A few months ago — Nov. 2018 to be more specific — I reviewed the first teaser trailer for “Toy Story 4.”
I had a tepid reaction to the teaser — a teaser concept I called “manipulative.”
This week, the folks at Disney/Pixar have unveiled a full-throated trailer revealing plot points and details.
First things first. I’ve read all the stories about how Tom Hanks or Tim Allen or both “cried” when they read the final pages of the script for “Toy Story 4.”
I seriously hope that doesn’t mean this is like “Toy Story 3” — a movie that didn’t deserve to be in the same toy box as “Toy Story 1 & 2,” and buoyed itself on a tearjerker scene at the end where an older Andy gives away his toys to a little girl named Bonnie.
Anyhow... here’s the gist of the new “Toy Story 4” trailer.
Bonnie makes a “toy” named “Forky” out of a spork at preschool. She brings him home. Woody (our dependable cowboy doll) tries to integrate the craft project into the toy family he leads.
Bonnie and her family go on a camping trip. She takes some of her toys along.
Unfortunately, Forky thinks he’s trash and does everything to extricate himself from the situation — a move that results in the spork and Woody falling out of the RV (as it rolls down the road).
Woody and Forky’s journey to return to Bonnie leads them to the town of Grand Basin, where they stumble upon an antiques shop. They discover Bo Peep in the store (the Bo Peep lamp wasn’t part of Andy’s collection anymore in “Toy Story 3”). The pair goes in to investigate.
Fun fact: They include a shot of antique “glass insulators” in a display case in the trailer. We had a collection of those on a shelf when I was a kid.
The rest of the toys — led by Buzz Lightyear — appear to mount a rescue attempt, and it looks like a significant part of the movie’s narrative movie takes place at a carnival located in Grand Basin.
The trailer includes The Beach Boys song “God Only Knows” (slightly less manipulative than the Joni Mitchell song in the first teaser).
I was a huge fan of the first “Toy Story” movie when it was released in 1995 (I saw it 7 or 8 times in the theater). I also enjoyed the second entry in the series (some believe it to be better than the first). I think I believe the lone time I saw “Toy Story 3” was in the theater back in 2010.
What did I think about the latest trailer for “Toy Story 4”...??
Honestly, I have mixed emotions.
The first “Toy Story” movie avoided being overly sentimental and melancholy (two traits that have become far too prevalent in Pixar films over the years).
A light touch approach is part of what made the first two “Toy Stories” so good.
I can’t help but think that the “Forky” character is going to turn out to represent some “fork in the road” metaphor as an aging Woody ponders his place in the world.
I just pray that they aren’t overly manipulative with this.
I don’t feel a burning need to cry at a “Toy Story” movie.
As many of you know, I am an avid “Star Wars” fan and have a collection of toys and memorabilia. I have fond memories of those “Star Wars” toys I had in the 70s and 80s — along with toys like Legos, Playmobil, Lincoln Logs and a whole host of other items.
As such, the “Toy Story” movies hold a special place in my heart.
As I mentioned in my last “Toy Story”-related post, tugging too hard at the heartstrings isn’t what the franchise needs.
That said, I think that’s the road trip we’re all about to take this summer...
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