SPOILERS ALERT!!!

Hello everyone! 🙂

Welcome to ‘Bradley’s Basement’ blog and I’m Tim Bradley!

I’ve seen the latest instalment in the ‘Toy Story’ film series – ‘Toy Story 5’! 🙂 I had a great time seeing this film. Amazing to think that it was seven years ago since ‘Toy Story 4’ came out in 2019. 🙂 Here we are again with another beloved ‘Toy Story’ film for us to enjoy! 🙂

I made it clear in my quick movie review for ‘Toy Story 4’ that I had mixed feelings about the film when I saw it at the cinema back in 2019. Over the years, ‘Toy Story 4’ has grown on me as a film, as I do appreciate it more compared to the few times I saw on the big screen.

With that said, ‘Toy Story 5’ is a big improvement for me over ‘Toy Story 4’. I was able to get into the characters, their journeys and I found myself laughing more at certain comedic moments in ‘Toy Story 5’ compared to when I checked out ‘Toy Story 4’, which is a relief. 🙂

In ‘Toy Story 5’, two years have passed since the events of ‘Toy Story 4’. Jessie, Buzz Lightyear and the toys have to deal with the presence of Lilypad, a tablet which ends up being the new favourite plaything for their owner Bonnie. It isn’t as easy as they think it is.

Woody soon returns to help Jessie, Buzz and the toys. I did wonder how Woody was going to return in ‘Toy Story 5’ considering he left to be with Bo Peep at the end of ‘Toy Story 4’. I like that he helps his friends and it’s good the film didn’t end with him returning to Bonnie.

‘Toy Story 5’ is more a story for Jessie, as she tries to find ways to get Bonnie to make a new real-life friend whilst the tablet Lilypad complicates things. It’s also a story where Jessie deals with her past as she finds out how valuable she is to those who owned her. 🙂

I like how this film addresses the issue of traditional toys versus technology, as it’s become clear that technology has become a regular thing in our lives to the point of obsession. I wondered how the toys would be played with again over using digital devices.

Once again, Woody is voiced by Tom Hanks and Buzz Lightyear is voiced by Tim Allen. I enjoyed it when there was a group of multi-Buzzes in the film and they were stuck in ‘space ranger’ demo modes. Buzz also finds a way to confess his feelings to Jessie in the film.

Jessie is once again voiced by Joan Cusack whilst Lilypad ‘Lily’ is voiced by Greta Lee. Jessie is joined by Bullseye when they stow away in Bonnie’s suitcase for a sleepover with a few new friends before they’re at the farmhouse where Jessie’s first owner Emily lived.

In the film, Jessie and Bullseye are helped by three new characters. A potty-training device named Smarty Pants, voiced by Conan O’Brien, a toy camera named Snappy, voiced by Shelby Rabara, and there’s a GPS hippo toy named Atlas, who’s voiced by Craig Robinson.

There’s Bonnie, voiced by Scarlett Spears, and Blaze, an 8-year-old girl who loves animals, voiced by Mykal Michelle-Harris. Combat Carl, who was in ‘Toy Story of Terror’ and ‘Toy Story 4’, returns – once again voiced by Ernie Hudson of ‘Ghostbusters’ fame. 🙂

There’s Mrs. Manoukian, Blaze’s mother, voiced by Krys Marshall, and there’s an Evil Bullseye voiced by Alan Cumming. 😀 Alan Cumming seems to get everywhere these days. 😀 Evil Bullseye appears in Blaze’s imagination during a playtime scene with Jessie. 🙂

Other returning characters include Bo Peep, voiced by Annie Potts, Duke Caboom, voiced by Keanu Reeves, Dolly, voiced by Bonnie Hunt, Trixie, voiced by Kristen Schaal, Forky, voiced by Tony Hale, Karen Beverly, voiced by Melissa Villaseñor, Rex, voiced by Wallace Shawn, Slinky Dog, voiced by Blake Clark, Hamm, voiced by John Ratzenberger, and the three Pizza Planet aliens, voiced by Jeff Pidgeon.

Bonnie’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson also return, voiced by Jay Hernadez and Lori Alan. There are also characters with new voice actors, including Mr. Pricklepants, voiced by John Hopkins (a shame Timothy Dalton didn’t return to voice Mr. Pricklepants in this film), Mr. Potato Head, voiced by Jeff Bergman and Mrs. Potato Head, voiced by Anna Vocino. 🙂

There’s Giggle McDimples and Ducky and Bunny from ‘Toy Story 4’ returning in this film, though they’re silent cameos. There’s Dr. Nutcase, voiced by Matty Matheson, an Inflatable Flamingo, voiced by Siân Welby (in the UK anyway) and a Pizza with Sunglasses, voiced by Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. There’s also a garden gnome voiced by Jordan North (in the UK anyway). 🙂

‘Toy Story 5’ has been a worthwhile film to see at the cinema. I’m sure I’ll be seeing it again sometime soon, as it’s a very pleasant and entertaining film to check out. The story is well-crafted and the characters are well-developed, and it ends on a very satisfying note.

There’s a likelihood that ‘Toy Story 6’ will be in the making soon. If that happens, I’m looking forward to it. In the meantime, I’m pleased that we have another enjoyable instalment in the ‘Toy Story’ film series with ‘Toy Story 5’. It’s a film that fails to disappoint.

Thanks for reading!

Bye for now!

Tim 🙂