Elio (2025): Disney Pixar’s Newest Adventure

Elio is one of those movies that starts with a big, weird idea and somehow makes it feel cozy. A lonely, creative kid accidentally gets mistaken for Earth’s ambassador by a galactic council of aliens? Sure. Why not. Honestly, that sounds like the kind of thing I probably hoped for at age eleven.

The movie centers around Elio Solis, a soft-hearted, imaginative kid who doesn’t exactly feel like he fits anywhere. He lives near a military base with his aunt Olga, who’s trying to balance raising him while running government experiments in the background (as one does). She once dreamed of being an astronaut, but those plans got shelved somewhere between grief, guardianship, and grown-up responsibility. Elio, meanwhile, spends most of his time talking to himself, watching the world from the sidelines, and quietly wondering if he’s meant for something more.

And then, suddenly, the universe answers. A signal he sends out on a whim ends up getting intercepted by an interplanetary organization called the Communiverse, and the next thing you know, he’s zapped into space and placed—accidentally but confidently—in the role of Earth’s official representative. The problem? He is extremely not that. He is a kid in mismatched socks who thought he was playing pretend. Now he’s got to talk his way through cosmic politics and prove he’s worthy of not getting Earth vaporized.

What follows is a very Pixar kind of adventure: colorful, heartfelt, a little zany, and designed to make you feel something by the time the credits roll. The standout here is Glordon, an enormous, gummy-worm-like alien who becomes Elio’s friend and guide. Their bond is sweet in that very specific Pixar way—earnest, gently funny, and emotionally satisfying without being too precious.

Visually, this thing is stunning. The alien worlds are full of detail and weirdness in all the best ways. Every time a new creature showed up, I found myself wondering if I’d end up seeing it on a backpack or lunchbox. The score swings between synthy outer space and sentimental strings, and somehow it works. There’s even a Carl Sagan cameo tucked in there, because of course there is.

Now, this isn’t Pixar swinging for the fences. It’s not Inside Out or Wall-E. Elio plays things a little safer and sticks to familiar ground: themes of belonging, self-discovery, grief, and identity. It follows that post-golden-age Pixar rhythm pretty closely—loss, reflection, healing, resolution. That’s not a complaint, but if you’re hoping for something totally different or wildly bold, this probably won’t scratch that itch.

The pacing dips a bit in the middle, and there are a few side plots that don’t fully land—some of the galactic rules are more implied than explained, and one villain in particular could’ve used more attention. But even when the plot meanders, the emotional core stays intact.

What works best is the way the film handles Elio’s grief and loneliness. It’s subtle and quiet, not forced or overly spelled out. His relationship with his aunt feels real, complicated, and loving in the way a lot of parent-like relationships are. His friendship with Glordon is the kind of thing that makes you remember how big and important childhood connections can feel, especially when you’re feeling small.

Elio might not shake up the Pixar formula, but it doesn’t need to. It’s warm. It’s imaginative. It’s the kind of movie that feels like stargazing with a blanket over your shoulders—comforting, familiar, and filled with the kind of wonder that makes you think about what’s out there, and what might still be waiting for you.

If you want layered metaphors and emotional existential spirals, you can always rewatch Soul. But if you just want to sit back, float through space with a sweet kid and a squishy alien, and feel a little bit better about the universe, Elio delivers.