Elio

There's something deeply satisfying about sitting down for a film and realising - thank god - it's not a reboot, not a sequel, not a reimagining of an 80s toy you forgot existed. 'Elio' is a brand-new Pixar original, and I liked that. The concept? Brilliant on paper. An 11-year-old boy accidentally becomes Earth's ambassador to an intergalactic council. It sets the stage for something wild, emotional, and full of imagination.

And it's cute. It really is. The alien designs are charming, the colours pop, and the relationship between Elio and his mum is genuinely lovely. There are moments that tug at the heart, and Glordon (his gooey alien pal) is an absolute standout.

But 'Elio' plays it painfully safe. It never fully commits to the weirdness or depth that the premise begs for. It follows a very familiar Pixar formula and never strays far from it. You can see every emotional beat and plot point coming a mile away.

This kind of story - kid feels like an outsider, gets whisked into a cosmic adventure, discovers they're more than they thought - has been done too many times, and better. Think 'E. T.', 'The Iron Giant', 'Lilo & Stitch'. 'Elio' doesn't quite hit those emotional highs or carve out a voice of its own.

That said, if you've got kids, take them - they'll have a great time. It's sweet, wholesome, and easy to watch. But if you're expecting something truly new or memorable, this one's probably fine to skip until it hits streaming.

Final Verdict: 🌟 Lovely to look at, but plays it too safe.

👶 Great for little ones.

📺 Best saved for Disney+.

Just didn't hit anything and was overall a bit meh. Predict this will finish it run and melt away into obscurity. The story was not very well built and rumbled along on the ruins of whatever it was they tried to build. It needed a small funny sidekick at the very minimum. I know its an overused trope but this film needed laughs from somewhere cause it couldn't find them anywhere else. It tied up pretty neatly and everything worked out as you'd expect but not enough for me to be the slightest bit interested in the after credit scene.

I'll repeat myself but it was meh and we'll, boring.

Best thing about it is the use of Talking Heads in the soundtrack.

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.

Elio is a wonderful Sci-Fi Fantasy about an ungrateful boy who's granted a wish when he's whisked away on an incredible journey, at the end of which he learns that there's no place like home. Pixar's Elio has heart.

It's everything that i love about Pixar original films. It treats it's characters like real human beings and takes them on a full journey both inside and out (no pun intended). It's a movie for kids and adults and doesn't insult anyone's intelligence or sensibilities. Its a fest for the eyes, the brain, and the Soul.

Some Comps for it would be: E. T. The Wizard of Oz Luca

Don't expect Elio to be like Lilo & Stitch. Elio's alien friend is not written as a pet. He's his own character complete with a story arc. Trust me, it's well done.

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.