Opening Statement: I hope to enlighten my readers on a short journey into my views! I plan to post every Sunday for the most part, excluding any spur of the moment ideas I may have or a busy schedule which may restrict me from posting that week. Thank you and enjoy!
This past Friday, I saw Toy Story 4 (2019) in theaters with some friends of mine. We all entered the theater wearing Toy Story shirts, as if we were the same age as the young kids in the seats next to us, and we were very excited to see this new addition to the Toy Story saga. We giggled, and got teary-eyed toward the end, and overall I believe Pixar has done it again, an amazing story to stand the test of time.
(Spoiler Alert From This Point On)
The animation came to a bitter-sweet end, as the audience and I watched Woody, played by Tom Hanks, help his kid Bonnie, and another little girl, as well as some lost toys along the way, eventually closing with Woody becoming a lost toy himself. Although his life as a child's toy was over, his life with Little Bo Peep, or "Bo," played by Annie Potts, was just beginning and as Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), put it, he actually was no longer a lost toy, as he once was when Bonnie neglected to play with him.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed this fun and cute tale and was excited to see another part of my childhood continuing into my adult years, I am not sure that I feel the addition to the saga was necessary. Toy Story 3 (2010) ended in a perfect place in my opinion. The toys came full circle and were passed on from Andy to Bonnie, taking on a new life with a new kid. Please do not get me wrong, I loved this fourth movie and would definitely see it again, I just simply do not know if there was a real reason to continue with the films, other than the fact that the Toy Story franchise is famously popular and has made over a billion dollars. From a financial standpoint, to continue the franchise makes complete sense, from a storytelling standpoint, I don't feel it does. In actuality, no film is technically "necessary," but in terms of money, following, and storytelling, some films do seem to be thought of as a necessity .
A fellow filmmaker and good friend, Austin Charlesworth, has shared with me some of his views on the flick,
"I feel as though Toy Story 4 is a Pixar movie through and through, in that it keeps the heart and fun of a Toy Story movie while also still enhancing the animation that was popular with the first film. The characters, and voice actors nail it as per usual, but the film as a whole was an addition that was not needed and feels as though it's just an extra Toy Story film. [The series] was suited better by the satisfying end of Toy Story 3 and where it left the characters we've come to love."
My colleague's views on Toy Story 4 parallel mine in many ways. We both sincerely enjoyed the animation, the actors, the artwork, and the story itself, which were all done exquisitely. The reason behind making this film is what has us both a bit stuck.
Besides feeling as if the Toy Story franchise would have been perfect the way it was for the past 9 years, I genuinely feel that Toy Story 4 is worth the watch. It is happy and funny, as well as deep and relatable. Yes, I do not really feel it was necessary to make this fourth addition, but there is a side of me that came to life when the film's release date was announced. That little kid in me was just thankful that I could hear "You've Got A Friend In Me" by Randy Newman once more and I think that is the most important factor in any kids movie. They bring the child in you back to life for the duration of those two hours, therefore, necessary or not, the film moved me and I am glad I decided to see it.
~Francesca Reviews
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Disclaimer: All of my posts are based off of my own knowledge, opinion, and beliefs and this blog is only meant to be a platform to share those things with the world. I am always open to hear what you all have to say about the topics I write about, listening to many perspectives can only enhance my knowledge! Therefore, feel free to start a friendly conversation sharing your opinions! Thank you!
Photo Credits: https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/toy-story/65878/toy-story-4-review-a-near-perfect-play-date
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toy_Story_(franchise)
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