Toy Story 4 (2019)

The whole gang is back for yet another insight into the world of what toys get up to when nobody is looking.

Now that Andy has gone to college, all of his toys have gone to a little girl named Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw). She is just about to start kindergarten, and is nervous about what that will entail.

Even though she isn't allowed to take any toys with her to her orientation, Woody (Tom Hanks) stows away in her backpack, to keep an eye on her and make sure everything goes okay.

While there, she makes something from random craft supplies: a spork with pipe-cleaner arms, popsicle-stick feet and goggle eyes, that she names Forky (Tony Hale), and who quickly becomes her new favourite toy.

Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw) shows off her new favourite toy Forky (Tony
Hale).

But when he meets all the other toys in her room, he decides he doesn't want to be a toy, and he keeps trying to run away.

To reward Bonnie for being so brave on her first day of kindergarten, her parents take her on a road trip, and all the toys tag along.

But Forky throws himself out of the window of the RV on the middle of the highway, Woody must go after him to save him. They find themselves in an antique store next to a visiting carnival - the rest of the toys are at the RV park between the store and the carnival.

Inside the store, Woody and Forky meet a doll named Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), who wants nothing more than to be taken home by a child, but as an antique doll, most children aren't interested.

When Bonnie realises Forky is missing, she is absolutely distraught, and the other toys, led by Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), do everything they can to get Woody and Forky back again before the family leave the RV park.

Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and Bo Peep (Annie Potts),
with Bunny (Jordan Peele) behind.

All your favourite toys are back: Rex (Wallace Shawn), Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Trixie (Kristen Schaal) and Mrs. Potato Head (Estelle Harris). But there are plenty of new toys to meet and fall in love with, too: Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves), Bunny (Jordan Peele) and Ducky (Keegan-Michael Key), to name just a few.

The screenplay, written by Andrew Stanton & Stephany Folsom, is just beautiful, with all the characters audiences have grown to love and a bunch of new ones to enjoy. The plot is filled with twists and turns, and plenty of moments for parents to enjoy while attending with their children. I know I've said this before, but Pixar have managed to do this with all their films thus far, and this one is no exception.

There are a lot of similarities between this instalment and the original Toy Story from way back in 1995. It feels like the filmmakers are trying to bring these characters to a new generation, but I must say, they've done a brilliant job of this.

The first indication of this is the opening titles sequence, which features the song 'You've Got a Friend in Me' performed by Randy Newman, the same way the original film began.

Randy Newman also composed the film's score, and has written a couple of new songs for this film. These new songs are similar in tone and general feel to any other songs from the previous Toy Story films. The rest of the music is just perfect, reflecting either the on-screen action or, in most instances, the emotion or intensity of the accompanying action.

Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks).

All of the voice cast are very well suited to their roles. Of course, the majority of the cast have performed these roles before, some in all three previous films. Of the new cast, some definite favourites of mine are Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, who have a great chemistry together, having worked together extensively before on their show, Key & Peele. They have a wonderful connection here, and their dialogue bounces back and forth with brilliant comic timing.

Madeleine McGraw also injects real emotion - and turmoil - into the character of Bonnie, making her a fully three-dimensional character that will bring you to tears - in a good way.

Speaking of tears, I must advise you, if any of the previous three films brought a tear to your eye, make sure you bring tissues for this one.

Director Josh Cooley has made an absolutely beautiful film here. There hasn't been a Toy Story film this good in a long time, and I know I will be watching this one many more times.

9 out of 10.

Toy Story (1995)

The very first feature film from Pixar, this film still stands the test of time, and will always hold a special place in the hearts of audiences around the world.

What young Andy (John Morris) doesn't realise is that whenever he is out of the room, his toys all come to life, and have their own adventures going on, quite separate from the adventures his vivid imagination has them enacting.

Led by Andy's long-standing favourite toy, cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks), the toys are all preparing for the big move, as Andy and his mother (Laurie Metcalf) and baby sister are moving to a new house.

Not only that, but after Andy's birthday party, there is a new toy in Andy's life: Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), who refuses to believe he is a toy at all.

And when Woody and Buzz go missing together, and end up in the clutches of toy-torturing neighbour kid Sid (Erik von Detten), it is up to the rest of the toys to save them and bring them back home before Andy moves and loses them forever.

One of the best things about this wonderful film is the array of toys, several of them toys you will recognise from your own childhood. Characters like Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), neurotic dinosaur Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and Bo Peep (Annie Potts) are some of the most wonderfully expressive and riotously funny characters you will ever see on film. And the inclusion of R. Lee Ermey as an army sergeant (remember those little green army men?) is inspired casting of the highest calibre.

The screenplay - written by Joss Whedon and Andrew Stanton and Joel Cohen & Alec Sokolow - is incredibly clever, and is actually one of the very first scripts for an animated film that has more in it for adults to enjoy than children, a tradition that Pixar has maintained with all their feature films since, and which other animation studios have tried to replicate, though not always to the same high standard.

The interactions between all the characters (almost entirely Andy's toy collection as opposed to human characters) are all so cleverly written, and full of wonderful references and clever puns, the film doesn't even lose its appeal upon numerous repeat viewings; you will pick up different things every time. Again, this is very clever on Pixar's part, because naturally films like this probably are on endless repeat in many family homes, even twenty years after this was first released.

With the enormous proliferation of computer-animated films out in the world these days, it is important to remember that when this film first came out, audiences had never seen anything like it before. And audiences were blown away by the standard of the animation, and the quality of the animation still stands up today. While watching the film yet again for the purposes of writing this review, I continued to be amazed by the level of detail present on the screen in every single frame.

The music by Randy Newman - which largely consists of a handful of original songs which Newman has not only written, but performs himself - is quite good. Even the song 'You've Got a Friend in Me' which - to be honest - I have heard so many times I think I could sing it in my sleep still gets me every time; it's just a beautifully written and composed piece of music. Not only that, but it has a great message in it, too.

The voice cast are so perfect for their roles, especially Hanks and Allen as the two leads. The two of them share such an incredible chemistry on screen, it is hard to believe they recorded their lines separately of each other.

Director John Lasseter has made a wonderful film with this, Pixar's first feature. Of course, Pixar have made many wonderful films since this one, but if it hadn't been for this one, I don't know if any of the others would have seen the light of day.

A beautiful film to be enjoyed by audiences young and not-so-young.

9 out of 10.