As a massive fan of the Toy Story franchise, walking into the theater carried a heavy dose of nostalgia—and a little bit of skepticism. To put things into perspective: my youngest daughter is the exact same age as the original Toy Story. She’s 31 years old. Think about that for a second. This franchise has been a part of our lives for over three decades.
After the masterpiece trilogy of 1, 2, and 3, and the epilogue-style Toy Story 4, I couldn’t help but wonder: Where could they possibly take these characters next? Was Pixar just trying to recreate nostalgia that already worked, or would they actually find a way to move the story forward?
Honestly? They absolutely delivered.
A Modern Story for a Modern Generation
What makes Toy Story 5 work so beautifully is that it feels genuinely modern. The creators didn’t try to force an old-school, analog “toy” storyline that belonged in the 1990s. Instead, they looked at the world kids are actually growing up in today and seamlessly wove it into the universe.
The driving force of this movie is technology. Today’s kids are practically born with tablets and smartphones in hand, and screens have completely redefined playtime. Toy Story 5 takes that reality and builds a narrative around it that feels entirely natural. It never feels preachy or like it’s trying to make a forced point; it simply understands the modern childhood experience and meets the audience there.
Passing the Lasso: Jessie Takes Center Stage
One of the absolute best surprises of the film was seeing Jessie front and center.
Joan Cusack is brilliant as always, bringing her signature energy, but this time she grounds the film with an incredible emotional depth. Jessie truly becomes the beating heart of this movie.
What about Buzz and Woody? They’re still around, but this isn’t their movie in the way we’re used to. They are essentially the backup dancers this time—and surprisingly, it completely works.
We have spent 31 years with Buzz and Woody. We know them, we love them, but for this franchise to survive, it needed to evolve. By introducing fresh faces, new ideas, and shifting the spotlight, Pixar made the right call to keep the universe alive without repeating itself.
Stunning Visuals and Animated “Cinematography”
I wasn’t expecting to be blown away by how this movie looked, but the animation team reached a whole new tier of storytelling here.
I’m going to use a word not normally reserved for animation: cinematography. There were multiple moments where I sat in the theater just thinking, Wow. The framing of the shots, the intentional camera movements, and the meticulous attention to detail were breathtaking. You can feel the distinct artistic vision behind every scene—an animator taking a director’s specific emotional prompt and breathing life into it.
A quick tip: I saw it in 3D, and I highly recommend you do the same if you have the chance. It added an extra layer of depth to an already gorgeous film.
The One Misfire: Where is the Humor?
If there is one critique to be made, it’s that the humor felt a bit muted.
Part of the historic magic of Toy Story is its perfect double-layer writing: kids laugh at the physical comedy, while adults catch the clever jokes and subtle references flying right over the kids’ heads. While Toy Story 5 certainly has its charming moments, I didn’t find myself laughing out loud the way I usually do with Pixar films. I chuckled a few times, but the comedy definitely took a backseat to the plot.
The Verdict
Where this movie lacks in laugh-out-loud comedy, it more than makes up for in its story, message, and sheer visual ambition. It proves that even after 31 years, Toy Story can still grow, evolve, and mirror the world we live in today.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
