After taking one last tearful glance at the toys that filled his life with endless joy and countless memories, Andy, and the audience, bid an emotional farewell to Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Rex and the rest of the “Toy Story” gang in the tear-jerking third film. This concluding chapter is brought to a touching crescendo with three final words uttered by Woody, “So long, partner,” as the camera pedestals up to those iconic wallpaper clouds closing the book on a wholesome and complete trilogy. By the time the credits begin to roll, you’d have to be a coldhearted bastard not to have tears streaming down your face, and it’s this effect, this emotional resonance and sense of finality that allows “Toy Story 3” to deliver one of the most satisfying conclusions to a trilogy ever.
Even I, someone who was never as high on the third chapter as others, can’t deny that director Lee Unkrich and the team at Pixar managed to stick the landing beautifully. It’s with all of that in mind that the announcement and development of a fourth “Toy Story” film was not only an overwhelming disappointment but reeked of a studio cash grab. How could a story that had a real sense of finality be furthered in a way that felt natural and not forced?
That was a question that weighed heavily on my mind and precisely the question I posed to director Josh Cooley and producers Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen during a recent “Toy Story 4” press conference to which Josh Cooley readily responded with, “That’s the question of all questions.”
Back in early April, a group of fellow journalists and I were privy to a behind-the-scenes look at the forthcoming “Toy Story 4” during which Pixar treated us to the opening 20 min of the film followed by four additional scenes. And while I was fully prepared to applaud the advancements made in the quality and look of the animation (it’s next level by the way), I was not prepared to completely eat my words putting to rest the initial fears and reservations I had regarding a Toy Story quadrilogy. The team at Pixar has somehow managed to work their magic, once again, turning even the most jaded cynic, like myself, into an optimistic believer.
**Slight spoilers ahead for the opening of ‘Toy Story 4’**
The film wastes no time diving headfirst into the story with a visceral thunderstorm flashback captured in such vivid detail allowing Pixar to showcase their latest technological achievements to the fullest. Reminiscent of the army men surveillance and Wheezy rescue sequences in the original two ‘Toy Story’ films, Woody and the gang are amidst a daring rescue to save RC from washing away in a flash flood. Simultaneously, Andy’s Mom gathers a few belongings from his sister’s room to sell, most notably Bo Peep and her sheep (the answer to her absence in “Toy Story 3”). Woody acts swiftly to save his porcelain love but is countered by Bo’s understanding that her time with Andy’s sister has come to an end. Inviting Woody to escape with them, Bo is, of course, declined by the ever-loyal sheriff whose place is with the child who needs him. This pivotal introduction is ultimately the catalyst for Woody and Bo’s journey in “Toy Story 4” as the two embark upon an odyssey of self-discovery. This exchange is shortly followed by an opening montage of Andy playing with his toys set to Randy Newman’s timeless “Toy Story” anthem, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” during which I was immediately transported back to my time watching the original 1995 film.
**End of spoiler-y bits**
Inspired by the likes of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Casablanca” (according to director Cooley), the filmmakers wanted to craft a through and through classic adventure film centered primarily around the relationship between Woody and Bo and in the subsequent footage that followed those first 20 minutes, it became more apparent that “Toy Story 4” was channeling that Indiana Jones energy.
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Perhaps that’s a big reason why this first look won me over. I felt the excitement of “Toy Story” again, a small-scale quest with real stakes, colorful characters, a dash of romance, hearty laughs (some of the best the series has seen since the original two), a poignant message, and that signature emotional core guaranteed to kickstart the waterworks in viewers everywhere. Those original two films struck such a perfect balance in combining each of those ingredients while “Toy Story 3” was a bit of a departure, trying a bit too hard to elicit tears as the toys face remarkably dark and depressing scenarios which in turn became quite the buzzkill (pun definitely intended). Cooley and the rest of the team appear to be returning to the roots of what made ‘Toy Story’ special while distinctly formulating its own identity. While a rebalancing of tone was undoubtedly welcomed, I still had to be convinced that this fourth ‘Toy Story’ was, in fact, a story worth telling; that it would contribute to the journey in a fulfilling way after such a finite conclusion. Luckily, Josh Cooley felt the same.
“We love the end of ‘Toy Story 3,’ said the director. “It ends Woody and Andy’s story perfectly. We realized there was more story to tell, to continue Woody’s story. And once we started going down the path, and realizing, oh there is more to tell for Woody, we just kept going, and we hit upon something that was worth telling.”
Cooley’s remark was then followed up by producer Mark Nielsen who stated, “The idea of Bo Peep also was so intriguing to us. This movie has been kind of code-named Peep here within the walls for the whole four years we’ve been making it because we knew she was such an important character in this one. And the idea of them coming back together after not seeing each other for nine years, and just what’s become of her, was something we really thought was worth exploring.”
When framed as a new beginning birthed out of the ending of “Toy Story 3,” the notion of a “Toy Story 4” tends to make a bit more sense, as Woody is faced with a crisis of purpose as he struggles to find his place with his new kid Bonnie. Woody is no stranger to the many needs of a child, but these new challenges test the character in a way we haven’t seen before making for an exciting continuation of the story. Woody’s dilemma is explored through his mentorship of newcomer Forky (Tony Hale) – Bonnie’s sentient arts and crafts project who has the mind of an infant and is sure to be Twitter’s new obsession – and subsequently the odyssey the two embark on which in turn leads the sheriff back to Bo Peep (their reunion was one of follow up clips shown to us). It’s the encounter with Bo in which this exploration is furthered, tying into the overarching theme of transition.
Having only seen select scenes from the film, I can’t entirely comment on the end result, but what I am sure of is that transitioning plays a significant role in the advancement and development of our gang of toys. Woody has to cope with moving from one stage of his life to the next ultimately taking control of his own destiny. Bo has been there; she decided to move on from being “an antique” collecting dust on a shelf and take control of her life becoming a fierce adventurer. The two, while thrilled to find each other again, have changed drastically resulting in their ability to learn from the life experiences of each other. It’s a rather mature through line that will ring true for older audience members while introducing an important part of life to younger viewers.
This message isn’t exclusive to Woody and Bo; almost every character arc serves this thematic core. Buzz has to learn to support Woody in his decisions, Forky must discover what it means to be a toy, and Bonnie faces the apprehension, fear, and uncertainty of kindergarten. We were even given a small taste of how newcomer Duke Caboom: Canada’s Greatest Stuntman (voiced fittingly by Keanu Reeves) came into his own through a hysterical, yet heartfelt flashback. It was this thoughtful and apt thematic spark that ultimately ignited my excitement.
After experiencing roughly 40 minutes of “Toy Story 4,” it became apparent that Josh Cooley and screenwriters Stephany Folsom, Andrew Stanton, and Will McCormick understood the significance of “Toy Story 3’s” conclusion. Yet, they knew this was the perfect opportunity to address an important phase of life that normally wouldn’t be addressed in a franchise such as this let alone in a way that naturally challenges these characters. This intriguing angle served nicely alongside the ingredients of a classic “Toy Story” adventure make for a winning dish that I devoured wholeheartedly laying to rest any previous reservations I, and many others, had regarding a fourth “Toy Story.” As the book closed on Andy’s time with Woody, a new volume began and the cowboy’s excursion it’s sure shaping up to be a ‘rootin tootin’ good time.
