Review: Toy Story 4 (4K)

Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie and a new toy named Forky. The adventurous journey turns into an unexpected reunion as Woody’s slight detour leads him to his long-lost friend Bo Peep. As Woody and Bo discuss the old days, they soon start to realize that they’re worlds apart when it comes to what they want from life as a toy.

Plot: When a new toy called “Forky” joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy.

Director: Josh Cooley

Aspect Ratio: 2.39.1

Runtime: 100 min

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: Heartwarming, funny, and beautifully animated, Toy Story 4 manages the unlikely feat of extending — and perhaps concluding — a practically perfect animated saga.

Online Ratings:

  1. Rotten Tomatoes 97% 
  2. IMDB 8.0
  3. Metacritic 84

 

“Another picture-perfect gem in the Pixar machine.”

Review:

This movie was animated and reportedly finished with a 4k Digital Intermediate — that means you get a native 4K release! As per the norm with UHD releases, it was also given a HDR color grade for your viewing pleasure in HDR10. Another good note is that there is no grain with this animation, so you get a crystal clear image, almost to the point that it looks real.

Before we get into the HDR we have to talk about the amount of detail there is on this disc. Every little nook and cranny has attention — even if nobody is looking for it. The boost is there on all fronts, you will see it in the flawless background and world creation, the attention to the different fabrics — down to the dust on the corners of the various rooms and in the shutters inside the closet. (That’s just what I noted. The details are everywhere if you look for them.) The word that came to mind is photorealistic because it’s that level of flawless animation. Scenes that showcased this detail include the beginning sequence in the pouring rain, Woody and Forky walking on the shoulder of an imperfect highway, the night-time scene at the Carnival, etc, etc — the focus on detail is insane.

This is an animated feature, but it is a reference disc for the format and the HDR really helps boost it to that level of acclaim. Everything looked much more natural on the UHD disc in comparison to the Blu-ray — there is more depth and color which, in turn, helped bring the toys and environment to life on screen. There is more pop, more shine, more contrast, deeper blacks — the works. While I could sit here and list scene after scene of near reference grade animation material, I’ll have to point to the final chapters of the film as the main highlight — no spoilers. These scenes feature the toys inside a small town Carnival under the summer-night sky. All the colors literally pop off the screen against the dark sky. You’ll get to see all the bright lights, glows and reflections to create the perfect ambience that Carnival’s bring — it’s beautiful to look at in UHD. You’ll have to see it for yourself.

Pixar is world class when it comes to their animation & story telling and Toy Story 4 proves it. How is it possible to make a fourth film in a perfect trilogy? I have no idea, but they pulled it off. First it was an impressive sequel with Toy Story 2 and then another rare feat with Toy Story 3. You could point to the fact that every single film in the franchise is perfect and you’d have a solid argument. Now that we have passed the trilogy mark, there’s no reason why a potential Toy Story 5 film doesn’t make sense, in all truth, it makes more sense than when they announced Toy Story 4. Guess we will see what happens — Disney likes money, don’t be surprised.

Once again Pixar makes a film perfect for adults and children alike. Once more, you can guarantee that Toy Story 4 looks top-notch on the UHD format and it’s highly recommended on all fronts. Make sure you go and grab a copy — you won’t be disappointed.

Are you a fan of the series? Will you be picking up a copy? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Cheers,

Matt.

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