How could this not be a fantastic film? You’ve Woody. And Buzz. And the rest of the gang. You’ve perfect childhood imagination. You have danger and suspense. You have sprinkles of romance. Deeper, you have a quest to understand who you are and where you fit in and why you are *you* among the others who make up your world. And, of course, you have moments that make your heart sing. This is, after all, Disney’s Pixar.
Now, with all that gushing, I will still say this *is* Disney. And it is animated. And it wraps everything up nicely with a perfectly-tied bow. But that’s what we expect. And besides, it’s fun.
My movie companion and I went to see this at the earliest showing on a Sunday morning. The kiddos there were rested and ready. And I must admit that hearing their reactions was part of the magic of the film. (The two littles next to us were there to see their first movie at a theater.) The magic of Disney’s Pixar was that this film so kept their attention that we heard not a negative peep out of any of them. So I’m glad I did see this in the theater rather than waiting for an at-home viewing.
In readying to see the movie, I looked up the others. (My movie companion had broader goals and actually rewatched 1, 2, and 3.) (Alas, I don’t think I ever watched Toy Story 2. Don’t worry: you needn’t have seen all of them to appreciate this fourth installment.) What impresses me greatly with this franchise of films is how spread out it is — an easy accomplishment when you’re dealing with animation, sure. But how fabulous when you consider that effect of the time. Consider: the first Toy Story was released in 1995. My sister’s oldest daughter was turning 2 that same November. Toy Story 2 came out in 1999, 3 in 2010, and 4, now in 2019. That little 2 year old? Her oldest two children, ages almost 2 and almost 3, saw their first movie at the theater with Toy Story 4 just a few weeks ago.
Okay — pardon me while I go look for a tissue to wipe away those heartwarming tears.
It’s Disney. It’s Pixar. It’s Woody and Buzz and the gang. Yes, there are underlying messages. But they aren’t too deep. And you needn’t think too much. With all of that – it’s perfectly fine animated joy.