people DON'T understand Toy Story 4

[00:00:00]I'm confused. Until today, I'd only ever seen the first three Toy Story films, and it's only because of the possibility of making a video about the new fifth [snorts] film that I decided to watch the fourth at all. Previously, I had no interest because everyone I've ever known who has seen Toy Story 4 told me, "Don't. Don't watch Toy Story 4." And if I just scroll through the videos that come up when I type Toy Story 4 video essay, almost all of them are very, very negative. But then I see on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has both audience and critic scores in the 90s. So, do people hate this movie or not? I was confused.

[00:00:36]So, I sat down this morning to watch it as part of my big Pixar retrospective.

[00:00:40]I've been going through watching every single Pixar movie and making a video about each of them, and so I was keen to see what I felt about Toy Story 4. And having now watched it, I'm still confused. This is a very bizarre movie that on the one hand I'm not sure a lot of people actually understand. I think its meaning and what it's attempting are better than people seem to realize. But on the other hand, there are a lot of big problems. Very unique and interesting ones as well that I want to break down. And they're also symptomatic, I think, of everything that goes so very wrong in Toy Story 5 and point to what the legacy of this franchise will be going ahead, as well as looking back in retrospect, too.

[00:01:20]Generally, I'm going to talk about the fourth film this video because the fifth is going to have its own video by me.

[00:01:25]We'll talk about that much more later on, but I'm going to argue firstly Toy Story 4 is the strange amalgam of three different movies that were awkwardly mashed together. And secondly, that I think this is the best way to pick apart the franchise as a whole and my very conflicted feelings now. So, if you want to see what I mean, then stick around while we watch a very cool train.

[00:01:52]>> [music] >> So, to explain my point about the three different movies mashed together, we obviously need to discuss each of them in turn, starting with what I'm going to call movie one. And for a second, this does mean summarizing the plot a little bit. So, I actually think the first act of this movie is pretty strong with skipping the prologue for a second in which Bo goes off to her new home 9 years in the past. We'll come back to that idea later, but for the moment, generally the first act is the setup that Woody is struggling to come to terms with the fact he is no longer one of Bonnie's favorite toys. I've seen a lot of people criticize this as character assassination of Bonnie, but I think it makes perfect sense. Woody was the first of Andy's toys Bonnie encountered in the third movie, and she liked having a sheriff to play with.

[00:02:54]>> A sheriff.

[00:02:55]>> And then when Andy brought all his toys over, he placed special emphasis on Woody again, so it made a lot of sense she would favor him. But given enough time to continue growing on her own and allowing these toys to become hers more and more rather than Andy's, figuring out who she is as a person, she starts to prefer Jessie as like a female version of Woody. She wants a sheriff in her games, but Jessie fits better. And so, if Jessie is filling that role as a sheriff, then Woody isn't needed as a result. It makes sense. Kids often have certain toys who remain their favorites forever. Bonnie already had a lot of them before these toys came in, but they also have ones that dip and change a bit. I think this works great for two reasons. One is because it places Woody in the awkward position where he's used to being Andy's favorites and the leader of the original pack. That's the role he's used to playing, and he still wants to fit that role. Not even just for reasons of validation, but that that's what he's used to. That's how he's known to do things, you know? Only a lot of his original authority as a leader came from the fact he was Andy's favorite.

[00:04:00]Now, with Bonnie, he's just another toy awkwardly stepping on the toes of the real leader who's been in charge here for a while, which is Dolly. She's the leader. She knows Bonnie a lot better.

[00:04:11]People forget this about Woody. It wasn't just being Andy's favorite that gave him a sense of fulfillment. It was also being a leader, getting to be the guy who can lend an ear, who can offer advice. That was another big part of what made him feel so threatened by Buzz in the first movie, how effective Buzz appeared at helping all the toys. So, this is a great conflict we can use here. Woody's still trying to play the only role he's really known, but unable to do it as effectively now and accidentally infringing on Dolly's leadership all the time as a result.

[00:04:41]Keep your batteries clean your joints on the line. Thanks, Woody. I got it. Yes, I'm sorry. You're right. You're right.

