On Digital He is the One and Only ELIO

 

Jeri Jacquin

Take your family on an interstellar adventure with Disney and Pixar’s ELIO which arrives to digital retailers (Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home) this week. A great story for the entire family where ever in the universe you might be from with directors Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, and Domee Shi.

Young Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) is living with his Aunt Olga (voiced by Zoe Saldana) since the passing of his parents. It has been a difficult adjustment for them both as Elio isn’t sure where the new normal is coming from and Aunt Olga gives up her dream of being an astronaut. They are both trying to patch their family but Elio finds himself in a bit of trouble. First with schoolmates and then at the at Aunt Olga’s job at a government tracking station.

Both have to do with Elio’s love of space and his desire to be abducted. While at the tracking station, the group is excited that Gunther Melmac (Brendan Hunt) announces that he’s discovered a message. When Olga shoots it down, Elio decides to send a little welcome of his own and the results are more than he could have hoped for.

Taken up to the Communiverse, the aliens believe that Elio is a leader planet Earth and they are excited to have him along with Questa (Jameela Jamil), OOOOO (Shirley Henderson), Tegmen (Matthias Schweighofer, Helix (Brandon Moon), Auva (Naomi Watanabe), Turais (Ana de la Regulera) and Mira (Anissa Borrego). Before he is totally accepted into the Communiverse, Elio witnesses Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett) discovers that he isn’t accepted into the group. Angry, he vows retribution for his rejection.

Worries, Questa and the group worry that things will get worse but Elio volunteers to go to Lord Grigon and make him see reason. Over on the angry leader’s ship, Elio tries to reason with him but discovers it doesn’t work. While going through the ship, he meets Glordon (Remy Edgerly) and they strike up a plan and a friendship. On Earth, Aunt Olga is wondering what is happening to Elio because something has changed. 

Chaos explodes when Lord Grigon figures out the plan and Elio is sent back to earth. Elijo explains to Aunt Olga what has happened when a craft with Glordon inside is at the military base. Now it’s time for Elijo, Glordon and Aunt Olga take on the universe to set things right again.

Kibreab as Elio voices a young boy dealing with deal and feeling alone in a very large world. Reaching out into space to find a connection, no one understands what he is doing. When the one thing that he wants in the universe happens, Kibreab gives voice to Elio finding his happy place and that’s the Communiverse. The problem is his dishonesty with his new friends but he tries to make it right. It is his friendship with Glordon that is charming, sweet and so very memorable.

Saldana as Aunt Olga doesn’t know what to do with Elio and she sees that he is so very sad. It isn’t easy trying to understand a child that has gone from being a nephew to practically being a son. Giving up her dreams to take care of Elijo, he senses that she isn’t happy with the decision she made. Saldana is a strong character in a difficult situation and lending her voice to this role is so warm and loving.

Garret as Lord Grigon is an unhappy alien who feels rejected by Communiverse and he’s going to show what happens to unhappy aliens. Garret is a tough voice lending itself to a tough character who doesn’t listen to his son. Edgerly as Glordon is fun, charming, so very sweet and can’t figure out a way to tell his father that fighting just isn’t his thing. I love the friendship that comes about between Glordon and Elio and Edgerly’s giggle is contagious.

Shout out to all the aliens because they are so diverse, colorful and wanting to keep their world intact. My granddaughter just adored Questa because, “she is smooth with a voice that is very calming when things get crazy”. I love that she felt that about one of the characters. Also, Hunt as Melmac is hilarious even though his moments on screen are brief.

Other cast include Young Dylan as Bruce, Jake Getman as Caleb, Shelby Young as Diplo Ship, Bob Peterson as the Universal Users Manual and Kate Mulgrew as Museum Exhibit Narrator.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment continues to bring quality programming to kids and kids at heart. Home of the most beloved animated features including SNOW WHITE, PINOCCHIO and SLEEPING BEAUTY to name a few is what keeps families coming back for more. To see what is currently available to add to your own family library please visit. www.movies.disney.com for their At Home titles!

Bonus Features include Inside the Communiverse: The World and Characters of ELIO, Out of This World: An Astro Q&A, Astronomic Art Class: Ooooo and Glordon, Extraterrestrial Easter Eggs and Fun Facts, Galactic Gag Reel and Deleted Scenes.

ELIO is a magical, color and an absolute family film that should have parents making this a movie night. It is a story of love, sadness, friendship, understanding, dreams and how we (on this planet or any other) are not so different that we can’t learn from one another. The story is one of a young boy dealing with the hardest thing a child would ever deal with yet, the adventure teaches him the importance of being in the present and on earth.

