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Aliens, space and a blast of air-conditioning: 'Elio,' reviewed by 7 kids, 2 parents and 2 grandmas
Aliens, space and a blast of air-conditioning: 'Elio,' reviewed by 7 kids, 2 parents and 2 grandmas

Yahoo

time26-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

Aliens, space and a blast of air-conditioning: 'Elio,' reviewed by 7 kids, 2 parents and 2 grandmas

Hello, people of Earth. I'm Suzy Byrne, and I've been covering entertainment at Yahoo for over a decade. I'll be the first to tell you that I'm no hardcore cinema buff. Since I had a child, though, I've made it a point to see as many kid-friendly movies as possible. Maybe it's because I'm a big kid ✔ and I love a cheerful ending ✔. But also, as a busy working parent, is there greater joy than getting two hours to turn off your phone and put up your feet while your child is fully entertained?! So that's what this is — one entertainment reporter + her 10-year-old child + usually friends seeing family-friendly fare, indulging in film-themed treats and replying all, to you, about the experience. Welcome to kids' movie club. Space isn't such a bad place to be for two hours during a hot, sticky heat wave. That's the energy I brought for our journey from Earth to the Communiverse, where much of Elio is set. Not only is the final week of school here in New York — shakes fist at sky — but it's 99 degrees when I pick up my daughter and friends for a matinee. I'm hot and wilted and have a pile of non-movie-going work to do, but away we go … to outer space. We movie-d with seven children (who are in 1st through 4th grade) and four adults, including two very cool grandmas. The theater was full. The adults put all the kids together in one row and sat behind them, which I highly recommend. Outta sight, outta mind — which is great because this parent is outta stamina. The long-delayed original film tells the story of a space-obsessed orphaned boy (voiced by Yonas Kibreab), being raised by his Air Force major aunt (Zoe Saldaña), who is struggling to make sense of his place in the world. His connections to his Earthling peers are short-circuited, and the eyepatch- and strainer-wearing kid is hoping with all of his might to be abducted by aliens. His wish comes true. Passing himself off as the 'leader of Earth,' he makes friends through the experience — so what if they're extraterrestrial ones? — and ultimately builds a closer relationship with his aunt. The animated sci-fi film clocks in at 1 hour and 39 minutes and is — as my mother replies to every one of her text messages — 'fine.' There's nothing particularly surprising about it. It has a happy ending. It's not Lilo & Stitch or How to Train Your Dragon, though it definitely mirrors some of the Lilo storyline with Elio and Aunt Olga's relationship. The film also borrows from Inside Out about the importance of identifying feelings. Feeling like an outsider is relatable for all ages. 'What if there's nothing about me to want?' cape-loving Elio asks at one point. 'I thought Earth was the problem, but what if it's me?' There's also coping with bullies — that's why Elio has the temporary eyepatch, in a very non-interesting twist — and multiple characters feeling like they're not meeting the expectations of a caregiver. 'I may not always understand you, but I still love you,' Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett, who voices the antagonist) told his son Glordon (Remy Edgerly) in a humanizing — er, alienizing — moment in the movie. It's a Disney film, not a horror flick by any means, but there were moments that were 'super creepy,' my young moviegoing friends felt. They mostly involved Elio's clone — like when his strand of hair slithered around the house, Olga examined it under a microscope, and then, realizing it wasn't her nephew, she went into Elio's room and suspensefully pulled up clone Elio's eyepatch. 'I closed my eyes, but watched it through my fingers,' one girl in the group said on the ride home. I'll add that I don't think that — when there was hopefulness about the eyepatch, as far as representation — filmmakers needed to make it suspenseful like that. Also, the kids were freaked out when Elio's clone did the zombie walk to distract the guard before melting so that the real Elio and Olga could get to the spaceship. 'I did not like the clone,' my daughter said. Other unsettling parts were when the bullies with alien masks took Elio, and the 'Bring us your leader… please' part, despite the good manners. This adult — and several of the kids — loved the slug-like alien Glordon, who is hands-down my favorite character. My friend told me that I need to add a nap-o-meter because he predicted Elio would be the perfect film to doze off in. But the film started, he chuckled at a few parts, and I knew he wouldn't be sleeping. Plus, his food order took forever to come, so his burger anticipation kept him awake. I fully would have slept if I weren't responsible for three of the seven kids. Though it's good, I didn't, as I got a 'Suzy, I have to go to the bathroom' midway through. I did, however, think about how I wasn't napping each time I saw a swaddled alien. Speaking of food, my daughter and I had popcorn and cherry Icees — with 24-hour red tongues to prove it. The Elio-themed food offering was a box of Nerds, which I didn't even know they still make, so no. Yes. We waited until the very end because one kid heard from another kid who heard from a third kid (very Ferris Bueller) that there would be bloopers. It turned out to be a teaser for Hoppers, one of Pixar's next offerings, showing a lizard over a phone pushing the lizard emoji over and over as a voice assistant repeatedly said, 'Lizard.' That post-credits moment — technically not even part of Elio — was my daughter's 'favorite part of the movie,' which pretty much sums up our matinee experience. I polled my friend and his kids for their review, using a 1 (worst) to 10 (best) scale. Dad said 6.5, 9-year-old daughter said 5, and 7-year-old boy gave it a more enthusiastic 8. The grandmas? Full approval. But to be fair, they've seen fewer kid flicks lately and aren't running on fumes like the rest of us. While Elio had a slow start at the box office, it's gotten a stellar reception from audiences and critics (with a 83% Rotten Tomatoes score). Here's hoping it finds its audience as summer progresses — or when it moves to streaming — and it has orbiting success.

