By Rocio Fermin
Friendless, misunderstood, orphaned, and decidedly weird, 11 year old Elio has his work cut out for him. Pixar’s latest animated adventure tackles earthly concerns with galactic proportions. It’s about a boy who’s never quite felt like he belonged… until a group of aliens mistakes him for the leader of Earth.
Brought to life by not one, not two, but three directors—(Domee Shi of Turning Red, Madeline Sharafian of Burrow, and Adrian Molina of Coco)—Elio feels like a cosmic collaboration in all the best ways.
To the Communiverse and Back
Elio Solis (voiced by Yonas Ascunsion Kibreab) is not your typical Pixar protagonist. He’s a sensitive kid who’d rather be daydreaming at home than socializing with anyone. But when he’s accidentally beamed up into the Communiverse—a colorful cosmic United Nations of aliens—things escalate quickly. One minute he’s avoiding summer camp, the next he’s Earth’s official representative.
Chaos follows but, surprisingly, so does connection.
Elio doesn’t rush to turn its shy hero into someone braver overnight. Instead, it lets him be soft, and scared until he finds his center. The movie succeeds in letting the viewers root for its hero—one who eventually finds his voice, even when it shakes.
The cast is equally interesting as the lead. Aunt, Olga (voiced by Zoe Saldaña) is a focused military officer leading a top-secret government project while Elio is a kid with a vivid imagination who gets into all kinds of trouble. The latter thinks he’s a menace to her life not knowing that she’s the person who believes in him the most.
Then there’s the space creatures. The alien council and the inhabitants of their land all possess darling personas. Some float, some spin, some never speak but still manage to steal the spotlight. I had a hard time absorbing all the incredible designs because my eyes kept darting from one alien to another.
At the heart of Elio’s story is finding and accepting one’s identity — what it really means to be seen, even when you feel out of place.
Man’s Best friend… Glordon!
Of all the aliens Elio meets, none leave quite the same mark as Glordon (voiced by Remy Edgerly) —a giant purple blob with stubby arms, and the gentlest heart in the galaxy. He’s also (surprise!) the son of the fearsome warlord Grigon (voiced by Brad Garrett). But Glordon doesn’t want to kill anybody orconquer anything—he just wants a friend.
That’s what makes his bond with Elio so touching. Both are expected to fill roles they don’t feel ready for—one as Earth’s ambassador, the other as a future warlord—and through each other, they find the freedom to simply be themselves. Their young friendship grows stronger after every obstacle hurdled.
Glordon truly is adorable, waddling through scenes with his jiggly enthusiasm. I’m pretty sure every kid (and several adults) in the cinema walked out wanting a Glordon of their own. And honestly? Me too.
Visually Vibrant, Emotionally Grounded
This is one of Pixar’s most imaginative worlds to date. The Communiverse isn’t just colorful—it’s a kaleidoscope of creativity, packed with dazzling visuals and playful design. There are councils held on gravity-defying platforms, alien marketplaces that shimmer with bioluminescent light, and backdrops that look like they came straight out of a child’s dream journal. It’s a world that invites wonder at every turn—bright, bizarre, and irresistibly fun.
But beyond its visual flair, Elio grounds itself in something much deeper. At its heart is a story about identity and courage—about what it means to be seen, even when you feel out of place. In a universe full of strange new worlds, the film gently reminds us that the most important journey is the one toward understanding and accepting ourselves. Being different is good. Being different is ok.
In the end, the relationships between boy and aunt are fixed and the same goes for warlord Grigon and Glordon. As cliché as it may sound, love does conquer all.
Final Transmission: Worth the Trip
Elio is a love letter to the kids who live in their heads, the ones who are scared of being too much and not enough at the same time. It’s not just about aliens and space travel—it’s about belonging, even when you feel like you’re orbiting a world of your own.
So if you’re up for a story filled with stardust, self-discovery, bring your friends and family to watch Elio.
This is one Pixar journey you don’t want to miss—no spaceship required!
