There is a distinct, surreal kind of vertigo that comes with being a parent and sharing the defining pop culture touchstones of your own youth with your child. I vividly remember growing up in the mid-1990s, completely spellbound by a groundbreaking little movie called Toy Story and spending hours playing the tie-in video game on the Super Nintendo with my cousins. Fast forward to this past week, and my wife and I found ourselves walking into a theater—holding the hand of our own three-year-old son to see Toy Story 5. It is an incredibly cool, full-circle moment, even if it does make me feel incredibly old.
As for the film itself? From what we saw, it’s absolute magic. Pixar continues to push the boundaries of what animation can do; the visuals are as breathtakingly stunning as ever, with textures and lighting so detailed they feel tangible. But more than the eye candy, the storyline is deeply timely and relatable, hitting a lot of emotional chords that resonate deeply now that I look at the world through the lens of parenthood. The premise this time around focuses heavily on tablets and electronic devices, tackling the very real harms and distractions they bring into our lives nowadays. Seeing the toys navigate the era of screen time felt incredibly relevant.
Our son was completely locked in and loving every second of it. That is, until a crucial moment toward the final act when he suddenly looked up and asked, “Mama, where are my toys?” When we gently informed him that we didn’t actually have any of his toys on us at the moment, absolute chaos ensued. A full-blown, theater-shaking scream echoed through the darkness, and we had to immediately scoop him up and make a swift break for the exit doors, completely missing the last portion of the movie.
Despite our abrupt exit, I really, thoroughly enjoyed everything we did get to see. It’s a testament to the franchise’s enduring heart that it can still captivate a forty-something dad and a three-year-old toddler simultaneously. I’m already looking forward to tracking it down and watching it again—in full this time—sometime in the near future.
Lesson learned, though: our movie bag has officially been updated. We now make absolutely sure to include a couple of his favorite toys in our son’s bag before heading out to the cinema. You know, just in case Woody and Buzz spark another sudden existential realization.
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