The newest Disney-Pixar film, Elio, is a cosmic misadventure about a space fanatic with both an active imagination and an obsession with aliens.

Apologies for the delay in publishing and any lack of coherency in this review. I have family and friends living in Israel, so my headspace and focus have been really off since last Thursday.

“This is Elio Solís of the planet Earth. I come in peace and I’m super excited to join you. I’m creative, hardworking…shredded. So, please come and get me. I’ll be waiting! OK, bye, love you!” – Elio

Elio Solis (Yonas Kibreab) is what you would call a space fanatic with an active imagination. You might even argue that he is way to obsessed with aliens–he’d fit right in with some of the folks wanting to be kidnapped in Independence Day. Almost as soon as we get to know him and his aunt–Olga Solis (Zoe Saldaña)–he finds himself beamed up by the Communiverse. It’s an interplanetary organization with representatives, kind of like Starfleet or the Galactic Senate, if you will. But more likely than not, Starfleet–if I had to guess.

The Communiverse has representatives from all universes from just about every galaxy you can possibly think of. Naturally, the young space fanatic believes himself to be a good fit. Thanks to a misunderstanding in response to a message, they believe him to be Earth’s leader–which begs the question, wouldn’t this be the Secretary-General of the United Nations or would the American president be considered the leader of the free world? We can argue semantics later.  Anyway, when Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett) wants in on the Communiverse, it’s up to Elio to diffuse the situation.

In our universe, the Voyager satellites are still out there. But in the film, it’s an inciting event driving the rest of the plot forward, so to speak. The Golden Record featured in the film is real–they were included on both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 upon being launched in 1977. Whether it features the exact type of dialogue or recording as what’s on the actual record, I don’t know.

Maybe it’s just Disney tropes I’m so accustomed to by now, but there are aspects of the film that definitely remind me of Lilo and Stitch. This film has the Communiverse  while the other film has the United Galactic Federation. But at the core of it all, Elio is orphaned, being raised by an aunt. Lilo is also orphaned, being raised by her older sister. Both films see the main character befriending an alien creature, in this instance, Elio befriends Lord Grigon’s son, Glordon (Remy Edgerly).

Nothing against the film, but given all the similarities between them, they really should have been spaced out. But at the same time, they’re targeted to families and that means keeping them in theaters for as long as possible. Beyond the similarities, it’s clear that they’ve done their research when it comes to space. They go way too light when it comes to alien-related conspiracy theories, although at least one person at the military base believes it to be the truth.

Elio is the sort of film that will resonate with people who have feelings of loneliness and a hyperactive imagination.

DIRECTORS: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
SCREENWRITERS: Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, Mike Jones
CAST: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, Shirley Henderson

Disney-Pixar will release Elio in theaters on June 20, 2025. Grade: 3.5/5

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