Elio is a new film from Disney & Pixar set to release this Friday on June 20th. Directed by Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian, and Adrian Molina, the film includes the voice cast of Yonas Kibreab, Jameela Jamil, Brad Garrett, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, and Shirley Henderson. 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.

About a year ago around the time Inside Out 2 came out, I revisited, and visited, all of the Pixar movies. I honestly can’t remember if it was before or after that movie. It may have been half before Inside Out 2. The other half after. What I noticed during my watch of every movie is how much Pixar has changed over the years, for better and for worse. The animation studio has changed the landscape of modern western animation. I still believe their films have spoken to everyone of all generations, young and old. There is no denying the studio has lot a bit of that magic with their writing as they have been playing it safe more than ever before. I think they have been listening, because this feels like they are going back to basics. Much like how Toy Story made me a fan, I think this will usher in a new generation of fans for the studio.

Within the film’s first twenty minutes, you understand Elio’s background and his motives for what he wants out of life. They don’t explore it as much as I would have liked, but I strongly believe his admiration for outer space was a way to find his parents he lost at a young age. While Pixar does hit the emotional core of its themes in other respects, the film doesn’t quite lean into it as much as I would have liked to have seen, making the setup of the film perhaps the weakest component.

Over the last five years or so, Pixar has been making more films geared towards telling the storyteller’s personal biopics in a way. You get a strong sense of that with the beginning. The film doesn’t hold back from telling a grim tale about a young kid dealing with his parent’s death, but it does feel like something we have seen countless times. The humor doesn’t quite land as much as the rest of the film does. There’s just something about the beginning that felt off until I realized the film is trying to embrace what the studio has done since the very beginning and that’s using nearly every tool they have at their disposal.

There’s no denying the animation is impeccable from start to finish. Pixar has seemingly stuck with particular colors and character designs to maintain their brand all while developing this unique world I personally wish I could go to. It’s that new kind of world you wish you could experience at one of the Disney parks. It’s tough to say if this will be a success when Elemental managed to get out on top two years ago by pure luck while Inside Out 2 was a box office juggernaut last year. Will this one follow suit? With so many other great movies coming out and currently out now, I sure hope so. I’d love to see more stories told here.

You can really feel the emotions through the voice performances. Most notable, I recognized Zoe Saldaña & Brad Garrett. Zoe Saldaña is terrific as Elio’s aunt as she tries to navigate her way into being a parent. Brad Garrett brings a lot of charm to his villainous role. Yonas Kibreab embodies the main role as Elio, making him a character just about anyone can release to. Thematically, there’s something here for everyone. From trying to learn how to parent to connecting with kids to embracing your calling, I strongly believe the film will connect with everyone. If I saw this as a kid, this probably would be my Toy Story. In that respect, this feels like the resurgence of Pixar. That’s not to say I enjoyed their past several films. This feels like something that EVERYONE will enjoy.

The film’s strongest component it has going for it is its humor. When I revisited the studio’s films last year, I noticed the humor just didn’t quite hit the same anymore. The film’s humor is smart, unpredictable, and most importantly, silly. I was often surprised by how much I was laughing. Speaking of unpredictable, I also found the story to be quite unpredictable. The surprises kept me consistently engaged as the film got better and better.

As much as I loved this unique world Elio is forced into, I wish we got more of it. The film never overstays its welcome. At about 95 minutes, the film feels like it flies by. That also doesn’t mean I would have loved to have seen more out of this new world with its unique characters. If a sequel ever happens, I’d love to see more of these characters. Speaking of more, stick around for the mid & post-credits scenes. It’s good stuff.

Overall, Elio is a winner. It brings back the humor that Pixar was known for all while keeping the imagination alive throughout to explore its themes. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but it’s certainly going to be a Pixar classic that you need to see in theaters when it releases June 20th.

VERDICT: 4/5 (Great)