Dark comedy with a heart

Rating: 9/10 (29 June 2019)

So let's discuss the ventriloquist dummies in the room first - they are extremely creepy. They don't actually do anything more than chase after our protagonists, but the way they move is unsettling and there are a couple jump scares. If I had seen this at 6 or 7 years old, I would have been buried in my mom's lap in tears. We had one little girl in the audience loudly proclaim she was REALLY ready to go home several times. Another little girl the same age was all smiles and declared it was her new favorite movie. So parents, you know your kids best.
That being said, I do think this movie is best appreciated as a childless adult who grew up watching Toy Story. I was absolutely in the camp that Toy Story 3 had the perfect ending, but having seen this one, it felt like it fit. The characters continue to mature organically, and I'm a HUGE fan of our revamped Bo Peep. She's a fun character to watch, and she adds a new, fresh perspective to the ways a toy can have a fulfilling life. Plus, Toy Story 4 FINALLY relieves us millennials of some of the guilt we all felt losing toys. It's okay! They're out there exploring the world!
Also, Toy Story 4 is hilarious, easily the funniest out of all the movies. Forky had me in tears- I was extremely skeptical about a toy having an existential crisis, but between Tony Hale's voice work and Randy Newman's score, it's the best animated dark comedy version of Frankenstein you'll see on screen. The aforementioned dummies are also extremely funny if you have a certain kind of sick mind (do you enjoy watching people scream in terror when the shark pops up in Jaws? Go with a group of people who are terrified of dummies and you'll have a blast).
The animation, it should be noted, is spectacular. Of course we've come to expect nothing less from Pixar, but there were still several scenes that were just SO beautiful. Even the rainstorm at the beginning had me awestruck at how great their animation has become.