Latest news with #DomeeShi
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Elio' Reviews: Will Pixar's Alien Tale Make Contact With Audiences?
A scene from "Elio." Disney-Pixar's Elio is now in theaters. What are critics saying about the animated sci-fi adventure? Rated PG, Elio's official summary reads, 'For centuries, people have called out to the universe looking for answers — in Disney and Pixar's all-new feature film Elio, the universe calls back! The cosmic misadventure introduces Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination and a huge alien obsession.' 'So, when he's beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide, Elio's all in for the epic undertaking. Mistakenly identified as Earth's leader, Elio must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions, and somehow discover who and where he is truly meant to be.' Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina, Elio stars the voices of Yonas Kibreab as Elio, Zoe Saldaña as Aunt Olga, Remy Edgerly as Glordon, Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, Jameela Jamil as Ambassador Questa and Shirley Henderson as OOOOO. As of Friday, Elio has earned an 86% 'fresh' rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics based on 105 reviews. The RT Critics Consensus reads, 'Catapulted by its theme of building self-esteem, Pixar's latest cosmic wonder Elio boasts a fanciful world of original creations to dazzling effect.' The RT Popcornmeter score and audience summary for Elio are still pending. What Are Individual Critics Saying About 'Elio'? Laura Venning of Empire Magazine is among the top critics on RT who gives Elio a 'fresh' rating, writing, 'It's a vivid, sweet but not saccharine voyage of discovery that proves Pixar is still capable of imagination.' While he has some reservations with the film, Robert Daniels of also gives the film a 'fresh' review on RT, noting, 'Schmaltzy yet sincere, Elio, the latest from Pixar, is as predictable as they come but as tender as they can get. Caroline Siede of The Daily Beast also gives Elio a 'fresh' rating on RT, writing, 'For all its overt '80s homages, there's something timeless about Elio, too. It may be mid-tier Pixar, but that's still likely to make it one of the better-animated offerings of the year.' Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair is among the top critics on RT who gives Elio a 'rotten' rating, writing in his review summary, 'Pixar has begun doing what it once seemed it never would: repeating itself.' Allison Wilmore of New York Magazine/Vulture also gives Elio a 'rotten' rating, noting, 'For a movie about someone learning, in both literal and emotional ways, that he's not alone in the universe, Elio has real trouble getting out of its own head.' William Bibbiani of The Wrap is also a detractor of Elio, writing in his RT review summary, 'It's all about radical acceptance but can only talk about the real-world application of its message in general metaphors, so people who don't actually accept 'weird,' 'different' kids won't have to think about how wrong they are.' Elio is now in theaters nationwide.
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Elio hits theaters: From star-studded voice cast to quirky plot, all you need to know about Pixar film
Pixar's latest animated feature, Elio, hits US theatres on June 20. Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina, the film tells the story of a space-obsessed boy who becomes Earth's accidental ambassador after being beamed up by a quirky alien council. The film stars Yonas Kibreab as Elio, a lonely 11-year-old who lives with his aunt, Major Olga (voiced by Zoe Saldana), an Air Force officer. Elio struggles to connect with his peers and dreams of being abducted by aliens. According to a USA Today report, Elio's dream comes true when he is pulled into the Communiverse, a colorful cosmic coalition of aliens who mistake him for Earth's leader. Another Telegraph report quoted Domee Shi, the filmmaker, saying Elio was a celebration of all the 'weird kids' who felt they did not fit in. She added that she was inspired by Roald Dahl's characters and Steven Spielberg's E.T. to create a world where an outsider finds belonging through the most unexpected means. Sharafian added that they set out to tell a story where the universe was hopeful and silly, like the aliens Elio meets. Reportedly, the Pixar film explores themes of grief, connection, identity and the universal search for belonging. Elio, still coping with the loss of his parents, struggles to understand his place on Earth. A crucial scene in the film also includes a shout-out to Mumbai. The filmmakers said the shout-out symbolized a turning point for Elio. Sharafian, who also shared her love for Indian cinema, reportedly said it is at that point that Elio realizes he is not alone and has people liking him across the universe. Producer Mary Alice was quoted in the Telegraph report, saying that Elio reflected humanity's long-standing fascination with outer space. Mary said people often find themselves looking up and wondering who else is out there. She cited Carl Sagan's quote about humans dreaming of something greater when they are fed up with Earth. 'Elio captures that hope,' she noted. The voice cast of the Pixar film also features Remy Edgerly as Glordon, Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon and Jameela Jamil as Ambassador Questa. Elio is the story of a lonely 11-year-old boy who accidentally becomes Earth's ambassador after being abducted by aliens. Elio was released in theatres across the US on June 20, 2025. The film stars Yonas Kibreab as Elio, Zoe Saldaña as Major Olga, Remy Edgerly as Glordon, Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon and Jameela Jamil as Ambassador Questa. No. While Elio is an original Pixar story, the filmmakers say it was inspired by Roald Dahl's books, Steven Spielberg's films, and the musings of Carl Sagan. Elio is a family-friendly animated film, best suited for children aged 7+, but with emotional themes that adults will also appreciate.
