Pixar's done it again

Rating: 10/10 (23 June 2019)

I know I'm about to parrot what everyone else is saying, but it's true. Toy Story 3 ended on a very definitive note. It felt the like the final chapter had closed and that there didn't need to be another film. Not to mention that after having created what is generally considered one of the strongest film trilogies ever made, Pixar would be tempting the fates by creating another one. But they did it! Toy Story 4 is an utterly entertaining film.
This film's feel seems to be created to directly contrast with 3. Whereas the last movie was darker and felt stretched out, this film feels more lighthearted and fluidly compact. This is the installment that is trying the most to have fun.
Don't consider this purely a frivolous film. The ending is almost as strong as in the last movie, and I felt that one was only better only by a thin margin. Things get pretty emotional.
The entire film is about Woody (Tom Hanks) having an existential crisis. Once a favorite plaything and the leader of Andy's toys, Woody is now one of his new owner's least played with toys and being a newcomer, no longer the leader. His whole journey is pretty compelling.
The biggest reason this movie justifies it's existence is that not only do we have closure for Bo Beep (Ghostbuster's Annie Potts), but her character is finally given justice. In the original film, it seems she was part of the cast just because they needed at least a couple female characters. Her role didn't serve much purpose other than to be Woody's girlfriend. Same with the sequel. You could've cut the character out, and it wouldn't affect anything. Then, in number three, she was just out of the story entirely, having already been sold to a new owner. The writer's reasoning at the time was that due to the heavy action scenes, I'm guessing primarily the moments where the toys are roughed up by toddlers, Bo Beep being porcelain and fragile was difficult to include. Here she's finally give her due. She has more personality, she has agency, and she is finally part of the action and story.
New character Forky (voiced by Veep and Arrested Development's Alan Hale) is an inspired creation, a handicraft toy made out of a spork who's dealing with sudden sentience. He works well interacting with Woody as they share questions about their existence in the world. I actually felt the character was underutilized a bit. (It did annoy me a little that the writers were selective about how much or little knowledge of the world Sporky had.)
The new villain Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) is yet another emotionally damaged toy. Don't worry about her being a clone of the last two. They go down a refreshingly different path with her.
Though I enjoyed the story, I do admit that the movie basically copies the formula of the first two films by having a few characters separated from the others and going on a journey. The movie may as well be called Woody Story as the majority of the cast is sidelined for the film and even Buzz is more of a supporting player. A lot of time is spent on the new characters. Though I can't complain much as they all are pretty entertaining. (Ducky and Bunny (Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele) bring us the funniest joke in the entire series.)
I'd rank this only under number 2. TS4 is a blast and I recommend this to all Toy Story fans.