Toy Story 4: Surprisingly Heartwarming- Opinion

WE FINALLY WATCHED TOY STORY 4! At long last. Since we can’t go to the movies anymore, because we have 3 crazy babies, we’ve been waiting a really long time to watch it. And, thanks to Amazon Prime, we finally got the chance. And let me tell you? It was worth it. I was able to dodge the spoiler train, thankfully. Oh, spoilers ahead!

I WASN’T HYPED to see the movie, truthfully. After the phenomenal way they ended Toy Story 3, I felt like anything else that came after would be a flop. I mean, how can you top that ending? I cried my eyes out, as I know a lot of other people did. It was emotional! It closed the chapter. It was done. Why sully it with another entry?

TOY STORY 4 WORKED. It just did! I love how it wasn’t trying to be bigger and better than Toy Story 3. They didn’t up their game or try to work on the same level as the last movie. I think that would have been terrible. What they did do was create a memorable story, centered on Woody, and closing the Toy Story franchise, for good. At least that’s how it felt.

IT WAS EMOTIONAL. The first opening scene with Andy, and the montage leading up to Bonnie taking the toys really got to me. It was the first 5 or so minutes of the film, and I was already getting misty-eyed! As always, way to go Pixar! Drumming those freaking heartstrings, dude.

THE CHARACTERS WERE GREAT. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Bo Peep, because from the trailers it looked like she was just going to be a girl-power-all-around-badass simply because, well? You gotta make that female character bigger, stronger, and better than the male characters because empowerment, yeah? But I’m happy to say that Bo Peep was pretty nuanced, albeit a bit overpowered compared to the rest of the cast, but I appreciated her character and growth. I loved Gabby Gabby’s overall arc, and I appreciate how they didn’t try to make her an ever-looming villain to the core. She was really down to earth and her ultimate payoff left me in tears.

DUCKY AND BUNNY were hilarious! My new favorites. Also, Keanu Reeves was pretty funny as Duke Caboom, but I will admit he was the weakest of the new characters. Oh, and Forky was all right, but I found him annoying for most of the movie. Yes, he had this kind of childlike innocence to him, but jumping into the trash, hopping out of the RV, and constantly being the damsel in distress got pretty irritating. Okay, it wasn’t that bad, but still not a highlight during my watch time. Can’t forget to mention the ventriloquist dummies. I love puppets and marionettes, so the way that they ran and animated was freaking cool!

THE ENDING felt like an ending. Yes, Toy Story 3 also felt pretty definitive, as well. But I love how they brought Bo Peep and Woody back together. It was a small, self-contained adventure, where the stakes weren’t as high as before, but it still made me feel something in the end. Ah man, that moment when they say goodbye to each other, “To Infinity and Beyond”? So good. So good! It’s like they couldn’t put the final chapter into the franchise without bringing Bo and Woody back together. It was about letting go, saying goodbye, and moving on. Ah dude, that’s some serious adult sh** for a kids movie! And you know what? It was worth it. Toy Story 4 definitely goes up there as one of my favorite Pixar films, to date.

WHAT DID YOU THINK of Toy Story 4? Did you enjoy it? What part of the movie did you like the best? Favorite character? Favorite moment? Please let me know in the comments below! And if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s well worth the watch. Go check it out! You can rent it pretty cheap on Amazon Prime, for like $3 or so? Or, if you’re lucky enough to be able to do so, I’d recommend seeing it in theaters! I’m sure that would have been a magical experience.

IF YOU ENJOY my work, please feel free to support me with some Kofi! Any support is appreciated, but not necessary 😉 It helps support me as a creator, so anything helps 😀 If you choose to buy me a coffee, I thank you, YOU ROCK!

THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading! I’ll be back with another update next time.  Keep that imagination kicking! Please take care, you all rock. Cheers!