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Mixed Reviews for Toy Story 5 but Critics Agree Tech-Reliance Warning Important

Hitting theaters on Friday, June 19, 2026, Toy Story 5 centers on cowgirl Jessie as she struggles to protect eight-year-old owner Bonnie from a sentient, frog-shaped tablet named Lilypad.
Pixar director Andrew Stanton's latest installment explores a "cautionary tale about online childhoods" by depicting Jessie's struggle against Lilypad, an AI-voiced tablet threatening to sever Bonnie's connection to real-world play.
Mixed reviews have greeted the installment, with some praising the "promotion to lead" for Jessie, while others argue the 30-year-old franchise has "started to show its age."
Reviewers noted the film's timing is "certainly topical," arriving days after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a social media ban for under-16s earlier this week.
Beyond the tech debate, the film emphasizes the value of "imaginative play," portraying it as a crucial dimension for children to extend their internal universe into the real world.

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30 Articles

flamboroughtoday.com

Lean Left

Yee-haw! Jessie takes the reins for Toy Story 5 : review

Directed and co-written by Andrew Stanton, Toy Story 5 earns praise for disciplined storytelling and genuine warmth

2 days ago

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Slate

Left

The New Toy Story Shows the Best That Parents Can Hope for, and It’s Honestly Devastating

Toy Story 5 shows the best that parents can hope for. It’s still heartbreaking.

3 days ago·United States

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CultureMap

Center

Toys fight back against tech in fun but disjointed Toy Story 5

Cowgirl toy Jessie (Joan Cusack) takes the lead in Toy Story 5. She's concerned that new owner Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) is falling prey to the scourge of technology. The reuinited toy gang worries that the “friends” Bonnie makes through games online pale in comparison to those she could play with in person.

3 days ago

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Georgia Public Broadcasting

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npr

Lean Left

'Toy Story 5' surges into the digital age -- while also peering lovingly backward

In this delightful sequel, Jessie the cowgirl teams up with Buzz Lightyear and Woody to fend off the rise of digital devices, which are taking over the minds and attention spans of kids everywhere.

4 days ago·Georgia, United States

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