Tag: Yonas Kibreab

When PIXAR’s Elio is Wishing Upon A Star. Does He Know Who He Is?

The question of what Elio can become depends on where he can fit in.

Elio Movie PosterAlthough PIXAR’s latest film, Elio, doesn’t quite soar to the heights of the studio’s earlier space-set stories, its heart is undeniably in the right place. The film follows a young boy (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) grappling with loneliness after the loss of his parents. Isolated at school and barely bonding with his overworked aunt, Elio retreats into daydreams of the stars—until one night, fantasy becomes reality.

Rather than face military camp, he sends a hopeful message into space, only to be abducted by aliens who hilariously misinterpret his call as an official message from Earth’s leader. The setup is absurd in the best way, and kicks off a cosmic misadventure through a bizarre intergalactic council known as the Communiverse.

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The Brave and the Bold in Merry Little Batman, Saving Xmas on Amazon Prime!

…and no, there’s no product placement involved in this wonderful animated special about one little Merry Little Batman under the Christmas tree.

Merry Little Batman PosterNow Playing on Amazon Prime
Spoiler Alert

Fans expecting an animated superhero film much like past direct to video efforts will be in for a surprise in Merry Little Batman. This presentation feels very British, and much of that comes from the production and character designs. Also, when the best moments are from the British voice over talent pool instead of the American ones, all I could do was laugh out loud.

Ultimately, I feel this action adventure comedy puts a few ideas from Home Alone, Spitting Image and A Christmas Story into a blender, and what’s splattered out is just nutters! 

And as the title implies, this holiday themed special is about a kid who wants to become the next Caped Crusader. When news of this movie was announced, I thought it might be about a young Bruce Wayne learning how to become a hero during Christmas vacation, but I was wrong. Instead, it’s about his son Damian (Yonas Kibreab) and his relationship with his father (Luke Wilson). 

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