For columnist Susan Lee, the arrival of Toy Story 5 is a cinematic event that transcends age. Despite not being a regular cinema-goer due to high popcorn prices, she makes exceptions for Steven Spielberg films, Star Trek adventures, and above all, the Toy Story franchise. The fifth instalment, she argues, speaks powerfully to adults as well as children, particularly in an era of intense debate over technology and screen time.
A Personal Journey Through Parenting
Lee reflects on how the Toy Story films have accompanied her through her parenting career. When the first film was released in 1995, her son was eight and her daughter five. Now aged 28 and 26, they have watched Woody and Buzz navigate friendship, identity, uncertainty, and the bittersweet process of growing up and letting go. Lee admits to tearing up as she writes about these themes.
“These characters have been with me through my parenting career, mirroring the ups and downs and complexities of childhood and motherhood,” she writes.
Technology vs. Imagination
Toy Story 5 arrives at a time when concerns about children's technology use are at the forefront. The week of the film's release saw a social media ban announced for under-16s in some regions. The movie explores the analogue toy versus tech world, addressing dangers of excessive screen time, cyberbullying, isolation, and mindless scrolling. Lee suggests that adults could also benefit from these lessons.
“Couldn’t we all do with a few lessons in that?” she asks.
A Granddaughter’s Future
Lee’s son now has a six-week-old daughter. Sorting through loft contents, the family wonders whether she will embrace traditional toys like a painted wooden Noah’s Ark or doll prams, or whether technology will dominate. Lee hopes imagination prevails: “After all, imagination is endless – to infinity and beyond, in fact. Which is a whole lot further than most gadget batteries’ lives.”
A Call for Shirtless Bans in the UK
In a separate note, Lee praises France for banning men from walking shirtless in around 20 resort towns. Deauville has increased fines to £130, and some southern areas have prohibited bare-chested men in public. Lee calls for the UK to follow suit, especially with the World Cup and a predicted heatwave likely to lead to “a mass outbreak of acres of pink flesh on show.”
“Who wants to see sweaty man-boobs and bellies wobbling around when you’re eating your croque monsieur? There’s a time and a place and it isn’t in a restaurant, bar or public bench,” she writes.