[00:04:45]And secondly, it's great because Woody has grown since Toy Story 1. He's more mature now, and where this kind of conflict had him at Buzz's throat once, exploding with feelings of jealousy and fear, he manages it a lot more gracefully now. He's still clearly struggling, but he's trying to be a supportive team player. He's trying to find a position that suits where he is now. You know, the fourth Toy Story movie didn't need to exist, but since it does, this is quite a nice starting idea. Bonnie has orientation day before starting at school, and for some reason they're not allowed to bring any toys, but Bonnie really wants to because she's scared. As a result, Woody thinks someone should go with her based on his past experiences supporting Andy throughout school, whereas Dolly thinks they shouldn't because it might get her in trouble. Both have a point. Woody no longer has the authority to just convince them of his position, though, but he also isn't quite able to accept Dolly's point of view, either. So, he ends up just deciding to sneak himself into the bag, [music] going off on his own, which ultimately does prove correct and shows that even if Woody is no longer in charge, his wealth of experience still means he has a lot of wisdom or advice to contribute because Bonnie struggles at school. No one talks to her and the teacher weirdly turns a blind eye and makes no effort to help her integrate. Just leave her to sit on her own at the table in the far corner.

[00:06:08]It is left to Woody to get her some art supplies and encourage her forwards, which is where she then creates Forky. I know we're just explaining the story at the moment, but I promise this is going somewhere because Forky is a really interesting idea for a character. He gets to express a lot about the importance of a child's creativity and their ability to create transitional objects. This being the psychological term we've talked about before in these films, effectively projecting all those experiences of love and care you've had from parents or caregivers in the past onto this inanimate object. Also projecting a lot of your hopes and your imagination onto this inanimate object.

[00:06:45]This object that now partly symbolizes the kind of care you get from your parents so that in their absence, you can still feel there is something like them here, you know? Helps you to navigate the transition and helps you to process the idea in general that just because the people I love aren't right here in the room with me now doesn't mean I can't still hold onto and introject some of the nurturing qualities they give to me. It's also about a child pouring their own imagination forwards, but either way, Forky is a great example of all of this stuff and Woody is absolutely correct to immediately recognize Bonnie is going to need Forky. Forky is going to be the most important toy for the next few months as Bonnie transitions into life at school.

[00:07:28]>> You got to trust me on this. Forky is the most important toy to Bonnie right now.

[00:07:34]>> Forky is also something else, however.

[00:07:36]He is Woody's purpose. Woody who can't leave the room at home but still has a lot of wisdom and insight he can offer.

[00:07:43]Woody who hasn't exactly been listened to so far and hasn't gone about things the best way, but does also have instincts that put him right on the money. All the other toys write Forky off as weird and unimportant.

[00:07:54]>> Important? He's a spork.

[00:07:56]>> Yes, yeah, I know, but this spork this toy is crucial to Bonnie getting adjusted to kindergarten.

[00:08:02]>> Only Woody thinks otherwise and Forky consequently becomes something of a mission for him. Someone Woody can lend his wisdom to, someone he can guide.

[00:08:11]Crucially, someone for Woody to almost live vicariously through. You know, if Woody finds it difficult not being Bonnie's favorite and not having the kind of role he used to have with the toys, then he can be the close mentor to the toy that's is her favorite. He will seek the same sense of fulfillment through that, just less directly, you know? I love this idea a lot because it's so nuanced. This is a really good thing to be doing and this is often something people do in real life to process their change in social status or that they're changing age. Like people who are on the verge of retirement transitioning to be more of an advisor to the next upcoming thing or in certain groups of mammals, alpha males who aren't able to fill that role so successfully now may let go of a lot of the rivalry and need for dominance to settle into a more supportive position.

[00:09:00]This can be quite positive and Woody is right about Forky's importance to Bonnie and Forky very much does need a mentor if he's going to fulfill that role, but on the other hand, Forky isn't the answer to your internal struggles, Woody. Helping support someone else can help you to process this sort of change within yourself, but it's not the answer. It's not total fulfillment, especially when you realize Forky doesn't want to be Bonnie's favorite. He doesn't want to be a toy at all. I love this as a conflict, Woody wanting to fulfill his own desires by forcing Forky to be Bonnie's toy where Forky doesn't want to do that whatsoever and it massively frustrates Woody trying to mentor someone who doesn't want the mentorship, but also someone Woody insists on taking sole responsibility of.

[00:09:46]>> No, no. I need to do this.

[00:09:48]That little voice inside me would never leave me alone if I gave up.

[00:09:50]>> Because it's all I have left to do.