Movie Review: COMPANION
Movie Review: COMPANION

Geek Girl Authority

time12-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Geek Girl Authority

Movie Review: COMPANION

by Ray Schillaci The Movie Guys Here is my conundrum – when reviewing a movie, one should avoid all trailers, reviews, and synopses…so you may be as completely caught off guard and thrilled as I was with Companion . Then there is the clever marketing ploy announcing that Companion was by the people that brought us the beloved romantic epic The Notebook and the evil minds that gave horror hounds something to howl about, Barbarian . This announcement had 'WTF' all over it, and writer/director Drew Hancock had me uttering that to myself as his film meticulously unraveled to an unexpected climax. It helps that our two leads Jack Quaid (The Boys, The Hunger Games) and Sophie Thatcher (Heretic, Yellowjackets) are so damn likable. Together they practically make the most romantic couple since When Harry Met Sally . But, when the two of them decide on a getaway with friends (at a remote cabin), you can't help but feel something could easily go awry. To say any more would be a disservice to the potential viewer. What can be said is that Sydney Sweeney may have her crown as the 'new It girl' handed over to the utterly charming Sophie Thatcher. After delivering a riveting, dramatic performance in Heretic , Thatcher proves her comedic skills (dark as they may be) in Companion . She easily caught me off guard with her unique smile and wholesome look, but there's a complex mindset she also brings to the table. RELATED: Movie Review: The Phoenician Scheme On the other hand, Jack Quaid easily slips into the role of the awkward and funny boyfriend until he demonstrates a darker side. His range goes from sympathetic to devious and pathetic. Kudos must go out to both leads for bringing everything they do to the table. It is within the chemistry of the two that writer/director Drew Hancock can work his magic. Hancock exudes romantic notions with such ease that anything going against this couple is jarring, to say the least. He not only plays the two leads as if they were masterful chess maneuvers, but also includes the other players as well, making the film both funny and shocking. Needless to say, once everything is revealed, the film bears repeat viewing, just to catch what you might have missed. Visually, this is a lovely 4K presentation with a great attention to detail. You have this beautiful house deep in the woods with a stunning view of the lake. Colors are vibrant on the outside. Inside, the color palette tends to be warm and inviting, which almost gives you a carefree feeling. For a fairly 'low-budget' movie, $10 million, the film has very few effects. The great part about that is writer/director Hancock relies on his storytelling and his actors rather than relying on CGI. RELATED: Movie Review: From the World of John Wick: Ballerina Sound-wise, this is a subtle mix with not a lot of bangs and whistles. But, there is a great foreboding sense within the remote area. The Dolby Atmos sound provides a great sense of tension during a few important scenes. This is not an action film, the dialogue is the key and it remains crystal clear. It's not a disc where you'd be referencing the advantages of what 4K can provide, but it suits its purpose. Where are the bonus features, Warner Home Video? We get less than fifteen minutes' worth sans a gag reel, which would have been a lot of fun. Aside from that bit of disappointment, the company has decided not to include a Blu-ray with the 4K or a Blu-ray with a DVD. Sad day for some physical medium fans. But a digital download is included. As far as the story itself, have I said too much? I hope not. Because, as mentioned, Companion should be enjoyed with as little knowledge about it as possible. The 'R' rating at least gives enough of a warning that this is not a family-friendly affair. But, it is a film I highly recommend watching with (discerning) family and friends. RELATED: Bring Her Back Spoiler Review Lowest price – 4K – $27.95, Blu-ray – $22.95 at Amazon & Walmart Companion is also available for streaming. Visit Ray's blog at Directed by: Drew Hancock Release Date: January 31, 2025 Run Time: 97 Minutes Rated: R Country: U.S.A. Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

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