Toy Story 5 Offers a Surprisingly Thoughtful Critique of Technology
Pixar's Toy Story 5 doesn't portray technology as inherently bad, but as a disruptive force that can be either helpful or harmful. The film urges parents to take an active role in managing their children's use of gadgets.
Pixar's fifth installment, Toy Story 5, finally introduces digital technology into the world of toys. Directed by franchise veteran Andrew Stanton and McKenna Grace, the film centers on Bonnie, a young girl struggling to make friends. Her parents buy her a Lilypad tablet to help her connect with other kids. However, Bonnie's experience with the tablet is mixed: she gets invited to a sleepover where the children are glued to their screens, and later faces bullying for playing with old-fashioned toys. Her parents wisely disable the tablet's social network access. The film avoids a simplistic condemnation of technology. Instead, it shows that tablets can be both harmful and beneficial. For instance, a message board app on the Lilypad helps Bonnie connect with another girl who still enjoys traditional toys. The key message is moderation and parental supervision. While Toy Story 5 may not be as essential as the original trilogy, it serves as a timely reminder to parents that they cannot be complacent when it comes to their children's use of technology.