[00:09:53]>> And he just doesn't understand why Forky doesn't get it, why he doesn't see Woody's way. What is wrong with this idiot? There is a story inside this movie that is almost like a road trip between Woody and Forky.

[00:10:04]>> Woody have this very strong push and pull dynamic, both wanting different things that force each other to confront truths about themselves in order to grow and to change. And again, >> I love that as an idea, but the problem is what actually happens in this movie.

[00:10:19]We build up this great conflict, neither can see each other's perspective, until suddenly Forky agrees with Woody 100%.

[00:10:29]>> I get it now.

[00:10:30]>> What happened to all the conflict? This is only like 1/3 into the run time, and suddenly all of the most interesting character dynamic has dissipated. And you see the problem at the root of this?

[00:10:40]>> The conflict they set up is a great one, but maybe not a fitting one for a Toy Story movie, because >> if Woody is desperately trying to find fulfillment by living through Forky's favorited position, then surely the arc would have to conclude with Woody letting go of this need, right? He'll stop forcing Forky to do the things Woody would want to do. Stop forcing him against his will, which already feels a bit uncomfortable in this film watching >> him drag Forky all over the place, and he will instead find a better way to settle into his position in the team.

[00:11:11]Find a way to be able to share wisdom in a way Dolly listens, but also doing so as a team player who feels happy here.

[00:11:19]>> That's what all this is about at heart, right?

[00:11:22]>> And Forky in turn will find the agency to live his own life the way he wants, even if he has to slightly adjust what that is, right?

[00:11:30]>> Yeah.

[00:11:31]>> That would probably be a great arc if it didn't mean A, allowing Forky to become literal trash in what almost feels like a civil metaphor here, and B, Bonnie losing a toy she really, really needs.

[00:11:45]It would be awkward to conclude the conflict we set up in this film, so it just sort of has to do a U-turn and has Forky abruptly change his mind and everything. And equally, Woody never finds resolution with the other toys.

[00:11:58]The faint conflict between him and Dolly disappears almost immediately, and she, unlike almost all of the other toys, completely take a backseat for the rest of this movie. We never return to this dynamic again, because this story and this arc for Woody that the film was starting to establish is replaced by a completely different story all about Woody leaving for good. These are both root problems that grow into much bigger issues in the fifth film, I think. The core of a story that could be interesting, but not being able to fully run with it to its natural conclusion because it would contradict the cozy ending required of a Toy Story movie, and as a result, getting several other stories mashed into the same movie to try and fill that void. But in terms of this film, I think you could almost forgive the haphazard nature if it wasn't tacked onto the end of one of the greatest cinema trilogies. You know, a lot of the negative video essays I did watch about this film, I didn't think were fair. I found them unnecessarily cynical. And as a film reviewer, I believe criticism is important, even when we're talking about kids movies like Toy Story, analyzing what works, what doesn't, and what it means is crucial. I've made a lot of videos where I have been critical, and sometimes people do take it as you just being too negative and needing to lighten up. But there's a difference between cynically trashing a piece of media without even trying to understand what it was attempting, and criticism that is in fact curious to understand and engage.

[00:13:23]This was like the cornerstone of with entire literature degree. It It matter if you hate the poem or the novel you're writing about. You can praise it or condemn it perfectly fine, provided you're still engaging with its ideas, still extracting meaning, taking something valuable away. And it is a skill, I think, because it means tapping into your curiosity and daring to wrestle with the uncertainty of this piece of media you don't yet fully understand to uh slowly figure out not necessarily what it means, but certainly what it means for you, and digest all of that into something worthwhile. Then weirdly, when I went into training as a therapist, I asked my tutor if it mattered I'd never studied psychology before. All I had was a literature degree, and she told me that would likely serve me better because the theory you can learn any old time, but engaging with literature or art or movies, or whatever it is, it is like a practice of empathy and curiosity and expanding your open cognition, your ability to reflect and think critically, and all those fun things that make the strangeness of life exciting rather than daunting. And I think this is true on YouTube, too. I I don't often talk about literature anymore, but I think that same process feeds into both my therapy work and my YouTube videos here, and is what always keeps this job fun for me.

[00:14:39]I'm always taking away something from every film I watch, even the ones I don't like. Maybe that's a bit of a tangent, but I get a lot of comments about being too critical. But done right, criticism is important. You're allowed to hate a movie like Toy Story 4, but I think if you're going to make a video online about why, you do have to at least try and engage with it first.

