Monday, July 15, 2019

"Toy Story 4"

 ½ 

The toys in Toy Story 4 are close to outliving their usefulness. They're already hand-me-downs, and after several years of playing with them their current owner, Bonnie (to whom Andy gave them when he went off to college), is moving on from them, too.

Even though they are as bright, happy, fun and cuddly as ever, they seem to lack for things to do, a problem that afflicts the bright, happy, fun and cuddly movie in which they star, Toy Story 4, which also frequently lacks for things to do.

The idea this time around that the toys are just one level above trash, which is quite literally what makes up their newest cast member, Forky (voice of Tony Hale). That idea wears itself out after a while, though fun to watch Woody (Tom Hanks) and Bo Peep (Annie Potts) as they inevitably head down a path that leads away from the playroom.  Toy Story 4 looks spectacular, too; without doubt, this is the most eye-popping of all Toy Story movies.

But what's the point? Toy Story 4 struggles to find its purpose, meandering through a collection of vignettes, some of which are better than others. Despite its visual and musical (thanks to Randy Newman) excellence, Toy Story 4 feels more like an afterthought than a full-blown movie, a film that needed to be made to please the accountants instead of the storytellers. It'll be right at home on Disney's streaming service. That can't be a coincidence. Can it?



Viewed July 14, 2019 -- AMC Century City

1945

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