Elio

Meet Elio: an eleven-year-old boy obsessed with UFOs who wants nothing more than to be beamed up by an extra-terrestrial civilisation. After losing his parents, he sees no point in staying on Earth, no matter how well his caring but frustrated aunt tries to raise him. One day, Elio's wish comes true when alien ambassadors hear his plea, but he soon realises that it takes more than alien drinks and water park-like space toilets to fill the void inside him.

Behind the hyperactive humour and the Lilo & Stitch-esque plot about family, we find a story about loneliness and feeling like a burden to others, just because you don't always fit in. So, is it the world that's wrong, or is it you? There are several layers to Pixar's emotional cosmic cake here, perhaps a little too many for the film's own good. Many of Pixar's very best films were based on an elegant simplicity in their central theme, something that becomes somewhat convoluted and slightly forced in Elio's case. What really holds it back is perhaps the fact that the film feels a little too nice and safe, and that it lacks a little zing in an otherwise too sweet film. At the same time, there's no denying that the film has a lot of heart and warmth. There's a forgiving nature here that's irresistibly charming, which should appeal to both the little ones and the adults in the audience.

Elio himself is a fun and energetic protagonist who gets in over his head when he manages to trick the alien ambassadors into believing he is the leader of Earth, but the real star of the film is Glordon: a kind of oversized water bear creature with an optimism that makes his warlord father see red and who becomes Elio's best friend in the second half of the film. Glordon steals the spotlight with his warmth and quickly becomes an important anchor for both the characters and the cinema audience. However, I'm not a big fan of the Steven Universe-esque design of the human characters, plus many of the aliens look more like McDonald's toys, but otherwise the film looks spectacular. Everything from portals, dimensions, and spaceships are colourful, magical, and grandiose, which suits the big screen well.

The story does drag on a bit towards the end, but there's no denying that the film has a lot of heart and tackles the eternal question of "are we alone in the universe?" with a certain hopefulness and wonderfully childlike enthusiasm. In other words, Elio is a very kind and sweet summer holiday film that will entertain the whole family, but feels a little too safe and predictable to be much more.