[00:14:59]Let's go further, anyway. Let's talk about the second movie within Toy Story 4.

[00:15:07]We begin this film with a prologue 9 years ago, when the toys are still with Andy. Bo is Molly's toy, and now that she's gotten older, she gives Bo away.

[00:15:16]Bo asks Woody to go with her, and he considers it for a moment, but his place is with Andy. Then it's for this version of the story, I think that all of Woody's conflict with Forky sort of dissipates 1/3 into the movie. That conflict is replaced by a conflict between Woody and Bo where he wants to enlist her help to save Forky because his owner really needs that toy, and Bo [music] thinks Woody shouldn't care what his owner needs or not. He should forget Bonnie. He should strike out on his own and live life for himself. Forky is then relegated to being a damsel in distress.

[00:15:48]And again, as a general concept with Bo and Woody, I like this idea. I think it's quite a good conflict because this franchise has always seemed to frame lost toys like some hellish existence, like they must depend on an owner for love and acceptance. So, to celebrate a lost toy as something that can be liberating and that they can live happy lives is a good idea. I think that's worthwhile. This movie doesn't need to exist, but if it does, this is a nice gap in the franchise worth emphasizing.

[00:16:17]Toys without owners don't all have to become villains turned cold by years of loneliness, you know? But again, there are issues here. A lot of people have argued that this is wrong for Woody as a character, that it smears all of his greatest strengths from the past movie, his loyalty, his supportiveness. But I completely disagree. I mean, the reason I disagree is because this is literally the exact conclusion Woody already reached in the previous film. I made a whole video about this. Woody looks to this same photo of Andy again, but this time, look how the camera pans. At the start of the film, it zoomed in on Andy specifically, but this time Woody's eyes pan down to all of the toys. That's what Woody wants, to be with his friends.

[00:17:03]>> Woody doesn't say goodbye to Andy because he wants to be with Bonnie or feels there's more need for him to be with Bonnie. He says goodbye to Andy because he realizes he needs his friends, the people he literally faced death with in that movie. Woody he his life isn't about being needed by an owner, it's about getting to live with the friends you care about. So, I don't think this kind of arc ruins his character at all. It's already what's happened. And it worked great in that movie. The problem instead is it's already been done. This is kind of rehashing it again as though they forgot what the meaning behind Toy Story 3 was.

[00:17:36]Just this time he's instead finding fulfillment in romance with Bo, where previously it was friendship with Buzz.

[00:17:43]Or maybe faint romance with Buzz. Who's to say? And I think this is also the main issue with Woody going off at the end of this film. Sure, Bonnie doesn't need him and he shouldn't have to stay with her if he's not needed. But what about all of his friends? Surely that's the more substantial conflict he should be going through. Choosing between romance and adventure with Bo or choosing a more settled but secure life with all of his other friends. Because he spent almost zero time this movie interacting with any of his friends.

[00:18:11]Maybe two exchanges with Buzz and no direct dialogue between him and Jessie at all despite the fact she's the one he gives his badge to at the end. The lack of interaction throughout the film just makes it feel like he was never bothered. He gives more thought to Bonnie than he does to all of the friends that Toy Story 3 told us mattered most to him. You know, tweaked a bit I think this idea could work very well but because it's not the entire focus of the movie you don't get room to do it properly. And all of the Forky stuff does relate here. When I say it's like a completely separate movie I am being a bit over the top. It is somewhat relevant and we can see how they stitch together but it also feels a little bit like they were loosely stitched together. Less like it's the same arc very organically expanding than like they had two different ideas and they had to try and think about how they could fit them into the same arc. And I think because of this neither of them get enough focus to resolve well enough or to be explored well enough. Oh, and the other problem here is that Bo barely changes. The conflict between her and Woody is very one-sided. I mean, there are hints that all of these years on her own has turned Bo a little too hard-edged, a little bitter, even if she's still got a point. But, we never actually cut into that. She doesn't really have to change so much as just push Woody to change beyond the vague arc of her deciding to help Woody after having already previously tried to help Woody. It is a bit weak for her, you know? Character conflicts are strongest when both characters have something about them they have to change. And yeah, in that sense, we're kind of just repeating the arc of the previous film just in a slightly different context with weaker execution. And I think this will be a problem that comes up again and again if they keep making Toy Story movies. Is there anything more to say around the theme of toys and childhoods and feeling loved that can be said anymore? Most bases have already been covered. And because what made Toy Story so great has always been this core childhood and family dynamic explorations on such a deep level. You know, they have adventure in Toy Story movies. They go off and go on adventures, but that's never what it's been about principally. This core emotion is always what makes them so strong. And when you've already covered so much of that, it's very, very hard to do anything new. Toy Story, I think, has reached a point where if it still wants to be meaningful, it has to repeat itself a little.