I love when Disney Pixar brings such imaginative stories that draw people together and ELIO does just that. It has such profound moments that are made more vivid because of the animation and the imagination it took to not only tell Elijo’s story but the fantastic world of the Communiverse. Pop the corn and snuggle up with the kids and spend a little time in space with ELIO

In the end – the universe came calling!

He is the One and Only ELIO

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday for the entire family where ever in the universe you might be from directors Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Disney Pixar is ELIO.

Young Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) is living with his Aunt Olga (voiced by Zoe Saldana) since the passing of his parents. It has been a difficult adjustment for them both as Elio isn’t sure where the new normal is coming from and Aunt Olga gives up her dream of being an astronaut. They are both trying to patch their family but Elio finds himself in a bit of trouble. First with schoolmates and then at the at Aunt Olga’s job at a government tracking station.

Both have to do with Elio’s love of space and his desire to be abducted. While at the tracking station, the group is excited that Gunther Melmac (Brendan Hunt) announces that he’s discovered a message. When Olga shoots it down, Elio decides to send a little welcome of his own and the results are more than he could have hoped for.

Taken up to the Communiverse, the aliens believe that Elio is a leader planet Earth and they are excited to have him along with Questa (Jameela Jamil), OOOOO (Shirley Henderson), Tegmen (Matthias Schweighofer, Helix (Brandon Moon), Auva (Naomi Watanabe), Turais (Ana de la Regulera) and Mira (Anissa Borrego). Before he is totally accepted into the Communiverse, Elio witnesses Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett) discovers that he isn’t accepted into the group. Angry, he vows retribution for his rejection.

Worries, Questa and the group worry that things will get worse but Elio volunteers to go to Lord Grigon and make him see reason. Over on the angry leader’s ship, Elio tries to reason with him but discovers it doesn’t work. While going through the ship, he meets Glordon (Remy Edgerly) and they strike up a plan and a friendship. On Earth, Aunt Olga is wondering what is happening to Elio because something has changed.  

Chaos explodes when Lord Grigon figures out the plan and Elio is sent back to earth. Elijo explains to Aunt Olga what has happened when a craft with Glordon inside is at the military base. Now it’s time for Elijo, Glordon and Aunt Olga take on the universe to set things right again.

Kibreab as Elio voices a young boy dealing with deal and feeling alone in a very large world. Reaching out into space to find a connection, no one understands what he is doing. When the one thing that he wants in the universe happens, Kibreab gives voice to Elio finding his happy place and that’s the Communiverse. The problem is his dishonesty with his new friends but he tries to make it right. It is his friendship with Glordon that is charming, sweet and so very memorable.

Saldana as Aunt Olga doesn’t know what to do with Elio and she sees that he is so very sad. It isn’t easy trying to understand a child that has gone from being a nephew to practically being a son. Giving up her dreams to take care of Elijo, he senses that she isn’t happy with the decision she made. Saldana is a strong character in a difficult situation and lending her voice to this role is so warm and loving.

Garret as Lord Grigon is an unhappy alien who feels rejected by Communiverse and he’s going to show what happens to unhappy aliens. Garret is a tough voice lending itself to a tough character who doesn’t listen to his son. Edgerly as Glordon is fun, charming, so very sweet and can’t figure out a way to tell his father that fighting just isn’t his thing. I love the friendship that comes about between Glordon and Elio and Edgerly’s giggle is contagious.

Shout out to all the aliens because they are so diverse, colorful and wanting to keep their world intact. My granddaughter just adored Questa because, “she is smooth with a voice that is very calming when things get crazy”. I love that she felt that about one of the characters. Also, Hunt as Melmac is hilarious even though his moments on screen are brief.

Other cast include Young Dylan as Bruce, Jake Getman as Caleb, Shelby Young as Diplo Ship, Bob Peterson as the Universal Users Manual and Kate Mulgrew as Museum Exhibit Narrator.

ELIO is a magical, color and an absolute family film that should have parents running to the theatre. It is a story of love, sadness, friendship, understanding, dreams and how we (on this planet or any other) are not so different that we can’t learn from one another. The story is one of a young boy dealing with the hardest thing a child would ever deal with yet, the adventure teaches him the importance of being in the present and on earth.

I love when Disney Pixar brings such imaginative stories that draw people together and ELIO does just that. It has such profound moments that are made more vivid because of the animation and the imagination it took to not only tell Elijo’s story but the fantastic world of the Communiverse. Pack up the kids and spend a little time in space with ELIO

In the end – the universe came calling!

