After Woody (<\/span>Tom Hanks<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>Forrest Gump<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Saving Private Ryan<\/span><\/i>) chose to stay behind with Bo Peep (<\/span>Annie Potts<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>Ghostbusters<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Designing Women<\/span><\/i>) to help lost toys find new homes, Jessie (<\/span>Joan Cusack<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>Working Girl<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>School of Rock)<\/span><\/i> steps up as the leader of Bonnie\u2019s room, with Buzz Lightyear (<\/span>Tim Allen<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>The Santa Claus, Galaxy Quest<\/span><\/i>) serving as her deputy. But Bonnie is now eight years old and is having trouble making friends. When her parents decide to see if interacting with her dance classmates in a group chat might help her break the ice, they buy Bonnie a new beginner tablet, a frog-like tablet called Lilypad (<\/span>Greta Lee<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>Past Lives, Tron: Ares<\/span><\/i>). After Jessie reaches out to Woody for advice, he rushes to Bonnie’s room just as Jessie heads with Bonnie to her first sleepover. While there\u2019s a vocal contingent who feel a fourth film unnecessarily compromised a perfect trilogy \u2014 and I can\u2019t entirely dismiss that argument \u2014 I still enjoyed <\/span>Toy Story 4<\/span><\/i>. It justifies its existence with sharp humor and a fitting sense of closure for Woody. <\/span>Toy Story 5 <\/span><\/i>doesn’t need justification because it proves to be an essential and brilliant work that tackles ideas the franchise hasn\u2019t really confronted before: children\u2019s relationship with screen time, the internet as a potentially harmful space and how the pressure to impress peers can reshape how kids relate to their toys.<\/span><\/p>\n The latter especially resonated with me, recalling how embarrassed I once was to be seen with my stuffed gorilla, so much so that I\u2019d hand it off to my younger sister so people would think it was hers at the theater. Eventually, of course, you outgrow that dependence on childhood objects \u2014 for me it happened when I was about 42. The film frames that transition not as something to be rushed or shamed and asserts that continued attachment to playtime can be a strength. The film also handles kids and screens with a light touch, balancing humor with insight without tipping into preachiness or alarmism. And the tech-based toys themselves are genuinely strong character additions, rather than just thematic devices.<\/p>\n Despite the return of Woody, the focal character this time is Jessie, who has the strongest connection with Bonnie yet is still haunted by past trauma. Cusack, who returns to acting after a sabbatical, does stellar work, which gives Jessie the feeling of closure she’s long deserved for so long. <\/span>Conan O’Brien <\/b><\/a>is a hoot as the film’s new breakout character, an electronic potty training toy named Smarty Pants. Lee brings her trademark nuanced and thoughtful presence to Lilypad, and Hanks and Allen make the most out of getting to play off each other as a duo again.<\/span><\/p>\n Ultimately,<\/span> Toy Story 5<\/span><\/i> understands the paradox at the heart of this franchise better than most legacy sequels: that endings are both necessary and impossible. It acknowledges the fear that stretching the story \u201cto infinity and beyond\u201d might dilute what made it special, while also arguing \u2014 gently but firmly \u2014 that imagination and joy don’t have to end. If there\u2019s a final takeaway, it\u2019s that letting go and holding on don’t have to be mutually exclusive. \u2014<\/span>Patrick Gibbs![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.slugmag.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Toy-Story-5-Teaser-400x267.webp\")
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