[00:20:34]Gabby Gabby is the villain in this movie. She very helpfully takes Forky hostage in order that the story doesn't have to follow up on the Forky-Woody conflict any further. And also, she gives Woody and Bonnie something to argue about. Gabby steals Forky because she wants Woody's voice box in the hope that if she can fit her own voice box, the child Harmony, who comes by the antique store every day, will finally love her. There are a lot of characters with an E-ending name in this film, I've just realized. There's like Woody, Jessie, Gabby, Bonnie, Forky, Harmony, Dolly, Ducky, Bunny.

[00:21:10]Andy, it's becoming a mouthful. Now, Gabby is quite a good character. Her motives make sense. There is a nice sinister edge to her, but with a heart underneath we can understand and care for, and she doesn't really wish harm to anybody in the way Lotso did. She just wants Woody's voice box. It's easy to empathize with Gabby whilst also understanding a voice box won't fulfill her. When she gets it, Harmony still doesn't love her. And if it sounds counter-intuitive to Woody's ending to have Gabby's happy ending be finding an owner, I think it does work. At no point is this film saying there's anything wrong with a toy having an owner. It's just that's not what's needed for Woody anymore. He's been through that. He's accepted someone else can play that role for Bonnie, and he's sort of like an aging man at the end of his career settling into the liberating freedom of retirement. Woody and Bo will do whatever the toy equivalent is of going off on cruise ships around the world, you know?

[00:22:05]And it's quite nice as well that Woody sort of gives Gabby what Bo has given to him earlier, the reminder to get out there and find the kind of life you want. An owner won't come for Gabby while she passively wastes her years away on a shelf. It's only when she goes outside and seeks someone out that she finds a home. I do quite like all of that. I just I don't think Gabby means that much to Woody specifically. He doesn't really learn anything from her he hasn't gone through in past films or anything that contributes to his arc now. All he does at first is fear her, then listen to her story and feel for her, which is great, but yeah, it doesn't align with Woody's arc this film, and he gives her his voice box away despite, you would hope, Woody assuming it won't make Gabby be loved.

[00:22:51]You would have thought having gone through Toy Story 2, Woody would know this isn't going to fulfill her. I made a video all about that idea. You know, giving his voice box away feels like it should be a massive deal. The threat of her wanting it conveys something kind of body horror related and yet it's not clear what this voice box actually means to Woody, why it matters to him personally. He's obviously not happy to give it away because it is a part of them, but it never feels more than that in any kind of thematic way that strengthens the overall themes or arcs of this story. [music] Once he's given it away, he seems fine. He never looks back. It's not something to return to and therefore it doesn't really feel like a great character sacrifice for him to be making. It doesn't feel like a real culmination and a massive decision in his arc. And in that sense, despite Gabby literally wanting a part of Woody, she never feels that personal an antagonist here. She never really matters very much to Woody or to anyone else. There's some small mention of past history between Gabby and Bo, but it's never explored or leads anywhere. She has a scene with Forky that's quite good, but there's no greater conflict going on between them. I'm not sure anyone else does interact with Gabby beyond this. Buzz is there trying to help free Forky, I guess. Buzz and these two toys that are fun but don't matter at all. You know, Gabby as a villain feels oddly disconnected from everything in that sense. In fact, most of the characters are oddly disconnected because their only tie in this movie is to Woody. Dolly's conflict at the start is with Woody. Forky's conflict is with Woody. Bo's conflict is with Woody.

[00:24:24]Gabby's conflict is with Woody. Everyone only relates to Woody and that might be fine if there was a strong personal tie that enhanced each of their arcs as well, but that's not often the case here. So again, we could say Gabby Gabby never really had the room in this movie to be as effective in the story as she deserved to be or could have been because there were too many other stories going on as well. And when all of those stories are so centered on Woody, it means all of our cast of characters struggle to get any room either. Dolly goes forgotten almost immediately. Buzz does do things, but it's just doing things for the sake of doing things. He's confusing his conscience for his voice box in this movie for reasons I don't quite understand, but do feel a little bit like character assassination this time.

