Review | Pixar Revives Its First Franchise With a Hilarious, Heartfelt Triumph
Just when you thought the Toy Story franchise might be running out of steam after 2019’s fourth installment — which was a shade less magical than the previous three — here comes the absolutely delightful Toy Story 5 to restore your faith in the franchise, if not in the magic of moviegoing itself. Filled with rambunctious humor, gorgeous animation, and plenty of action, the return of Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), and the rest of the gang delivers a nostalgic rush as we revisit characters who have been part of our lives for over 30 years. But the genius of Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris’s densely packed script is that it updates the franchise’s original concerns to address the rise of technology, as screen-obsessed children mistake chatroom connections for real friendships. The movie, though, makes these larger points gently and with such wit that you’ll be smiling all the way through.
