Daniel de la Guerra is a multilingual screenwriter and writer who brings a global perspective to storytelling across film, television, and culture. Writing features and reviews for The Hollywood Insider, Daniel is passionate about exploring how stories can inspire change, foster empathy, and reflect the human experience. With a background in translation and a commitment to ethical storytelling, his work aligns closely with The Hollywood Insider mission to combine entertainment with meaningful education and philanthropy. Daniel’s writing invites readers to engage thoughtfully with the narratives that shape our world, celebrating creativity as both art and a catalyst for connection.
Jul 14, 2025
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Pixar’s ‘Elio’ Aims for the Stars, but Lands Right in the Heart
By a young dreamer who still believes in aliens and Pixar magic
Pixar has always made us feel with depth, whether for toys, monsters, robots, or emotions, but Elio brings something much more refreshing and different to the table. It’s quirky, cosmic, and full of heart.
Directed byAdrian Molina, the film follows Elio Solis, an 11-year-old boy who’s artistic, anxious, and wonderfully weird. He’s not a classic Pixar hero, he doesn’t save the day with strength or confidence. Instead, he gets mistaken for Earth’s ambassador to a council of eccentric aliens, simply by being in the wrong place at the right time.
But that twist is what makes Elio so special. The stakes may be galactic, but the soul of the story is beautifully human. Elio’s journey isn’t just across space, it’s an emotional dive into identity, self-worth, and belonging. This movie is for anyone who’s ever felt out of place or “too different,” this film hits home.
With echoes of Inside Out’s emotional honesty and the visual wonder of Lightyear, Elio stands out by embracing awkwardness, imagination, and vulnerability. It doesn’t try to be loud or flashy, it chooses heart over spectacle.
There’s something radical about how Elio resists the typical “hero’s journey.” From the very beginning, Elio doesn’t want to lead or fight or save. He just wants to be seen, understood, and maybe loved, not for what he does, but for who he is. And Pixar lets him have that. His journey isn’t about becoming fearless; it’s about embracing fear and vulnerability as part of who he is.
There’s one standout moment where Elio, overwhelmed and terrified, admits to one of the alien council members that he has no idea what he’s doing. He’s not a leader, not an ambassador, he’s just a scared kid. And instead of being mocked, he’s met with empathy. That, to me, is the emotional core of the film: the idea that strength doesn’t come from perfection, but from honesty.
In a media landscape that’s still catching up when it comes to soft boys, emotionally intelligent protagonists, and stories about sensitivity as strength, Elio feels ahead of its time.
Where the film really shines is in how it blends the cosmic and the personal. The alien worlds aren’t cold or sleek, they’re organic, messy, and bizarre in the best way, filled with vibrant textures and quirky designs that feel ripped straight from the mind of a creative kid.
The Communiverse looks like it was designed with crayons and glitter (in the best way possible). There’s a visual language of childlike wonder to every spaceship, every alien, every holographic transmission. And that’s intentional. Elio doesn’t enter an adult version of space; space adapts to him. It bends and warps and glows like a dreamscape he might’ve sketched in a notebook.
The contrast between the vastness of space and the intimacy of Elio’s emotional journey is perfectly balanced. You never forget that he’s a little kid out of his depth. And yet, you also never doubt that he’s exactly where he’s meant to be.
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The Mother-Son Dynamic We Didn’t Know We Needed
One of the film’s quiet triumphs is the relationship between Elio and his mom, Major Olga Solis, voiced by America Ferrera. She’s a scientist, a military woman, and one of the people leading the effort to communicate with alien life. But she’s also a single mom, trying to raise a kid who doesn’t quite fit into the world.
The dynamic between them is refreshingly authentic. Olga doesn’t always understand Elio’s sensitivity, and Elio doesn’t always get her tough-love approach. But beneath the tension is a fierce love that grounds the film. Their scenes together, whether they’re arguing over dinner or sharing a quiet moment of connection, are some of the most affecting in the movie.
Ferrera brings a grounded warmth to the role, and her scenes serve as an emotional anchor when the film takes its wilder sci-fi detours. In a film about identity, the mother-son bond reminds us of the importance of being seen by those closest to us, even if they don’t always get it right.
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Themes That Matter
Let’s talk about themes, because Elio is packed with them: identity, belonging, found family, fear of rejection, and learning to love the parts of yourself that feel alien even here on Earth.
But what makes it work is that it’s never preachy. The film isn’t handing you a talk about self-acceptance. Instead, it gives you quiet, awkward and beautiful moments that add up to a deeply personal message. A conversation with an alien who can read Elio’s emotions like sheet music. A scene where he admits that he sometimes pretends to be someone else, just to feel liked. These aren’t “lessons.” They’re truths. And they hit hard.
For younger audiences, Elio offers a gentle invitation to be themselves. For older viewers (like this 20-something writer who still flinches at middle school memories), it’s a reminder that we’re all still trying to figure out where we belong. And that maybe that’s okay.
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A Queer Story Silenced?
In the weeks leading up to Elio’s release, online speculation swirled around rumors that scenes hinting at the protagonist’s queer identity were cut from the final film. While Pixar has not officially commented, early test screenings allegedly included subtle moments that some audiences interpreted as explorations of Elio’s sexual orientation. Fans and LGBTQ+ advocates have expressed frustration, suggesting that the studio may have softened or removed this subtext to avoid backlash.
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Final Thoughts: Elio Stays With You
I walked into Elio expecting a fun space adventure. I walked out thinking about my own middle school awkwardness, my childhood daydreams, and how hard it still is ,at any age, to figure out who you are.
This is a film that doesn’t just entertain; it reaches out. It asks questions. It says, “You’re weird? Me too.” It makes you feel seen, especially if you’ve ever felt like the kid who didn’t fit.
Is it a perfect movie? Not quite. The pacing occasionally stumbles, and some side characters feel underdeveloped. But in a way, that adds to its charm. It’s imperfect. Like Elio.
And honestly? That’s a kind of magic no spaceship could ever touch.
Daniel de la Guerra is a multilingual screenwriter and writer who brings a global perspective to storytelling across film, television, and culture. Writing features and reviews for The Hollywood Insider, Daniel is passionate about exploring how stories can inspire change, foster empathy, and reflect the human experience. With a background in translation and a commitment to ethical storytelling, his work aligns closely with The Hollywood Insider mission to combine entertainment with meaningful education and philanthropy. Daniel’s writing invites readers to engage thoughtfully with the narratives that shape our world, celebrating creativity as both art and a catalyst for connection.
Daniel de la Guerra is a multilingual screenwriter and writer who brings a global perspective to storytelling across film, television, and culture. Writing features and reviews for The Hollywood Insider, Daniel is passionate about exploring how stories can inspire change, foster empathy, and reflect the human experience. With a background in translation and a commitment to ethical storytelling, his work aligns closely with The Hollywood Insider mission to combine entertainment with meaningful education and philanthropy. Daniel’s writing invites readers to engage thoughtfully with the narratives that shape our world, celebrating creativity as both art and a catalyst for connection.
Daniel de la Guerra is a multilingual screenwriter and writer who brings a global perspective to storytelling across film, television, and culture. Writing features and reviews for The Hollywood Insider, Daniel is passionate about exploring how stories can inspire change, foster empathy, and reflect the human experience. With a background in translation and a commitment to ethical storytelling, his work aligns closely with The Hollywood Insider mission to combine entertainment with meaningful education and philanthropy. Daniel’s writing invites readers to engage thoughtfully with the narratives that shape our world, celebrating creativity as both art and a catalyst for connection.
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