Toy Story 4, 2019.
Directed by Josh Cooley.
Featuring the voice talents of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Madeleine McGraw, Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves, Ally Maki, Jay Hernandez, Lori Alan, Joan Cusack.
SYNOPSIS:
When a new toy called “Forky” joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy.
After the conclusion of 2010’s Toy Story 3, millions of the series’ fans were left immensely satisfied with how that film wrapped up things in an emotionally powerful way, and it seemed as if that would be the final time we would see Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the crew. Fast forward eight years later, and Pixar officially announces a fourth film is coming which left people rather concerned as it seemed like it could potentially exist just to make some easy money. There are dozens of trilogies out there that seemed as though they were finished, but then the studio churned out disappointing sequels afterwards. Gratefully, that is not the case with Toy Story 4.
Right from the opening, it is clear that director Josh Cooley has a unique story to tell in this universe. This is one of the more adventurous entries in the series, and it is always exciting to see where exactly Woody, Buzz, and the gang will end up on their adventures. The characters are better than they have ever been this time around, with new ones being introduced into the mix as well such as Forky, which will certainly be a fan favorite. A large portion of the film relies on this character and he was always fun to watch. Another great addition to the already impressive voice cast is Keanu Reeves, who voices Canadian stuntman Duke Caboom. This character has a few scenes that will have audiences smiling from ear to ear, and kids will want to get a toy of him immediately after their viewing.
Much like the aforementioned third installment, this picture does not shy away from being incredibly emotionally powerful at many times. Long time fans of the franchise will find themselves with more than just a few tears in their eyes by the time the credits come to a close. Although it never quite reaches the highs of some of the moments in its predecessor, it still manages to pull at the heartstrings more than once.
It is also a remarkably hilarious feature with all of the comedic beats landing flawlessly. The filmmakers knew how to include the perfect amount of emotion and comedy, and it blended together nicely here. Viewers will find themselves smiling at mostly every second in this gleefully inspiring tale.
Toy Story 4 is a worthy sequel with tons of emotionally powerful moments, great characters, a moving story, and plenty of laughs to be had along the way.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Caillou Pettis is an enthusiastic film lover and has been one since his youth. You can follow him on Twitter at @CaillouPettis and can contact him by email at caillou@cailloupettis.net.
