By Chris Kavan - 04/24/19 at 10:54 AM CT
After the deluge of new ratings last week, the MPAA Ratings Board has apparently been tapped out - for there is but a lone new wide release this week. But at least it's a big, new wide release - the fourth entry in the storied franchise that put Pixar on the map: Toy Story. As far as I'm concerned, this series has got better and better with each release, thus I'm hoping that number four, whether it's the final entry or not, continues this trend. Aside from that, however, it's slim pickings with a few limited releases and nothing else, so feast or famine, let's get this started.
Back in John Lasseter and a new animation studio, Pixar, brought us Toy Story, which followed a group of toys, including cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) and space ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) as they navigated their own world where they came alive when the humans are away. This CGI animation was a new concept - but it started the ball rolling and Pixar became a beast (and Disney, unsurprisingly, picked them up) while Toy Story itself evolved with 2 and 3 upping the stakes and the emotion. Now we have finally come to Toy Story 4, which finds Woody (Hanks again),and Buzz (Allen back as well) as they welcome a new "toy" Forky (Veep and Arrested Development standout Tony Hale), a makeshift object who doesn't consider himself a toy at all. Yet they all embark on a grand adventure, one that finds Woody reuniting with an old friend, Bo Peep (Annie Potts) who, it turns out, has a much different outlook on toy life than our old pals. The film features plenty of new and returning talent - Joan Cusack, Bonnie Hunt, Timothy Dalton, Jodi Benson, Kristen Schaal, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger and Don Rickles (archived as he passed away in 2017) all return with some new faces/voices including Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key. Toy Story 3 was the highest-grossing out of all the films - over $415 million (Toy Story 2 is a distant second with $245 million) - and it will be interesting to see how close, or even better, this fourth entry can do. Even if it falls short of a Toy Story record, I still think this fourth entry is going to be huge. Rated G.
That's it for the only major release on the MPAA Ratings Bulletin, but there are a few more movies to check below:
3 FROM HELL
Rated R for strong sadistic violence, language throughout, sexual content, graphic nudity, and drug use.
ANDROMEDA
Rated R for language.
THE FAREWELL
Rated PG for thematic material, brief language and some smoking.
HAIR-JITSU
Rated PG for mild action.
JING HUA
Rated G
JUST A THOUGHT
Rated G
KILL CHAIN
Rated R for strong violence, language throughout, and some sexual content/nudity.
THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN 2: FIRE OF FAITH
Rated PG13 for some thematic material including violence.
PACHAMAMA
Rated PG for some thematic elements and action/peril.
PHOENIX, OREGON
Rated R for language.
TOY STORY 4
Rated G
WONDER WOMAN: BLOODLINES
Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy action and violence, and some bloody images.
