Toys fight back in the age of screens

It is a familiar scene in homes across the world: a child sits alone, illuminated by the blue glow of a screen, fingers tapping across a tablet or smartphone. Toys lie abandoned nearby, mute and motionless, their stories shelved — perhaps permanently — in favor of digital worlds and endless streams of content.

But thanks to Pixar, the animation behemoth, toys can still reclaim children's hearts — at least within the fable-like world of Toy Story 5.

The newest chapter in the beloved franchise arrives more than three decades after the original Toy Story transformed cinema as the world's first feature-length computer-animated film.

In China, the latest installment has struck a chord with audiences, topping the Dragon Boat Festival holiday box office with earnings exceeding 120 million yuan ($17.6 million).

With a score of 8.1 out of 10 on the review platform Douban, the film has stirred nostalgia among longtime fans while raising a distinctly contemporary question: What role do traditional toys still play in a childhood increasingly shaped by screens?

That question sits at the heart of the story. For the first time in the franchise's more than 30-year history, Jessie, the spirited cowgirl toy, steps out of Woody's shadow to become the undisputed leader of the toy crew.

Assisted by Buzz Lightyear, Jessie must confront an unexpected new adversary — Lilypad, a frog-shaped smart tablet that threatens to render traditional toys obsolete in the life of 8-year-old Bonnie.

While the premise reflects contemporary concerns and the animation showcases Pixar's technical brilliance, the franchise's enduring strength lies in something far simpler. Beneath the adventures of talking toys is a story about friendship, loyalty, love, and resilience — themes that continue to resonate with audiences of all ages.

That emotional connection was evident at the film's premiere in Shanghai earlier this month.

Singer Huang Zihongfan, who joined veteran host He Jiong to perform the Chinese-language version of the theme song You've Got a Friend in Me, spoke about growing up with the franchise.

For Huang, Toy Story is inseparable from childhood memories.

"The first movie means so much to me. When I was in elementary school, I would secretly watch Toy Story films even when I still had homework to finish. Those moments became some of my most unforgettable childhood memories," he recalls.

The films also added a touch of fairy-tale magic to his imagination.

"When I first watched Toy Story, I fell in love with Buzz Lightyear. I genuinely believed he could fly. He had wings and came from another planet. His gear was so cool, and as a child, I often imagined myself soaring through the sky just like him," Huang says.

Now 27, Huang believes the franchise carries a message that extends well beyond entertainment.

"No matter what challenges we face or where life takes us, if we have good friends beside us, we never have to feel alone. Their support makes us stronger and braver," he says.

That idea of enduring friendship and the passage of time is also central to the filmmakers' vision.

In promotional materials, director-screenwriter Andrew Stanton explains why the series continues to inspire new stories.

"I always figured they'd keep going with Toy Story. The world is just so rich. The toys don't really age, but the world does. It's not every movie idea you come up with where time is part of the interesting aspect of a story about childhood, parenthood, growing up, and moving on. The toys are the observers of everything," says Stanton.