After the emotional climax (or terrorism?) of “Toy Story 3,” every subsequent “Toy Story” installment has had to earn its relevance. “Toy Story 4,” in 2019, saw Woody (Tom Hanks) grappling with poignant questions about time passing and the utility of toys in a child’s life, while the latest film, “Toy Story 5,” rushes in with an urgent warning, about one of the scariest current threats to childhood, and indeed life itself — screen time.

Woody and the gang find themselves tackling tech, with cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack) leading the charge. The film is about the harm that technology, devices and screens can have on the impressionable young minds of kids, but the lessons here are applicable to everyone, of all ages. As a group of abandoned toys delivered a litany of warnings to Jessie about the dangers of allowing tech into the home, I had to ask a nearby man to turn off his phone during the screening — oh, the irony. He left shortly thereafter, but could have used the lessons imparted in this Disney/Pixar piece, co-written and co-directed by Andrew Stanton, writer of the original film, and Kenna Harris, making her feature debut.

Jessie has taken on the starring role in the life of her kid, Bonnie (Scarlett Spears), with Woody involved in the wild toy life outdoors and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) serving as her deputy. Bonnie is imaginative and spunky, but not very social, and in the hopes of helping her connect with friends, Bonnie’s well-meaning parents (Jay Hernandez and Lori Alan) gift her a “Lilypad” tablet, replete with games and group chats and friend requests, oh my!

But friendship — real friendship — isn’t as easy as a few taps on the glowing screen. Almost immediately, Bonnie becomes addicted to Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee), now the antagonist to the coterie of toys. Concerned about the group dynamics in Bonnie’s clique, Jessie takes matters into her own hands, and intending to scope out a sleepover, stows away with her trusty steed Bullseye. Instead, Jessie ends up somewhere she never thought she’d return — back at her first home, and collaborating with a few new allies with whom she’d never otherwise: old tech, in the form of a digital camera, mapping device and digital potty training game.

So, “Toy Story 5” isn’t entirely anti-tech. Instead, it argues for the thoughtful use of technology, about which Bonnie’s parents are frustratingly obtuse. Jessie learns the usefulness and utility of technology through working with Smarty Pants (Conan O’Brien), Snappy (Shelby Rabara) and Atlas (Craig Robinson). There’s even some use for a squadron of high-tech Buzz Lightyears that tumble out of a shipping container and make their way to their chosen Star Commander, Jessie. The message is not that kids should only play with vintage toys, it’s that they need to use their imaginations, not chase dopamine through addictive games, or experience detached social dynamics online.

Tech does have its place in the world of toys and kids, but with some bumpers on, as everyone discovers. It’s a message of compromise, with everyone finding their place in a kid’s life, from tablets, to abandoned digital devices, to well-loved rag dolls. For Jessie, her emotional journey is learning how important she has been to all of her kids over the years, even if abandonment meant that she feared she was not enough.

The “Toy Story” films are inherently about time and existence, because childhood is all-too-fleeting, toys built to last but only a primary plaything for a few short years. What is the function of a toy if it isn’t to play? What is the function of a person without a purpose? This is why these movies move us whenever they come out, tapping into these larger questions about identity and our roles in the world and to each other.

Stanton and Harris do not whiff these crucial elements in delivering a fifth “Toy Story,” even if it does feel a bit overly busy, with overlapping, intertwining storylines (the squadron of Buzz Lightyears are cute but their bit takes away valuable real estate from some other beloved favorite characters). This fifth installment might not feel as weighty as some of the other toy stories, but the animation remains beautiful, the humor heartfelt. This group of toys still has some play left in them, and some lessons to impart, so for a moment, tuck those screens away and enjoy another romp with Jessie, Woody and Buzz.

———

'TOY STORY 5'

3 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: PG (for some thematic elements and rude humor)

Running time: 1:42

How to watch: In theaters June 19

———

©2026 Tribune Content Agency, LLC