‘Toy Story 5’ review finds heart in screen debate

In a year when family movies often circle back to familiar ground, “Toy Story 5” feels like a genuine step forward—anchored by Jessie’s emotional stake in Bonnie’s childhood and a sharper, more nuanced look at how tablets and screen time can quietly take over

When “Toy Story 5” opens, it doesn’t waste time asking whether toys still matter. It asks something harder: what happens to a child’s imagination when a tablet starts keeping the schedule.

In this latest Pixar outing from Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios. director Andrew Stanton steers what the reviewer calls a cure for Pixar’s “sequel-itis.” The film moves past the relative safety of “Toy Story 4. ” which the writer describes as perfectly pleasant but not ground-breaking. and delivers an original story that still keeps faith with what made the “Toy Story” films feel special in the first place.

The emotional center isn’t Woody (Tom Hanks) or Buzz (Tim Allen). It’s Jessie (Joan Cusack). the cowgirl whose story of losing touch with her first owner as she aged into adolescence in “Toy Story 2” was the first of the tear-jerking vignettes in the Pixar canon. In “Toy Story 5. ” Jessie finds herself trying to hold onto a child who is still young enough to believe in play.

Bonnie is that child—introduced at the end of “Toy Story 3”—and at 8 years old. she still has “a powerful sense of play.” Early on. her imagination turns into something almost storybook. as Jessie and Buzz participate in a fake wedding with all her other toys in attendance. Stanton renders these created scenes with a storybook style of animation. a visual flourish that the reviewer says stands out from the typical “Toy Story” palette.

But Bonnie’s play has a social edge she can’t quite control. While she’s wonderfully creative while alone in her bedroom, the film shows she’s less outgoing with other kids. To help bridge that gap. Bonnie’s parents buy her a Lilypad—described as a kid-friendly tablet “akin to the real-life LeapFrog devices. ” and also “still unsettlingly powerful.” Voiced by Greta Lee. Lily has terabytes of data about what children like Bonnie’s classmates enjoy. and what Bonnie should be doing to “ingratiate herself.” The advice funnels toward constant use: using Lily at all hours of the day so Bonnie doesn’t lose daily streaks or miss even a moment of online connection with her “friends. ” who the review says carry real Regina George from “Mean Girls” energy despite being in elementary school.

That takeover stings Jessie the most. Even if Jessie could accept. in theory. that Bonnie will eventually move on to age-appropriate interests. the film insists that eight years old is too young to give up toys. The result is a harrowing adventure where Jessie and Lily battle for Bonnie’s attention on the way to a sleepover—leaving Jessie and Bullseye (also present in the film) on the outside. literally looking in.

The reviewer frames “Toy Story 5” as a step up from “Toy Story 4” not just because it moves faster. but because it treats digital life with nuance. Jessie starts out “a full-blown Luddite. ” but the film later brings her around through detours that assemble a group of abandoned early 2000s tech. One of them is a toilet training game voiced by Conan O’Brien. which the review credits as the source of many of the movie’s funniest moments. Even these single-use gadgets still have value in the story: an ancient GPS voiced by Craig Robinson and a childproof digital camera voiced by Shelby Rabara are described as machines that can still miss their version of “play” with kids who keep getting older.

The central tension is clear in how the film draws its line: it doesn’t fully roll back technological progress. but it questions the role screens play as a time-killer. Children. the review says. must be allowed to experience whimsy. explore freely. and form social bonds—whether technology helps or not.

Still, “Toy Story 5” has an identified flaw. There are simply too many toys in the room. The series may leave toys behind with their owners, but Pixar almost never leaves them behind. The reviewer points to Duke Caboom. introduced in “Toy Story 4” and voiced by Keanu Reeves. as having maybe three lines in total. and Forky—voiced by Tony Hale—gets a similarly small presence. The review also mentions a pop-star character. “Apparently Bad Bunny. ” described as voicing a toy called Pizza with Sunglasses. but adds that the reviewer couldn’t tell you a single thing about that character.

There’s also a “B story” that spends considerable time on an army of upgraded Buzz Lightyear toys. whose “tabula rasa quality” recalls the out-of-the-box space ranger in “Toy Story 1.” The younger audience will likely find the mission amusing. the reviewer says. but it’s highly superfluous—even if it eventually integrates into the main plot.

By the end, the writer’s conclusion is that “Toy Story 5” manages the rare balance Pixar usually nails: an engaging story for children and emotional resonance for adults. The rating is *** (out of 4). “Toy Story 5” is in theaters now.

Toy Story 5 Pixar Disney Andrew Stanton Jessie Bonnie Lily Lilypad tablet phone screens screen time movie review