Elio

Elio: The Space Movie You Didn’t Know You Needed (But Kinda Do)

Listen, I wasn’t exactly foaming at the mouth for another Pixar movie about “finding yourself.” We’ve had toys doing it, emotions doing it, fish doing it, even literal souls doing it. So when Elio came along with its intergalactic coming-of-age premise, I braced myself for another formula dressed in sparkly visuals.

Turns out, it’s… actually good. Not perfect. Not Inside Out good. But good enough to make me stop scrolling Twitter for two hours, and in today’s attention economy, that’s basically a miracle.

The Premise: Kid Accidentally Becomes Earth’s Space Ambassador

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if an awkward, artsy 11-year-old suddenly had to represent all of humanity to a bunch of neon-tinted alien overlords — congratulations, you’re in the exact headspace Elio wants you to be in.

Elio Solis, our pint-sized protagonist, isn’t particularly brave or clever. He’s not “the chosen one” because of some prophecy. He’s just a weird kid with a big imagination and a knack for getting into situations way over his head. And frankly, that’s one of the film’s biggest strengths.

Visuals That Could Melt Your Eyeballs (In a Good Way)

Pixar flexes hard here. The alien council scenes? Pure visual candy. I’m talking liquid galaxies, sentient cloud-beings, and a spaceship that looks like it was designed by a stoned architect with a thing for glow-in-the-dark paint.

Is it a little much sometimes? Sure. But honestly, when you’ve sat through enough grim, washed-out superhero movies, a neon space opera feels like a full-on brain massage.

Heartfelt Without Drowning in Sap

Now, you’d expect a Pixar film about a lonely kid in space to drown you in a vat of syrupy life lessons. But Elio mostly sidesteps that trap. Yes, there’s a mother-son storyline (because of course there is), and yes, it gets misty in parts. But it never feels manipulative.

The relationship between Elio and his scientist mom, Olga, is refreshingly casual. She’s a working single parent doing her best, and their banter feels natural, not sitcom-y. I could’ve used a little less heavy-handed “be yourself” messaging, but hey — it’s a family movie, not a David Fincher thriller.

Comedy: A Mixed Bag

Let’s get real: Pixar humor is usually a 70/30 hit-to-miss ratio, and Elio follows suit. There are some genuinely funny alien misunderstandings, and one scene involving a translation device made me do an actual spit-take.

On the flip side, some of the jokes land squarely in the “haha, he fell down!” category, clearly aimed at the under-10 crowd. Not a dealbreaker, but it might leave older viewers glancing at their watches now and then.

Final Verdict: Worth the Popcorn

Elio isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s a vibrant, unexpectedly sweet addition to Pixar’s catalog. It won’t replace your favorite childhood classic, but it’s a solid Saturday night watch that’ll leave you smiling — and maybe even googling “how to become an intergalactic ambassador.”

So if you’ve been craving something weird, colorful, and low-key wholesome, grab a ticket. It beats doomscrolling.