Elio, an underdog with an active imagination, finds himself inadvertently beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide. Mistakenly identified as Earth’s ambassador to the rest of the universe, he starts to form new bonds with eccentric aliens while discovering who he’s truly meant to be.

Review

Pixar is back with another animated family film that hits right in the feels. Elio follows a young boy with a vivid imagination and unshakable determination to find aliens—no matter what anyone around him says or thinks. His backstory is familiar in these kinds of films: after losing both parents, Elio now lives with his aunt. The two don’t quite understand each other, echoing themes we’ve seen in recent movies like Lilo & Stitch.

I’d compare Elio to Inside Out, but geared more toward young male audiences. That said, it doesn’t stop there—it has broad appeal for any kid who ever dreamed of the stars, imagined being an astronaut, or wondered about life beyond Earth. And in this story, Elio’s dream comes true. He finally meets aliens, but things quickly go off the rails when he crosses paths with another alien race trying to join the Communiverse—only they’re not so friendly.

After a bit of bravado in front of the crowd, Elio is suddenly volunteered to represent Earth in negotiations with the Communiverse. No pressure, right?

The film is funny, beautifully animated, and genuinely unique—a rare combo in today’s Hollywood, where sequels, remakes, and reboots seem to dominate the landscape. But Pixar delivers something fresh here, a story that speaks to kids and also to adults who remember what it was like to live in a world powered by imagination. At its core, it’s a simple but heartfelt tale about a boy discovering his true superpowers.

While nothing in the movie hints directly at a sequel, the world feels rich enough for another installment—and I think audiences would welcome it. Elio is a family-friendly, geeky sci-fi adventure about friendship, family, and the joy of nerding out together. It’s exactly the kind of film the summer movie lineup needs.

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