Toy Story 4 (2019)

I didn't enjoy any "Toy Story". Well, the first - at the age I had when I saw it - was indeed something new, as a 3D rendered animation, and probably at that time seemed ok, although I think that "Anastasia" left me a more solid impression (out of the '90s releases around the same time). I don't remember anything from "Toy Story 2", and from "Toy Story 3" only that it did hit a new record for the tear jerking coefficient. So I (hardly) decided to see "Toy Story 4", more due to lack of novelty on my blog, and having lower expectations than the depths of the ocean from where the last "Godzilla" came out (which I didn't actually have the "guts to meet"). Given the context, what I can say after is that the choice wasn't that bad. Except the AC in the cinema running on extreme mode for almost 2h... which made me dream on a wool sweater in the middle of the summer.

"Toy Story 4" could be also named "The Search for Forky" - where Forky is the latest toy joining the group, manufactured out of a single use thrown away fork, by Bonnie, the current owner of Woody & co. The problem is that Forky is not at all at peace with his new Frankestein-ian condition of a living toy, and wants back into the garbage bin. Any garbage bin. And since Forky seems essential to help Bonnie to get through the kindergarten purgatory, Woody takes the job of a suicidal forks savior. The problem is, however, made worse by Bonnie's parents who decide for a road trip, where Forky has even more opportunities to escape into some trash can. And so the story goes for a while... But slowly the focus is moved more onto an older friendship of Woody. But let's not spoil the whole narrative line.

I didn't manage to escape completely the need for an eye-roll, but I guess this was in much more reasonable limits than when watching the previous part. Besides that, the length of the movie is decent enough to not drag you into boredom. The efforts to make you laugh are ok, and overall I think it's clearly better on this part than the latest "How to Train Your Dragon" (but also quite far from top funny stuff like "Emperor's New Groove" or "Wallace & Gromit"). In brief, it's fine... especially if your expectations are low enough :)

Rating: 3 out of 5