at one point in a reverse of Woody's threats to the evil neighbour kid in the first film. Admittedly, the tricks the writers, directors and animators have come up with in this series are pretty innovative and clever. Another nice touch was Buzz trying to emulate Woody's 'inner voice' by simply pressing his chest buttons and following the instructions given.

Woody is played throughout the series as a guy who constantly makes sacrifices for others, especially the kids that 'own' him, but here he finally gets his chance to do something for himself. Kind of similar to Steve Rogers in Endgame, or even George Bailey from It's a Wonderful Life (without the suicide attempt). I'm guessing Woody's final choice spells the end of this cash cow for now but really, this animation has the potential to run and run until the profits stories dry up.

See also:

Brad Bird's The Incredibles (2004) and Andrew Stanton's WALL-E (2008) for the two best Pixar films.

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