[00:25:11]Everybody knows that if you want to do the fun stick of Buzz being heroic and well-intentioned, but very oblivious to reality, you have to either give him a factory reset or replace him with a different Buzz Lightyear. Not just have him behave odd for no clear reason. And then the other characters sort of help to keep the RV from driving off, but that's about it. They're not even really doing that much with Bonnie there.

[00:25:34]Everything is weirdly disconnected and doesn't quite work. And yeah, even in terms of Bonnie, there was a little bit in this film where I was really excited about her story because she's struggling at orientation day, and Woody knows how Forky will help her manage the transition to school, and I thought, "Wonderful. The kid in this film is going to matter more this time than just the classic, 'I feel sad because I can't find my favorite toy, then suddenly the toy appears at the end of the film, so I'm happy again.' I thought, 'Great, we're going to do more than that this time. We're going to see all of the toys planning and enacting all sorts of strategies to help Bonnie navigate school a lot better.' That would be amazing to see. But then you realize that's a little too similar to Inside Out, and Pixar have already made Inside Out. So, they set up the potential to do something with Bonnie that's really interesting, but instead just reverts to the same old, 'I can't find my favorite toy' stuff. And that's a shame. It's a shame Bonnie doesn't get to tangibly feel any different to Andy in the old films. Again, it's very hard for Toy Story at this stage to not repeat itself in some manner, whilst at the same time the really bold things it could [music] do, and probably needs to do, it remains reluctant. It's pretty obvious with the way this film was written, Buzz isn't really needed here. Most of the original cast aren't needed either. and maybe if this was more a contained spin-off road trip movie specifically about Woody, that wouldn't have mattered. But, of course, they wanted to bring the original gang back, even if it felt cheap. And then by Toy Story 5, it goes even further because did Woody need to come back at all there? What is he contributing other than brand recognition? So, on the one hand, I think Toy Story is now stuck in a place where it can't help but repeat itself unless it did something really bold and really fresh, which it's obviously reluctant to do because that's the IP.

[00:27:22]And if you're not drawing on the IP, then what's the point in making another Toy Story movie, you know? You might as well make something completely original.

[00:27:28]And to be fair, a Toy Story movie without Woody or Buzz would probably disappoint expectations. And so, I think everything that doesn't quite work here is foreshadowing for the flaws that we see in the fifth movie, and I think we are going to see again and again for however many Toy Story movies they make.

[00:27:43]There's a lot that doesn't work, and in that sense, it would just be easier to say I too hated this film. Conclude it's awful. It ruins the trilogy. You shouldn't watch it. And while I didn't like the fifth film either, I think that makes this one seem even worse in retrospect. I would like to say everything after the third movie is awful. I am done with it. I would like to say that because that way I could kind of gatekeep the sense of closure the original trilogy gave me. And curiously, that's something I want to defend and protect. Like that bit in my heart that got to say goodbye to all these toys. I don't want that ruined. It would be so much simpler if my feelings were that straightforward to hate this movie, but I can't help but like the fourth film. I do like it quite a bit.

[00:28:33]Again, as flawed as this is, it's still a good movie. I can see exactly why it has high Rotten Tomatoes scores because if you just forget about everything that doesn't quite work, it's a really fun time.

[00:28:45]>> [laughter] >> If you just forget everything wrong.

[00:28:47]>> There's like three different stories though, potentially four all crammed into this one movie and all of them are great ideas. I do really, really like Forky as a character. I love in general the existential nightmare hiding in the back of this movie from the questions of how toys become sentient to what the voice box means, toys ripped apart, toys who want to break the one unspoken rule by physically attacking a human. It never gets to go far enough with those questions, but I'm glad it at least draws attention to them and at least try to do something. And then you got Ducky and Bunny who are two entirely unnecessary characters who could be removed from this story and it would make absolutely no difference. All they do is add to the already convoluted mess. And yet, they're played by Key and Peele. So, of course I laughed.

[00:29:33]Keegan-Michael Key is perhaps my favorite comedy actor. Keanu Reeves as Duke Caboom is also very, very fun.

