For more than three decades, the Toy Story franchise has occupied a special place in the hearts of film fans around the world. What began in 1995 as a groundbreaking leap forward in computer animation quickly became something much greater: a series about friendship, growing up and learning when to hold on and when to let go.
For many fans of the franchise, Woody, Buzz and the gang aren’t just animated characters, they are lifelong companions who have grown alongside multiple generations. Remarkably, Toy Story 5 proves there is still life, laughter and genuine emotion left in Pixar’s most beloved film series.
Directed by Andrew Stanton and co-directed by Kenna Harris, this latest chapter finds Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of Bonnie’s toys facing a challenge unlike any they’ve encountered before. In a clever and surprisingly relevant twist, the film explores the growing influence of technology on childhood through the arrival of Lilypad, a smart tablet convinced she knows what’s best for Bonnie. The result is a story that asks whether traditional play can still compete in a world dominated by screens and AI.
What makes Toy Story 5 work so well is that it doesn’t simply rely on nostalgia. Stanton and Harris understand that the world has changed, and so have children. Rather than pretending otherwise, the film embraces this reality and uses it as the foundation for an inventive adventure packed with humour, action and heart.
The returning voice cast remains one of the franchise’s greatest strengths. Joan Cusack is particularly wonderful as Jessie, who is given some of the film’s most meaningful character moments. Meanwhile, Tom Hanks and Tim Allen slip effortlessly back into the roles of Woody and Buzz, their chemistry as natural and engaging as ever. New additions including Greta Lee’s Lilypad and Conan O’Brien’s delightfully sarcastic Smarty Pants, a tech-based potty-training toy shaped like a roll of toilet paper, fit seamlessly into the established world.
Visually, the film is undeniably another triumph for Pixar. The animation is stunning, blending the familiar charm of the toys with richly detailed environments and imaginative action sequences. Randy Newman’s score once again provides the emotional backbone of the story, while Taylor Swift’s original song, I Knew It, I Knew You, proves a surprisingly moving addition that ties beautifully into Jessie’s journey.
If there is one reason Toy Story 5 falls just short of the franchise’s very best entries, it is that it lacks the instant-classic feeling that made the first three films feel almost untouchable. Those movies set such an extraordinarily high standard that matching them was always going to be nearly impossible. The main issue here isn’t the film itself, but rather the reason behind constanatly wanting to bring back a franchise that was just perfect as it was. But make no mistake, this is a great addition to the series and a film that knows how to truly preserve its iconic characters from any form of franchise fatigue. The story is as fresh and as beautifully told as ever, and the denouement manages to offer a real sense of resolution; a reminder that even the most familiar stories can still find new and meaningful ways to say what they need to say.
Thirty years after the original, Toy Story 5 continues to engage audiences with humour, warmth, and genuine emotional resonance. That in itself is the film’s greatest achievemnt.
