I forget to publish this post! (￣_￣|||) I literally had it in my drafts for a month and a half, but I guess we can just pretend it’s in response to the Lightyear trailer.
This was a movie that I was reluctant to watch. I thought that Toy Story 3 was the perfect send-off for the toys, so when Toy Story 4 was announced, it felt like a thoughtless cash grab.
Boredom convinced me to give it a chance, and I’m glad I did.
Despite what I said about 3, part of me realized that the toys’ happy ending with Bonnie was only temporary. There was only a matter of time before Bonnie grew up and left the toys in a box under a tree herself (Sorry Jessie), but I recognized that at the natural lifecycle of a toy.
But she began to drift away.
I referenced Jessie’s story because, at the time, she was our only indicator for what happens when a child fully outgrows a toy. The toy feels empty unless a new child loves them, then rinse and repeat.
At the end of the trilogy, the only alternatives we see are either the toy becoming a collectible (which isn’t fulfilling for the toy) or being thrown away (which could still be the toys’ fates after Bonnie). Neither of which sound all that appealing. The original trilogy tells us repeatedly that toys will end up without a child and lonely. It’s just a question of when.
This movie introduces an option. The life of a free toy. A toy that gets to play with kids when they want and be left alone when they’re done is the only future with a happy ending. It’s like the toy equivalent of retirement with a part-time job. After likely 3 kids, Woody has definitely earned this retirement.
For me, this movie was weirdly both predictable and unpredictable. The second Bo offered to take Woody with her in the opening scene, I guessed the ending. Halfway through the movie, I started questioning that.
This movie was making such a big deal out of toys wanting to get a kid that I thought that maybe Bo was actually going to join Woody as one of Bonnie’s toys or this would just be a tragic ending to their love story due to Bo no longer believing that she needs a kid. It wasn’t until right before Woody chose to stay with Bo that I was sure that Woody would do just that.
Don’t get me wrong. Even though I appreciated this movie and the ending it gave Woody, it still feels unnecessary. The franchise didn’t need this movie to close things off, and Woody didn’t need this story to complete his character arc. It’s a pleasant surprise, and it’s probably one of my favorite Pixar movies, but if it didn’t exist, no one would be asking for it.
I rate this movie 4.5 snakes in Woody’s boot out of 5.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I Think Thinks 