3 Reasons ‘Elio’ Stands Out from Typical Children’s Films

New Pixar Movie: Elio

Elio is an isolated 11-year-old boy trying to find joy in life after losing his parents in a tragic accident.

He has a fascination with astronomy, captivated by the possibilities of distant planets and the existence of alien life. “Is there really life out there?” he asks his aunt, Olga, who has taken on the responsibility of raising him, though she finds the task more challenging than she anticipated.

Elio pushes her emotional buttons; she’s exhausted from reading a parenting book that hasn’t been much help so far. “This isn’t how I thought my life would turn out,” she confesses, wishing for a friend to confide in.

Olga is a skilled major at a military base, tasked with monitoring space debris and ensuring it doesn’t collide with satellites or endanger lives. Interestingly, her interests aren’t entirely dissimilar to Elio’s, but they still struggle to connect.

One day, when Elio expresses his desire to live on another planet with aliens, the tension between them grows. “Someone needs to care about me,” he insists, implying that it feels like she doesn’t. “Of course I do—we’re family,” she replies, yet he retorts, “You’re not my family!”

Eventually, Elio’s wish is granted when the military base detects a strange signal from space. While dismissed as background noise, some officials take it seriously. Elio, listening in, sneaks into a secret area and sends out a response on Earth’s behalf.

He soon finds himself beamed up by a spaceship and encounters a variety of friendly aliens, hoping to join their group known as the “Communiverse.” There, advanced life forms come together to share knowledge and innovations.

However, all isn’t well. An aggressive, robotic alien named Grigon Lord threatens the peaceful alliance and wants to take over the galaxy. When a member of the Communiverse denies his request for recognition, Grigon vows to return with a fleet of warships to destroy the alliance.