New York Times
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Who Directed ‘Elio?' It's Complicated
After the emotionally resonant final moment of Pixar's new outer-space adventure 'Elio,' the names of directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian pop up onscreen — typical for any feature film. But if you stick around until after the mid-credits tag, you might find something curious. Once the crawl starts, another person is also listed as director: Adrian Molina. The discrepancy hints at some of the behind-the-scenes shake-ups involving the film about an orphaned boy who dreams of being abducted by aliens. Midway through production, Molina, the original director, was replaced by Shi and Sharafian. All of the listed filmmakers have history with the company. Molina was one of the screenwriters and the co-director of the hit 'Coco' (2017). Shi directed the red panda puberty story 'Turning Red' (2022), while Sharafian was behind the Oscar-nominated short 'Burrow' (2020). During an interview with The Wrap last summer, Pixar's chief creative officer, Pete Docter, said that Molina was moved off 'Elio' and onto a 'priority project that we're not ready to talk about yet.' (Molina is reportedly working on a 'Coco' sequel due out in 2029, though it's unclear whether that's what Docter was referencing.) Docter, in the same interview, explained that Shi and Sharafian were crucial to figuring out story beats involving the awkward Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab), who ultimately gets his wish and is beamed up to an intergalactic summit by kindly extraterrestrials who believe he is Earth's leader. 'I think they've made some major discoveries on him that really helped the audience to connect and to move forward with the character into the second act,' Docter said. On animated films, one person often assumes the title of co-director, a role the Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton once described as a 'jack of all trades.' That's the part Molina had on 'Coco.' But on 'Elio' none of the listed directors have the 'co' prefix. 'Elio' has had a lengthy journey to the screen. The project was announced at Disney's D23 conference in 2022 and was originally scheduled for release in 2024. America Ferrera appeared at that event and revealed that she was playing Elio's mother. That in itself offers some clues as to what changed. In the finished film, Elio's mother is dead and Zoe Saldaña voices his overwhelmed aunt living on a military base.
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First Post
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
Elio movie review: Pixar's space adventure about loneliness & vulnerability is a visual spectacle
Directors Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina of Elio have beautifully combined the beautiful and wildly imaginative space adventure tale with the theme of family and friendship, which explores the dynamics of vulnerability and loneliness read more Director: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina Star cast: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brandon Moon, Brad Garrett, and Jameela Jamil During our childhood, almost every individual had curiosity about space, aliens and an imagination of transporting to another universe or planet. Elio Solis (voiceover by newcomer Yonas Kibreab), an 11-year-old boy who has just lost his parents, stays with his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña) on a military base. To get connected with her nephew, Olga takes Elio to the local air and space museum. Elio gets attracted to the idea of contacting aliens from other galaxies as he feels lost on Earth. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, his obsession puts him at odds with Olga and his peers, but Elio is least concerned. He goes to the beach daily with his suitcase and ham radio with a message, 'Aliens Abduct Me!' His wish gets fulfilled as he gets transported to the Communiverse, which is the home to the brilliant and sharp aliens. Elio feels like his dream has been fulfilled as they are ready to make him a member of the Communiverse after he misleads them, telling them he is the leader of Earth. However, his lie gets caught when he comes in front of Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett), a robotic-like warlord, who threatens to destroy the communiverse after they don't allow him to become a member of their planet. Will Elio win over the hearts of the Communiverse's aliens, or will he go back to Earth? Directors Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina have beautifully combined the beautiful and wildly imaginative space adventure tale with the theme of family and friendship, which explores the dynamics of vulnerability and loneliness. The movie impactfully shows the underlying message that parents or guardians need to show the soft side to their kids and hits the right emotional notes without being loud or preachy. The beautiful and sparkling shades of Communiverse and its fancy extra-terrestrial creatures, and the realistic Earth make you want to explore the unknown with open arms and heart. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On the whole, Elio is a delightful family watch, which will be loved by kids and adored by adults. Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars) Elio is playing in cinemas
CBC
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Why Elio's theme of alien abduction is the perfect metaphor for loneliness
Domee Shi, the Oscar-winning Canadian animator and director behind Bao and Turning Red, is back with a new Disney-Pixar movie, Elio. It's about an 11-year-old lovable oddball named Elio who's totally obsessed with space. When his dream of getting abducted by aliens comes true, he suddenly finds himself with a lot of responsibility. In an interview with Q guest host Talia Schlanger, Shi says the theme of alien abduction was the perfect entry point to explore the loneliness that many kids face growing up. The story was loosely inspired by co-director Adrian Molina's childhood experience of being raised on a military base, but Shi and co-director Madeline Sharafian also drew on their own experiences of being artsy kids who struggled to find their place in the world. "A lot of us have been that weird lonely kid in our hometowns who felt like no one really wanted them or understood them, and they were dreaming to find a place where they could belong," Shi says. "For me, that was animation school…. For Elio, that's that moment when he gets abducted by aliens." The movie opens with a young Elio visiting a space museum with his aunt Olga, whom he starts living with after the death of his parents. Shi says Elio's passionate interest in space is what helps him heal from his grief and isolation. "I think we knew from the beginning that that was going to be his quirk and that was going to be his obsession, but it took a while to get under the hood and understand why he wanted to get abducted by aliens so badly," she says. "What was he trying to escape from? That required a lot of looking internally within ourselves, but also we talked to child psychologists [and] we did some research on how children deal with grief, with the scenario of losing both your parents." After getting abducted by aliens, Elio finds an escape from his loneliness by going to outer space where he believes he'll finally find a place where he belongs. WATCH | Official trailer for Elio: "He does want to belong somewhere, but deep down, he is kind of running away from this deep, dark fear of feeling [that] there might be something wrong with him," she says. For each of her films, Shi says she's had to dig up personal experiences from her past to craft a relatable story. "It just makes our films so much richer and I think that's the reason why Pixar films resonate with audiences all over the world," she says. "I think in order to make a film that resonates, you have to be brave. Like Elio does, you have to open yourself up, you have to be vulnerable and show a part of yourself that maybe you're a little bit embarrassed to show the world." The full interview with Domee Shi is available on our podcast, Q with Tom Power. She also explains why it's nearly impossible for her to write a one-dimensional mother figure. Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts.