Bluray Brings Generations Together in TURNING RED

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray and DVD from director Domee Shi, Pixar Animated Studios and Walt Disney Home Entertainment comes the story of growing up with tradition in TURNING RED.

Meilin (Rosalie Chiang) is a thirteen-year-old girl living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with father Jin Lee (Orion Lee) and Mother Ming Lee (Sandra Oh). She excels at school, is a bit bossy but loved by her friends Miriam (Ava Morse), Abby (Hyein Park) and Priya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan). She has two worries in life, pleasing a very overprotective mother and Tyler (Tristan Chen), the school pain in the behind!

What she is not prepared for is to add to those worries but some things just come when they are ready. After a powerful storm in the night, Mei wakes us and looking in the mirror staring back at her is a big red panda. Freaking out, her mother immediately goes into panic mode as well believing her little girl has started having a period. Learning that it is her panic that keeps her covered in fur, Mei calms down and returns to normal.

In class, she sees mom out the window and it sends her back into red panda mode. Trying to get away as fast as she can there is no escaping Mom. Once home, Meilin learns that generations ago, a woman named Sun Yee could transform into a red panda to fight battles and since then every woman in the family could do it as well.

The only way to stop it is a ritual that sends the red panda spirit back on the night of the Red Moon. The problem is that is also the same night that Meilin and her friends are supposed to see their favorite band 4* Town in concert and, the girls have all been raising money to pay for the concert tickets. Meilin even uses her red panda persona to make the final bit of money they need.

Agreeing to appear at Tyler’s birthday, everything goes horribly wrong when Mom shows up and learns that Meilin has been doing things she cannot believe! Now, Grandma (Wai Ching Ho) and the Aunts have shown up to help put the red panda back in the box as it were. There is only one place Meilin wants to be and that is with her gal-gang at the SkyDome to see 4* Town.

What happens next is a red panda revolution between Mom, Meilin and all the women in the family who know what needs to be done – and they better do it quickly!

Chiang as Meilin offers up her vocals giving us a thirteen-year-old girl who wants to just be as wild (as wild as a thirteen-year-old can be) and enjoy friends and life. There is a delightfulness that she brings to a character going through so many changes. Oh as mom Ming is a bit scary with her overprotective and a bit overbearing ways. She pushes her daughter into a corner and a red panda emerges to push back wanting to change their future together.

Ramakrishnan, Morse and Park are as energetic as Meilin’s friends as Mei herself. Even when their friend turns her back on them when they need her the most, forgiveness and friendship always win out.

Chen as Tyler is a young man who, believe it or not, is trying to find a way to have friends. It is his approach to it that needs some help. He is going through his own growing up issues and, like Meilin, has no one to reach out to about it.

Other cast includes Lori Chinn as Auntie Chen, Mia Tagano as Lily, Sherry Cola as Helen, Lillian Lim as Auntie Ping, Jordan Fisher as Robaire and Finneas O’Connell as Jesse and Topher Ngo as Aaron T and Grayson Villanueva as Tae Young and Josh Levi as Aaron Z of 4* Town,  and James Hong as Mr. Gao.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment continues to bring quality programming to kids and kids at heart. Home of the most beloved animated features including SNOW WHITE, PINOCCHIO and SLEEPING BEAUTY to name a few is what keeps families coming back for more. To see what is currently available to add to your own family library please visit. www.movies.disney.com for their At Home titles!

The Bonus Features include Audio Commentary, Featurettes with Life of a Shot, Build Your Own Boy Band, Ani-Mei-Tion, Deleted Scenes with Intro Meilin, Taming the Panda, The Debate, Fei and Christina Hang, 4*Town Dilemma, Roping in Leo and Easter Egg Robutton Deleted Scenes.

TURNING RED has so many different issues that are wonderfully wrapped in a red panda. First, this is a generational film in that history repeats itself from mother to daughter but, Meilin is about to make some serious changes. As each confrontation with Mom happens, the young girl has to find it within herself to be herself.

The film also addresses the expectations for Meilin but she lives a double life. Once away from Mom, she has friends, interests and is getting to that age where boy watching is a friend gathering sport. I have to admit, watching her with the gal-gang reminded me so much of how it was, and my granddaughter wanted to know if its going to be that fun when she gets that age (talk to me again in seven years!).

There is also the traditional story of a woman warrior that is reminiscent of the film MULAN. Another young lady who lives with the struggle of wanting to be what her parents see as a daughter yet wants to break away. The film also carries the same wonderful stories of ancestors and their importance to the Asian culture.

TURNING RED is just delightful, funny, charming and chocked full of life lessons and the importance of knowing a family past yet embracing the potential of the future.

In the end – growing up is a beast!