Movie · 2025 · Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Science Fiction · 1h 38m · PG · English
Curator score: 4.2/10 (296.8K ratings)
They asked for our leader. They got... him.
Overview
Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
Ratings
Curator score: 4.2/10
IMDb: 6.6/10
Letterboxd: 3.33/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Metacritic: 66
TMDB: 6.9/10
Director
Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Production
Pixar
Cast
Yonas Kibreab, Remy Edgerly, Zoe Saldaña, Brad Garrett, Brandon Moon, Jameela Jamil, Young Dylan, Jake T. Getman, Matthias Schweighöfer, Ana de la Reguera, Atsuko Okatsuka, Shirley Henderson, Naomi Watanabe, Brendan Hunt, Anissa Borrego, Shelby Young, Bob Peterson, Kate Mulgrew, Tamara Tunie, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss
Where to watch
Disney Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A warm, visually polished Pixar-style space adventure with real tenderness about loneliness, belonging, and self-acceptance, but it sounds familiar in structure and a bit uneven in execution. The emotional core and creature design seem to do a lot of the heavy lifting, while the marketing and plot mechanics may leave some viewers underwhelmed.
Best for
Families looking for an accessible sci-fi adventure
Viewers who like heartfelt coming-of-age stories
Pixar fans open to a gentler, more introspective entry
Kids and adults who enjoy cute alien sidekicks and cosmic worldbuilding
Skip if
You want a highly original plot or twisty storytelling
You’re tired of sentimental studio-animation emotional beats
You prefer sharper comedy or more grounded science fiction
You were hoping for a big, event-level Pixar classic
Overview
Elio looks like Pixar doing what Pixar does best: turning a kid’s emotional isolation into a big, colorful, outer-space adventure. The appeal seems to lie less in plot surprise than in the sincerity of its feelings, with loneliness, grief, and the need to be understood given a soft landing through playful alien chaos.
Worth noting
The reviews suggest a movie with genuine charm, especially in its creature design and tender character work, even if the story beats feel familiar. That familiarity may be a feature for younger viewers or anyone who wants comfort-food animation, but it also keeps the film from feeling essential.
Bottom line
If you’re in the mood for a cosmic hug rather than a bold reinvention, this should work well. If you need Pixar at its most inventive or emotionally devastating, this may land closer to pleasant than unforgettable.
Top Letterboxd reviews
jer ☘️ (3.5★) · 5194 likes
i just cannot accept the fact that glordon will never be my friend…
timtamtitus (3★) · 4948 likes
pixar should fire their marketing team
James (Schaffrillas) (3★) · 4793 likes
Why did this have the exact same conflict resolution as Shark Tale
Joe A (4★) · 4518 likes
I don’t understand you, but I love you
I’ll always be a sucker for Carl Sagan and space, but found myself surprisingly invested in its tender conversation of loneliness and expectation, especially from the perspective of a child. Might be familiar territory, especially for Pixar, but with Domee Shi behind the wheel, it works better than most of the tired sequels. Give her the keys to the castle, for all our sakes.
2002 · Animation, Family, Comedy · 1h 25m · PG · Curator 8.4/10 (1.2M ratings) · Where to watch: Disney Plus
A similarly tender story about an isolated child finding connection through an oddball nonhuman companion, balancing chaos, comedy, and emotional warmth.