I love the Toy Story movies because I grew up watching them. I definitely have an opinion on the best ones and don’t feel like I have outgrown them yet. They’re movies that appeal to all ages. However, I was disappointed in Toy Story 4, so I was a little hesitant about Toy Story 5.
I still think Toy Story 3 is the best in the franchise, but the latest movie restores some of the series’ past glory. I think what made it work is that it focuses less on Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and more on Jessie (Joan Cusack). That really made the film worth watching.
Warning: Toy Story 5 spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.
Toy Story 5 Reminds Fans of Jessie's Trauma, And How That Still Lives Within Her
Jessie has a backstory so tragic that if she became a Pixar villain, her actions would be justified. It’s easy to understand why Jessie would be scarred by the loss of Emily, especially from abandonment, and have trust issues with toys and humans. We saw Jessie’s scars in Toy Story 2, but the rest of the franchise mostly made it seem like she had healed from them.
Toy Story 5 reminds us that scars can shrink, but sometimes they don’t completely disappear. She’s in a much better place than she was at the start of Toy Story 2, but you still feel her pain in Toy Story 5. It seems like she finally heals mostly by the end of it, but Jessie’s story feels very human.
People don’t often fully recover from grief and heartbreak. They just learn to live with it. Jessie learns to accept her pain and thrives because of and despite it. I loved that this film once again explores Jessie’s trauma over Emily and being abandoned. Her backstory is really key to her identity.
I Love That Jessie And Buzz's Romance Takes A Main Spotlight Because It Adds A New Dimension To The Films
Buzz and Jessie have been one of Toy Story’s best couples ever since they began in the second film. However, the films mainly explore their love story in the background. It’s never that front and center until Toy Story 5. I didn’t even know I cared that much about their romance until this film. It made me cheer and root for them in ways I hadn’t for the last several movies.
I am excited to see what married life brings them in future movies
Jessie Shows That She's Not Always A Nice Toy, But That Makes Her Feel Layered.
This may be controversial, but I see a world where Jessie becomes as dark as Lotso (Ned Beatty). Jessie has a dark edge to her that could have easily turned her into a villain, but meeting Buzz and Woody saved her in many ways. In Toy Story 5, you see Jessie not always being nice to the electronic toys.
As a Jessie fan, I am glad Toy Story 5 exists because it showcases her layers and multitudes. She’s a kind toy, but she’s not without scars and rough edges. This again makes her very human, despite being a toy. Sometimes humans and toys aren’t always the nicest, but that doesn’t make them bad. It makes them real.
