What Carol Watched

I will be totally transparent and say that I did not watch Toy Story 4 nor did I care to watch Toy Story 4. But when I saw the trailer for Toy Story 5, I was very excited to see it. I was really curious on what to expect because Disney did not need to add to the series and I did not want them to add to the series if the movie flat out sucked. But, I left the theater holding back sniffles and overall really loving what Disney had done with the story.

Warning: SPOILERS! Read on at your own risk.

If you watched the trailer for this film, you knew that technology was the big, bad enemy fighting against the toys for the attention of the children. But what you wouldn’t find out until you watched the movie in its entirety, is that technology wasn’t fully evil. The way it is used and the people who use it determine its power to help or to harm. Our main character, Bonnie, struggles to find friends, so her parents give in to temptation and buy her a LilyPad, a tablet that allows her to play games and connect with “friends.” When Lily meets the toys, there is immediate contention on who will help Bonnie more. Lily, by helping Bonnie connect with girls her age through apps and games or Jessie (my favorite character from the series), who will help her make true friends through play and imagination.

Soon into the film, Jessie gets lost and finds herself at the ranch where her first child, Emily, left her behind. Jessie goes on an incredible journey to try to save Bonnie from Lily but ends up on a journey of her own. While Jessie has to team up with technology to get back to Bonnie, she also wrestles with the memory of being forgotten and discarded by Emily. When Jessie uses the technology toys to get Bonnie and Blaze, the new girl at the ranch, to meet, Bonnie shies away from reclaiming her toys and ends up leaving Jessie behind.

While Jessie is earnestly struggling to get back to Bonnie, Bonnie is also struggling to make connections with girls her age through her LilyPad. She was invited to a sleep over with the girls but was quickly made fun of for bringing toys. So, like the other girls, she sat in a dark room “playing” on her LilyPad. Bonnie realizes that she is different from the other girls and wrestles with wanting to fit and make friends or playing with toys and imagination.

Through Jessie’s time at the ranch, she realizes that Blaze and Bonnie would be best friends; they are both carefree, lively girls who let their imaginations run. Jessie knew Bonnie was different and knew if she could only connect he with Blaze that they would be true friends. But when Bonnie left Jessie behind, Jessie spirals into the same trauma she faced when she was left behind by Emily. After being discarded once again, she runs away to the hill where she often played with Emily. The scene that follows truly brought a tear to my eye. Jessie finds writing on an old tree with an arrow pointing to something buried in the dirt. When she digs out an old lunch box, she discovers trinkets and pictures from Emily’s daughter. In the lunch box sits a picture of Emily, all grown up with her daughter, Jessie. The inscription on the back of the picture reveals to Jessie that she was never forgotten; she was such a meaningful part of Emily’s life that Emily passed her name on to her daughter.

There are a few more adventures that the toys go on to reunite with Bonnie and to connect Bonnie and Blaze. And, of course, Bonnie and Blaze make the best of friends and Jessie finds peace knowing she was never forgotten by Emily and has fulfilled her purpose in Bonnie’s life by bringing her a true friend.

In recent years, I think Disney has had a lot of flops. But this movie was really a win for them. There were a few iffy moments, like Buzz no longer being a strong hero and now being a weak man who can’t even muster up the courage to propose to Jessie. But, overall, I really loved this movie. If you grew up in the 90s and early 2000s, these movies are so nostalgic for you. And I think Toy Story 5 really tapped into that classic coming of age nostalgia we all love. The technology entering into play brought a modern and realistic feel to the movie and the toys brought back the original characters we all know and love. Jessie’s trauma of being forgotten also really illustrated the reality of growing up. In the 2020s, technological advances changed the way children grew up and made connections. And part of growing up is changing and realizing you can never go back to the moments you once held on to. But that’s okay. It’s bittersweet to reminisce on your past and to recognize that things are not and will not ever be the same. Although I don’t think Disney needs to continue the Toy Story series in any way, I really enjoyed crying and reliving my childhood through this film.

Rating: 7/10

Where to watch: currently in theaters