[00:29:39]Arguably my favorite Keanu Reeves performance actually, which is such a dumb thing to say, but so what? I stand by it. And can we mention the animation by the way? I mean, my god is this a jaw-dropping film in its visuals. As much as I find it weird seeing a version of Andy that doesn't look badly generated and as much as I personally don't like how much gloss there is on all of the character faces this time, the setting, the lighting, the richness of the atmosphere they create in almost every scene here. This rain at the start is incredibly immersive. Same with the use of sound. I'm just absorbed into it.

[00:30:14]The long shot of Woody and Forky just walking side by side even. This is just a flat road and yet they've still added so much texture. The antique shop and the use of lighting spilling through that's both bright, but also limited makes this feel like you're sitting in an old half-abandoned building where the windows are boarded up and that's such a perfect feeling for the environment to express in regards to Gabby as a character. The dust everywhere, how it contrasts immediately with the bright lights of the outside funfair, literally just across the road. What this contrast of the dusty dark and the vibrant fun gets to mean in this movie, this shot of the cats, I mean, you'd be forgiven for thinking it's a real cat. This film is astoundingly well animated, and maybe it's because I haven't seen many Pixar films, certainly not many new ones yet.

[00:31:02]That's for later in the series. But the animators went all out here and it shows, and that in itself makes this movie a work of art. There's still something very, very beautiful worked on by a lot of people who really tried.

[00:31:15]It's would be simpler to argue Toy Story ended at the third movie and block the others from your awareness. And if this movie had been really bad, maybe I would have wanted to do that. It's just about good enough that I can forgive it though. And kind of realize closure doesn't always have to mean as fixed a conclusion as we imagine. Sometimes I wonder if closure is the push and pull you're left with between wanting to gatekeep your sense of an ending and also wanting to indulge in one last adventure for old time's sake.

[00:31:43]Sometimes, at least with media, that's itself is the process, that push and pull, getting to reflect on the emotional journey it dredges up within us and what it means for us as people.

[00:31:54]Even movies I don't think needed to exist and I think are fraught with flaws. There's even something very valuable to get out of engaging with that. It's okay to have conflicted feelings I think. It's okay to both enjoy a movie for what it is and also hate it for what it does to the franchise. It's okay to grieve the loss of the closure you'd previously found and also to indulge in a chance to re-explore it. Life is a lot more confusing when our feelings are mixed, but that's also when it's the most vibrant, too. And when the ways we engage emotionally with art like this is a kind of microcosm for how we engage with the world at large, I think this kind of thing is important. And in that context, I have to rank this film somewhere on my list. And on the one hand, I want to give this film like an eight out of 10 and babble on passionately about all of the things I loved here. Part of me wants to put it 10th on this list, but I I can't. I think it is more flawed than the other all brilliant films on this Now, there's not a single bad film on my list yet. They're all very good. I assume there were a lot of bad picks on movies. I haven't seen them yet.

[00:32:56]We will get there. And so, in that context, I think this has to take the 12th spot on my list so far. If you're confused why the other films are ranked where they are, you can watch the videos I made about them, but what did you all think of Toy Story 4? Well, as you know, for each of these videos I put out a community poll to see what you think, and it's a smaller survey this time. For whatever reason, the algorithm didn't promote the poll, but out of 835 votes, 4% of you said it was brilliant, 20% said it was good, and 46% said it was a bit flawed, which a lot of comments complaining there wasn't an option for terrible here. I know it's a flawed poll, okay, but I've got to stay consistent to all the other polls so that we can accurately compare scores, and YouTube only allows four poll options now. It's really annoying they took away the fifth option. And likewise, sticking to the same flawed maths I use to calculate this every time, this works out at a score of >> [laughter] >> six points out of a possible 210. Six points. That is a score of 2%. Before now, the lowest of these films scores was like 50% or 60%, I think. So, I guess this differs massively from the Rotten Tomatoes score for Toy Story. I really didn't expect something this low. It's probably a mark of the flawed poll and the maths I use as much as the audience dislike, but that's what we've got. So, yeah. Comment your thoughts, good or bad. Like the video if you liked it.

[00:34:20]Subscribe. Maybe support [music] me on Patreon or buy me a coffee, but otherwise, hopefully see you next time.

[00:34:28]And as ever, a special thank you goes to Flying Spider, Luke Gore, Michael Gallagher, Bubba Bubba Bubba Bubba Bubba Bubba Emery, Fafy, TQM, Kinesthetic, [music] Mori, Sebastian, Alicia, Chad Bramwell, and Joshua C. Folia. Thank you.