The Book of Random

Toy Story 4 (aka, Lynn being nostalgic)

Warning: I wrote this four hours after watching TS4 for the first time...and I was not okay. Prepare for incoherence. 😂

I. Love. Toy Story.

Not just the first movie, no. The entire series. Honestly, it's one of the greatest film series of all time, made by the greatest animation studio of all time.

Even my family members who aren't as obsessed with animation as I am (Seriously, I wrote a paper on this subject. I'm obsessed.) will admit that it's amazing. It's crazy to think that a film series has actually been consistent with its quality for OVER TWO DECADES. TWO FREAKIN' DECADES. HOW?

WAIT. TOY STORY IS ALMOST 25 YEARS OLD. HOW? Man, I'm getting old. 

That's a testimony to Pixar's quality, if you ask me. 

But, back to the nostalgia. 

Growing up, I watched the first two movies over and over again. I had no idea at the time that they were some of the first computer animated movies ever made. I didn't know Pixar's reputation as a great film studio. I simply thought they were great movies, so I watched them all. the. time.

Woody is and always has been, my favorite character. I relate to this guy so much. I hesitate to say this, but sometimes, I can be a jerk. I can be reluctant to change my ways when someone tells me off, or even respond to change around me. But if there's anything this series has taught me, looking back over the years, change can be a good thing.

I laughed, I cried, they moved me. The scene with Jessie and her former kid in the second movie killed me every time. Because of those movies, I never abandoned a toy.

Until recently, when I finally stuffed them all in a trash bag and my mother put them out on the...wait... Sorry, she put them down in the basement to store them. She almost put them out on the curb though. 😅

I had a Toy Story 3 moment though. That was heartbreaking. 

Anyway, I also grew up blissfully unaware that sequels had a bad reputation. Naturally then, when Toy Story 3 was announced, I was so excited. I counted down the days until my dad took my sister and I to see it.  

I still remember watching it in theaters, crying at Lotso's backstory (that moves me to tears EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.), and feeling sad when Andy finally passed on his toys to Bonnie. 

As I get older though, I've appreciated Toy Story 3 more and more. It's crazy to think that I'm seventeen now (same age as Andy in the 3rd movie)...and getting ready for my final year of high school. College is just around the corner and I'm finally able to drive by myself. 

Growing up is hard. But these movies show that it's normal to drift away from the things of childhood and that preparing for adulthood is a good thing. 

So, all this to say, these movies were my childhood. They were one of the defining things in my early years, even though I was born several years after the first two were released. 

Naturally, when I heard Toy Story 4 was in development, I was upset. "Why ruin the perfect trilogy?" I thought. 

Then, the Toy Story world in KH3 was awful. They messed up the characters of Woody and Buzz so much that I wanted to throw my non-existent controller at the screen. After that disaster (which apparently was Disney's fault), I was sure TS4 was going to be awful.

Then, I finally went to see it. (Thank you, local theater, for bringing it back for Labor Day weekend.)

And...I loved it. 

Now, Toy Story 3 is still my favorite. But my goodness, this new one was still very well done. 

The animation quality...wow. Just looking back and comparing the first and newest movies, it's crazy to see how far computer animation has come. 

But THE STORY. AHHHHHH

I STILL AM UNABLE TO PROCESS THAT ENDING AND IT'S BEEN FOUR HOURS. HOW?

Spoilers for Toy Story 4 ahead...

Sure, I understand that it was the best thing for Woody to leave. He really hadn't gotten over Andy, even though it was time to move on, so for him to be reunited with Bo was amazing and I wouldn't change any of it. 

BUT HIS AND BUZZ'S FRIENDSHIP...THEY'LL PROBABLY NEVER SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN...I WANTED TO BAWL MY EYES OUT IN THE THEATER.

I couldn't, because my family was with me and I didn't have tissues. *sighs*

So, it was definitely a bittersweet ending. But, in a way, it was a good one. But please, Pixar, don't make a fifth one. I don't think I could watch a Toy Story movie without the Woody/Buzz duo. It's just not right. 😥

Also, just for the record, whenever the toys commandeer a vehicle, it's hysterical. The Pizza planet truck in TS2 was the best, but them taking over the RV is a close second. 😂