A poignant ending to one of the greatest movie series of all time

Rating: 9/10 (15 July 2019)

On first viewing the trailer to 'Toy Story 4', many including myself were concerned about the creation of yet another film to the franchise because of the potential of tarnishing arguably one of the greatest film trilogies of all time. However, Josh Cooley and the rest of the gang at Pixar, have defied expectations and have put to bed any doubts that had hung over the film since it was first announced that a fourth instalment was on its way. To be perfectly honest, you can not blame myself and others for possessing such grievances because the ending of the third instalment seemed so fitting and it was a clear statement by Pixar that our journey with Andy and his unconditional love for his toys had come to a close.
In regards to the film, while the plot may seem quite cliche of the 'Toy Story' franchise (that being Woody is set with another mission that he feels obliged to complete), the narrative behind the simple plot is absolutely wonderful; layered and beautifully crafted. It answers questions about Woody's determination and allows the spectator to feel closer, relate and align with the characters more than we have ever done before. It's this narrative aspect, coinciding with the themes of love, friendship and acceptance that makes this film the heaviest within the series.
The acclaim this film deserves can not only go on the basis that it's yet another masterpiece by the animation studio that has the power to make people of all ages believe in a "cartoon", but also confirms that Pixar stand out from the rest in the sense that they are one of the only companies who do not add more films to their franchises to simply make more money but feel they have the confidence to tell another story and give 'Toy Story' a fulfilling yet poignant send off it deserves.
To everyone at Pixar, In the words of Buzz Lightyear, "mission accomplished".