By Jackson TOYON

It’s time for a new Pixar movie and we’re again returning to the studio’s most popular and foundational property. 

I’ve heard countless people over the years talk about “Toy Story” as the series that should have ended after the beloved third movie and, in some ways, I agree. It really was an emotional and perfect ending for the characters – but on the other hand, “Toy Story” seems to be the one series with never-ending sequels that consistently maintains a strikingly high level of quality every single time. I recently had the pleasure of discovering that this new entry, where toy meets tech, did not disappoint.

The film begins, surprisingly, on a deserted island. We are introduced to a clan of “hi-tech edition” Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) toys that have been shipwrecked after spilling out of a shipping container that fell overboard. Syncing with each other, they make it their mission to return to Star Command. 

Back at home with our main cast, shy child Bonnie is struggling to make friends. Concerned for her, Bonnie’s parents reluctantly purchase her a LilyPad – a child-appropriate tablet device – named Lily (Greta Lee) in the hope that its social features will assist Bonnie in finding friends. To the toys’ horror, Bonnie becomes addicted to her new tablet – just like all of the other kids in the neighborhood – and neglects them. Jessie (Joan Cusack) is particularly anxious after her past with her original owner Emily and decides to call in classic cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) for help. Lily manages to get Bonnie invited to a sleepover but after a heartbreaking encounter when the girls who invited her ridicule her for still playing with toys, Bonnie sends away Jessie and her horse Bullseye. They end up being taken away by an elderly couple. Far from Bonnie, Jessie meets characters such as Smarty Pants (Conan O’Brien), a potty-training device, and must find her way back home before Lily puts out to pasture all of the toys.

Though I was initially skeptical that an “overuse of tech” message could be impactful in 2026, Pixar employs a delicate hand here to bring a more nuanced one than is expected. Rather than declaring old toys good and new technology bad, it merely emphasizes that tech has great capabilities for play and socialization, but care needs to be taken to keep alive imagination and connection to the real world. It’s a healthy distinction that keeps the film resonant instead of preachy and overdone. It even packs in a nice message about friendship – more specifically that not all people will be a good match for you, but that one shouldn’t abandon their search just because of that.

The real crown jewel of “Toy Story 5,” though, is how much the story belongs to Jessie and Bonnie. Though Jessie has been prominently featured since she was introduced in “Toy Story 2,” she has never really been a central figure until now – and it’s a great change of pace. She gets the spotlight in a way she’s never had before and the opportunity to know her on a deeper level is delightful. Joan Cusack delivers a wonderful voice performance, and the film provides a closure for her arc similar to what the fourth film did for Woody. The film also puts more of a focus on the human characters than the franchise ever has before – Bonnie’s character being a focal point in this entry was an excellent creative decision.

With breathtaking animation, an emotional journey, a show-stealing Buzz Lightyear subplot and a particularly funny casting of Conan O’Brien, “Toy Story 5” is proof that old toys can still learn some new tricks. The multiple plot threads going on can at first feel a little unfocused but the film really finds the Pixar magic in the second and third acts and the filmmakers do a great job of bringing all the threads together in the end. 

If Pixar is committed to continuously making “Toy Story” films with this degree of quality then I have very little qualms about whether each one is “necessary.”

Rated PG