The Movie Man: ‘Toy Story 5’ Tackles Screen Time With Pixar’s Signature Heart

Catching Toy Story 5 on the big screen should be on the agenda for every family in the summer of 2026. Like its predecessor, Toy Story 4, this isn’t on the same level as the first three movies when the toys were owned by Andy (who has since passed the toys onto family friend, Bonnie). But that doesn’t mean that Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and company aren’t going to take you for an emotional ride.

When Bonnie struggles to make friends, her parents (apprehensively) opt to buy her a tablet, Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee), a device that is used by nearly every kid in the neighborhood. But when she takes on a near zombie-like dependence on Lilypad for everything, including socializing, Jessie and Buzz seek out the help of their old friend, Woody. But Lilypad proves to be a foe the toys are no match for, as she possesses the ability to hack the entire system in her favor.

When Woody opted to start a new chapter in life with Bo Peep as an adventurous “lost toy” in the previous movie, I knew that this would not end the franchise. But I wondered how they could bring everyone back together again? Then came the pandemic, followed by lockdowns and our transformation into a borderline addiction to technology. The consequences have been devastating regarding our mental health. The greatest is the paradox of loneliness: despite being connected to everyone on the planet and surrounded by other people every day, nearly half of American adults describe feeling isolated. Many of my peers are now having children, and a constant theme they discuss is “screen time” and the development of social skills via authentic play. I couldn’t think of a better reason for Woody to return, like any hero in cinema.

Disney always provides.

Of course, we can wax poetically about the return of those familiar voices: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack; but there are plenty of other voices to appreciate in this installment. There’s the return of Tony Hale as Forky, whom Bonnie previously made in Toy Story 4, as well as the addition of outdated early tech toys, such as a camera, Snappy (voiced by Shelby Rabara); a GPS navigator, Atlas (Craig Robinson); and a potty-training toy, Smarty Pants (Conan O’Brien, who takes advantage of every opportunity to use toilet humor).  Conan’s role was perhaps my favorite detail in this movie, mainly because I wasn’t expecting it to be so large, and he’s a natural fit as a voice actor.

Beyond the writing and acting, this would not be a Disney or Pixar movie without the tender and emotional moments. Disney always manages to play with our emotions like a guitar. Almost every scene is set in particular moods which always include effortless transitions (usually through a subtle change in lighting or the soundtrack). And while Lilypad serves as the antagonist that represents our unnatural reliance on tech, Toy Story 5 goes the extra mile to emphasize that tech is not inherently good or bad; it all depends on how it is being used.

I am hoping that families catching this movie will use this as an opportunity to discuss the role of technology in our daily lives and whether it is impacting us for better or for worse. Perhaps it will succeed by instilling in kids that there is a proper balance required between tech and organic human moments. Children are the future, and this could serve as a formative experience that will mold society’s values and taboos as we make sense of how we became hooked on devices for nearly every second of our lives. Sometimes all we need to learn is to have a favorite familiar character explore it for us. I’m sure Woody, Buzz, and Jessie will be great teachers for kids just old enough to comprehend this current struggle.

About the Author: Having lived in Old Lyme and Lyme since the age of three, Kevin Ganey has a lifelong passion for cinema that goes beyond simply watching films. He is the creator of CityOfCinema.com, a site devoted to movie analysis, and co-hosts the Moviehouse Mystics podcast with Koda Uhl, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.