Review of Toy Story 4 (2019) by Greatmartin — 16 Jul 2019

All right, I do it in public so I might as well admit to all: most people who know me know I cry in movies and I have never been ashamed of it but to cry in an animated film??? Come on!! Okay I did and I do. I remember years ago crying when Bambi's mother died but until cartoon movies became way more, in technical ways, I didn't during Snow White, Pinocchio or even Fantasia!

I saw "Toy Story 1" but aside from remembering some of the characters I remember little of the story. I skipped 2 & 3 but not having anything else to see today I decided to see the, supposedly, latest and last story. It is a story about how one feels not being wanted or loved anymore and how to handle the feelings and life changes.

In this film we find an old friend Woody, a sheriff, has lost his first owner, Andy, who pushed him aside when Andy went off to college. Woody found consolation with Bonnie who inherited him but now she is off to kindergarten and has made her own toy, Forky, made from trash items like pipe cleaners, a plastic spoon, doll's eyes and considers himself trash but Bonnie loves him. Very shortly after bringing him home she loses him and Woody feels it is his duty to return Forky, now Bonnie's friend who in turn deserts him while at the same time convince Forky he is not just trash.

The chase involves some old, and many new characters, in the Toy Story series but bogs down in the chase sequences while at the same time offering a few laughs such as a skunk sort of being a Trojan horse or at least camouflage! The main tug at the emotional strings are the reunion of Bo Peep and Woody with the former having accepted the fact that she no longer serves a purpose just moving here and there.

Not having seen the middle stories I am not sure who is new here but Tom Hanks, as always, is very effective and, yes, believable as Woody. Tony Hale, new as Forky, is funny while Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear gives solid backup to his friends while Annie Potts returns as Bo Peep as a very strong woman and Christina Hendricks as sort of a villainous Gabby Gabby who wants Woody's voice box. One of the newest characters, and definitely the funniest, is Keanu Reeves as Duke Caboom, a Canadian stunt motorcyclist, full of himself and daring to do anything.

"Toy Story 4" is a film for both children of all ages and adults will, in many cases, enjoy it more! After seeing about a dozen of the 'new' ways films are animated I am still intrigued at how the characters seem alive and, in many cases, you believe in them.