In as explicit a fashion as any Pixar film since Finding Nemo, this one is very much about the notion of existing in comfort and certainty versus living in danger and uncertainty. It’s no secret that Toy Story 4 is to be their last sequel for the immediate future, and in some ways, the film is a farewell to at least some of the standard Pixar themes. Written by Andrew Stanton and Stephany Folsom, Toy Story 4 works as a metaphor for Pixar’s evolution and their growing pains. The series has always used the toy/kid relationship as a parable for children growing up before their parents’ eyes, and this movie further expands on that metaphor. Whether you take Bo Peep’s fulfillment without a child owner as a metaphor for the validity of women choosing not to have kids or the potential of an older parent embracing empty nest syndrome and living retirement to the fullest, it’s an expansion on the franchise’s themes of free will versus a higher purpose. The world of Toy Story 4, namely the small town and traveling carnival, suggests the notion that there’s more than one way for a toy to be happy, and more than one valid purpose for a toy’s existence. As Jesse (Joan Cusack) can tell you, history repeats itself when you make the same choices again and again. The incredibly selfless choice that Woody made at the end of that film, to “leave” Andy so that his friends wouldn’t be stuck in storage possibly forever, plays itself out to its natural conclusion. Her independence and contentment sans a specific child causes Woody to, well, this one is going to be a field day for those who analyze these Toy Story movies from a religious point-of-view.ĭirected by Josh Cooley, this remarkably confident feature directorial debut builds and expands on the themes of the first three Toy Story movies, existing as a kind of “So, what happens after happily ever after when the ending wasn’t as happy as you hoped?” It’s not that the film negates Toy Story 3’s perfect climax, but rather it mitigates and expands upon it in a way that is both natural and inevitable. If you’ve seen any marketing (or paid attention to the prologue), you’ll know that Woody eventually runs into Bo Peep (Annie Potts) who was taken away between Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3. Forky does eventually get “lost,” and Woody and the gang do have to embark on an adventure to rescue him. This is all just the first 20 minutes, after which Bonnie’s family embarks on a road trip while Woody tries to convince Forky that he’s not just trash and of the value in being a child’s favorite toy. When Bonnie creates a new toy from a spork and names him Forky (Tony Hale), Woody sees that new toy as a key to Bonnie’s happiness and thus his continued usefulness. That said, Woody has been getting left in the closet more often, so his choice to insert himself into Bonnie’s school day isn’t entirely selfless. The shy and creative youngster is nervous about starting kindergarten, and Woody is determined to help her adjust whether she needs it or not. Woody (Tom Hanks) and the gang are still with Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw), and life is generally good. Following a prologue that offers additional context to one of the more shocking reveals of Toy Story 3, this sequel picks up a few years after that picture ended.
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