“Toy Story 4” (G)

Nearly 24 years after the original film revolutionized the movie industry, the wow factor is as big as ever for the “Toy Story” franchise with “Toy Story 4,” a funny, emotional and visually stunning family film that is every bit as great as each one of its predecessors.

Even though it’s been nine years since the release of the tear-jerker “Toy Story 3,” the fourth installment in the Disney-Pixar franchise is set directly after the events of the last film, where Andy gifted his beloved toys Woody the Cowboy (voice of Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie the Cowgirl (Joan Cusack) and a host of others to a young girl named Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw), who loves her new play pals every bit as much as Andy did. However, she’s not allowed to bring any toys to her kindergarten orientation, so during playtime she creates a new toy out of a plastic fork and calls it Forky (Tony Hale) and forms an instant bond with the odd-looking utensil-turned-toy.

AUDIO: Tim reviews “Toy Story 4” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show” on KQRS-FM. Segment brought to you by Mike Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.

But when her family takes one last trip before school starts and Forky flies out of an open window in their RV, Woody springs into action to save Forky, knowing how much it will devastate Bonnie if she loses her new best friend. The quest leads Woody to an antique shop, where he finds the porcelain statute Bo Peep (Annie Potts), from whom he was separated from years before (the character only appeared in “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2”).

Getting Bo Peep and Forky out of the shop isn’t so easy for Woody, though, as the antique doll Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) and multiple versions of the ventriloquist dummy Benson (Steve Purcell) try to thwart their big plans.

Like the “Toy Story” films before it, “Toy Story 4” is bolstered by an original story that manages to capture the imaginations of kids of all ages, whether through relatable situations for everyone involved and the adult nostalgia that resurfaces as the film visits toys from yesteryear. Naturally, the action in toy story in completely engaging and situations and dialogue is laugh-out loud funny, but amping up the comedy is the sly employment of Gabby Gabby and the ventriloquist dummies as the film’s villains, who have a natural creepy quality about them. It’s not the sort of creepiness that won’t scare little kids, however, as the characters’ presence is really there to evoke memories and nervous laughter from its adult audience members who once owed (and were petrified) by the vintage playthings.

Also providing for huge laughs is the introduction of new characters, including the stuffed animal duo of Ducky (Keegan-Michael Key) and Bunny (Jordan Peele), and the Duke McBoom (Keanu Reeves), the Canadian version of action figure and motorcycle rider Evel Knievel. The characters perfectly fit in with the menagerie of toys the “Toy Story” films have introduced to us over the years, including Hamm (John Ratzenberger), Rex (Wallace Shawn), Dolly (Bonnie Hunt), Trixie (Kristen Schaal), Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton), Slinky Dog (Blake Clark) and Buttercup (Jeff Garlin) – who all appear once again in this fourth chapter.

For as many feel great vibes that “Toy Story 4” gives, the film is rounded out by its emotion, so get ready to shed the same amount of tears in the film’s third act as you did at the conclusion of “Toy Story 3” when Andy bid farewell to his longtime toy pals. Like “Toy Story 3,” there’s a feeling of finality with “Toy Story 4,” as the film is indeed – at least for now – the last film in the “Toy Story” film series. Easily one of the best films (if not the best) this year so far, there’s no doubt that this final adventure will not only be admired for years, but for generations to come.

Lammometer: 10 (out of 10)

Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.

AUDIO: Tim reviews  “Toy Story 4” and “Dumbo” (new on video) with Henry Lake on “The Paul and Jordana” show on WCCO-AM. Segment brought to you by Mike Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.

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