By: Anton Massopust III

 “Kids lose toys all the time, Woody.” – Bo Peep

The Toy Story franchise has a long history. For those of you who have not seen the other Toy Story movies, here’s a brief history. The original Toy Story is a buddy movie about Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) and how they became best friends and how being part of Andy’s life was the most important thing they could do. Toy Story 2 is when Woody gets kidnapped by a greedy toy collector and it’s up to Buzz and friends to rescue him. We run into a new gang of Heroes including Jessie. They all have to worry a little about an uncertain future but are confident they will be okay. Toy Story 3 involves what the toys most dread. Andy’s final journey to adulthood and the toys realizing that they had to become Bonnie’s toys at the end.

In Toy Story 4, Woody the cowboy feels like the odd toy. Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw) plays with other toys, but not him and Woody is sitting in the closet. We also get a back story of what happened to Bo Peep (Annie Potts). Molly goes to kindergarten orientation and Woody smuggles himself along in Bonnie’s backpack. Bonnie makes a new toy out of spork named Forky (Tony Hale). She constructed little feet and little arms for Forky, but he doesn’t feel that he is a toy and he just wants to be thrown in the trash. What can Woody do to convince Forky that he is a toy and is important to Bonnie?

Forky gets lost and Woody goes after him. Woody soon discovers Bo Peep is now stays with a group of toys who do their own thing. They get played with when they want to. Forky ends up in an antique store with a doll named Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks). Woody teaches Forky how to become a real toy. There’s a carnival nearby and Buzz goes to save him and runs into two new characters: Ducky (Keegan-Michael Key) and Bunny (Jordan Peele) who tag along with the hope of getting a new kid to adopt them. Woody, Bo Peep and Duke Kaboom (Keanu Reeves) go rescue Forky from the hands of Gabby Gabby and her minions of ventriloquist dummies who are really creepy. 

This story is mostly about Woody, how he has to face maturity, and what he does to a toy who believes he’s outlived his usefulness. Just like in Toy Story 3, Andy has grown up, and Woody has to grow up, too.  The ending is heartbreaking. 

Toy Story 4 has excellent animation which as way improved since the original Toy Story. It has wonderful songs by Randy Newman. Just when you thought they couldn’t do another Toy Story. My only complaint is that it’s a little bit redundant. There’s too much getting into traps and getting out. The other Toy Story’s usually just focused on one story while this film tackles multiple stories so it’s a little bit long winded, but it moves pretty quickly. Toy Story 4 is fun for everyone, but you better bring some tissues.