Who moved my chi? A review of Toy Story 4 (June 22, 2019)

Tom Hanks, Annie Potts, Tim Allen, Keanu Reeves

An unexpectedly mature story in a Pixar form.

I have come to expect a lot from the little Pixar film that could. Toy Story, once seen as a funny, quirky one-off, is now elevated to an artistic masterpiece whose story transcends to fable.

Toy Story 4 examines fundamental notions of loyalty, conscience and purpose, and takes and makes the Duke Kaboom leap from comedic to authentic. Do I see shades of Pinocchio here?

Woody, played by Tom Hanks, has been shelved by his new child, Bonnie. She still keeps him but pulls away his Sherriff's star and assigns it, in a very girl power move, to Deputy Jessie (Joan Cusack). He's also been demoted from running the toys after Dolly (Bonnie Hunt) becomes Mayor of the toys. 

**SPOILERS AHEAD** 

Lay-offs

So he starts hanging onto the only function he sees left: make sure Bonnie makes it through Kindergarten orientation. So despite the rules, he sneaks out to school with her. And when a bully throws her crafts in the trash, Woody rescues them out of the trash and leaves it for Bonnie. From the debris, Bonnie creates Forky (Tony Hale) and puts her name on the "sole" of his foot, and brings Forky to life. In this part of the story, Woody's purpose is to be a Change Manager.

Is it called "recycle" or "re-purpose"?

Forky's subsequent identity crisis is a hilarious examination of what it means to repurpose something or someone. Woody stays by Forky's side, talking him down from the trash can ledge, watching him through the night so Forky doesn't hurl himself into the abyss, chasing after him when Forky attempts to turn himself into litter. Then Woody's purpose is to being a Life Coach.

Maybe losing is better than winning?

But the biggest and longest story arc is when Woody is trying to get Forky back to Bonnie. He sees his lost love's light--Bo Peep's lamp--in an antique store called Second Chance. Woody yearns to see Bo (Annie Potts) and sneaks through the store's mail slot to get to her. There he runs into Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) and her minion(s) Vincent in a very "Rosemary's Baby"-like baby carriage.

As an aside, I think Vincent is an homage to William Goldman's movie, "Magic", starring Anthony Hopkins, Ann Margaret and William Burgess. Goldman, famous for "Butch Cassidy & and the Sundance Kid", "Marathon Man" and countless other screenplays and books, made the ventriloquist's dummy the trope that it is today. It is, hands down, one of the creepiest movies I've ever seen. Once you see it, it will become obvious where Hannibal Lector came from.

Also let me just say that having Bo play as a fearless leader and super hero, with a cape, jumpsuit and an avenging shepherd's staff, is another fine gesture towards girl power. And that the villainous Gabby Gabby has a broken voice box that drives her to what appears to be cruel lengths is fundamentally in love with the unattainable. Her duality is aptly summed up in her name, much like the 80s rocker, Lisa Lisa.

The Antique Shop / Adventure Land story arc is a tale of loyalties and loves. Does Woody's purpose transcend love? Or does Woody even still have purpose? What does it mean to be lost? Or can you repurpose yourself? Or does someone else need to help you find that new purpose?

These big, esoteric questions are wrapped up into a tale about toys. A bit heady, mind you, but with as clear a gaze as Gabby looking for love in all of the wrong places.