When I walked into Toy Story 5, I honestly wondered whether Pixar could still find something new to say with these characters. After all, this is the fifth film in a franchise that means so much to so many people. What surprised me most is that this movie isn’t really about nostalgia. It’s about growing up, changing, and learning how to hold onto your imagination in a world that’s constantly moving forward.
As someone who grew up with Toy Story, the film tapped into something universal. It reminded me of opening new toys as a kid, spending hours creating stories on the floor of my room, and that feeling of comfort Pixar has always been able to create through its worlds, characters, and environments. There’s something about a Toy Story movie that just feels like home.
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One thing I really appreciated is that Pixar doesn’t try to reinvent these characters. Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang still feel like the toys we’ve known for decades. That familiarity is part of what makes the franchise work, and I think Pixar made the right choice by staying true to what audiences love about them.
What impressed me most, though, was the way the movie approaches technology. At first glance, it looks like a story about kids and screens, but it’s actually much deeper than that. The film explores how every generation has its own technology that eventually gets left behind.
Think about it. Maybe it was your Game Boy, your PSP, your first CD player, your MP3 player, your iPod, or some gadget you absolutely loved growing up. At one point those things felt essential. You took them everywhere and couldn’t imagine life without them. Today, many of them are sitting in a drawer somewhere, replaced by something newer. The movie cleverly parallels that experience with the toys themselves. It’s not just toys that get left behind. Technology does too. Yet the memories attached to those objects never really disappear.
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The film also has something meaningful to say about childhood today. Many of us grew up going outside and creating games with whatever we had. Today it’s common to see kids sitting together while each focuses on their own screen. The movie acknowledges that reality without feeling preachy or judgmental. Instead, it suggests that technology and creativity don’t have to be enemies. The real magic happens when imagination takes over.
Some of my favorite moments in the entire movie are the sequences that take place inside Bonnie’s imagination. Whenever she begins creating stories with her toys, the animation transforms into a beautiful watercolor-inspired style that feels dreamlike and unlike anything I’ve seen from Pixar before. Those scenes capture the wonder of childhood in a way that feels visually stunning and emotionally authentic.
From a technical standpoint, Toy Story 5 is another impressive achievement for Pixar. The outdoor environments are gorgeous, especially the farm sequences filled with rolling green fields and warm golden-hour sunsets. The animation is stunning throughout, but what I appreciate most is that the technology never exists simply to show off. Every advancement serves the story.
What I appreciate most is that none of that technology exists simply to show off. Pixar has always been at its best when innovation serves the story, and Toy Story 5 is a great example of that. Even as artificial intelligence becomes a larger conversation within entertainment, this film feels like a reminder that great storytelling still begins with creativity, imagination, and the people behind the art.
I also have to mention the music. I’m not necessarily the biggest Taylor Swift fan, but I have to give credit where it’s due. The song works. It’s emotional, heartfelt, and perfectly complements the themes of the film. It serves as a reminder that it’s okay to look back on your childhood, to get emotional about the things that shaped you, and to remember how to play no matter how old you are.
I actually got emotional at the premiere when Randy Newman came out, and by the time the credits rolled, I was reminded why this franchise continues to resonate after all these years.
Because at its core, Toy Story has never really been about toys. It’s about growing up. It’s about friendship. It’s about change. Most importantly, it’s about not losing the part of yourself that still believes in imagination.
As for where I rank it in the franchise, right now my list would be Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 5, Toy Story 3, and then Toy Story 4. I place it that high because its themes resonated with me in a way I wasn’t expecting, and because it finds something meaningful to say without simply relying on nostalgia.
Toy Story 5 feels like a celebration of everything Pixar does best. It’s funny, emotional, visually beautiful, and surprisingly thoughtful about the relationship between technology and creativity. More than anything, it reminds us that growing up doesn’t mean leaving your imagination behind.
And honestly, that’s a message I think both kids and adults need right now.
