Elio

Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) was a young boy who'd lost both parents and was left to live with his aunt, Olga Solis (Zoe Saldana), a major in the Air Force (or some other branch). As a result of losing his parents, and probably other emotional deficiencies, Elios preferred to be kidnapped by aliens rather than continue to live on Earth.

He got his wish one evening when aliens from the "Communiverse" beamed him up. They were a collection of the finest minds of all the galaxies and they were looking to induct another member.

"Elio" was not a movie on my watchlist, but my son wanted to see it and there are very few movies in theater I can take him to. "Elio" was average to me. It was very formulaic and dealt with the same emotions most animations deal with: pain, loss, joy, acceptance, love. I don't begrudge the movie's message or adventure, it just wasn't very unique.

The first few minutes of the film felt slightly incohesive, but it quickly found its rhythm. What followed was a genuinely good film, refined, emotionally grounded, and supported by well-developed characters.

It was disheartening to see such a low turnout on premiere day, especially for a film that dares to break away from the recycled storylines we've seen over the past decade. In a time when originality should be celebrated, it's unfortunate that support for something this fresh feels lacking.

That said, the film delivers plenty of heartfelt and humorous moments, and it's one that will surely resonate with both children and parents alike. I truly hope word of mouth helps it gain the recognition it deserves.

Elio ends up feeling like Pixar at its most generic with so many recycled beats and supposed emotional moments taken from any one of their other movies without any of the impact. The film just feels like it's trying to get those tears out of you from the very first scenes and it actually started to annoy me very quickly and annoying really is the main word I associate with this viewing experience. It feels so emotionally manipulative and as a result most of the beats fall completely flat. The script just seems to be allergic to subtlety and there wasn't a single resolution I didn't see coming from a mile away after the first 20 minutes. It got the odd chuckle out of me but for the most part I found the characters to be complete non-entities and outside of the main aunt-nephew relationship I don't think the film took enough time to build up it's dynamics. Even the visuals, which are admittedly impressive, still feel close to images we've seen in better Pixar movies but without any of real spectacle. This movie bored me and it annoyed me but for the most part I felt nothing whilst watching it and those my least favourite kind of movie watching experiences. It's abundantly clear at this point how good Pixar can be so that makes it even more frustrating when they make as much of a nothing movie as Elio as turned out to be.

I watched Elio, and honestly, it felt highly rushed. The movie spent more time building up Elio's plot and his life on Earth than it did on the actual space adventure - which should've been the heart of the story for growth. Even then, the space part lacked complexity, everything just felt short and underdeveloped. I know it's a kids' movie, but it still felt like it could've been much more. Kids are capable understanding some complex situations. Take WallE and monsters, Inc for example. Overall, it came off as rushed and missing the emotional or narrative weight it needed. I see the vision but it needed more.

Pixar's latest has a lot going for it, and its premise-a lost child trying to find his place in the world-is a strong one. However, despite moments of great dialogue and brave, original character designs, the story struggles to overcome its inherent structural issues.

That's not to say Elio is unwatchable. The lead characters have charm, and there are flashes of brilliance. But it feels like a film that could have been so much more, if only more thought had been given to how the middle section was constructed. Events and characters are introduced and discarded too quickly, existing more to serve plot progression than to enrich the story. As a result, both the wonderful beginning and well-conceived conclusion are let down by a workmanlike narrative that fails to connect the dots in a satisfying way. The emotional beats are technically there, but they're crammed in, making the climax feel unearned and predictable.

From an animation standpoint, this is one of Pixar's best in years. The character designs are daring and imaginative, with bold choices-such as some characters being designed without eyes-that showcase Pixar's creativity and technical skill. Even the odd decision to use low-frame-rate slow motion (which unfortunately ends up looking more like Claymation) demonstrates a willingness to experiment.

In the end, there's not much to hate about Elio, but the lack of meaningful secondary characters to justify Elio's departure-or his return-makes the film feel less original than it should. It often echoes previous Pixar works like Finding Nemo or WALL-E, just wrapped in different packaging. With a stronger narrative structure, it could have stood shoulder to shoulder with those classics. As it is, Elio seems destined to be a film that kids watch in fragments-engaged by some parts and indifferent to others.

Like Marvel, Pixar may now be a victim of its own high standards. Only true originality-in both concept and construction-will allow it to reclaim its former glory.