christian movie review of elemental

Elemental (Christian Movie Review)

Verdict: A charming, beautifully crafted tale containing enough classic elements to remind audiences why they fell in love with Pixar and a few of the problematic tendencies that have recently strained that relationship.

About The Movie

Do opposites attract? That question may be left to the relationship gurus to determine. More pressing to Pixar Studios is whether its cherished movie magic can attract family audiences back to theaters, which has proven to be difficult in recent years.

True to its name, Elemental possesses many of the familiar Pixar elements, for better or worse. There is beautiful animation, artful direction, an emotionally deep story, and the expected exploration of mature “adult” themes. There are also plenty of familiar tropes, such as an anthropomorphized world, and some scattered elements reminiscent of the more controversial recent films (LGBTQ representation and potentially questionable language).

Elemental is a Romeo and Juliet-esque romance. Ember (a fire element) and Wade (a water element) unexpectedly fall in love. The budding romance poses obvious problems, such as their inability to physically touch and the societal expectations that “elements don’t mix.” The movie isn’t slow, but it isn’t action packed either. The movie focuses almost exclusively on the romantic storyline, with the subplot about saving Ember’s family’s business from closing functioning mostly as an excuse to bring the characters together. There are touching moments aplenty, although my 8-year-old twins got a bit restless at times.

Tonally, the movie is fairly serious. It contains humor—some of it quite funny—but the movie lacks a classic goofy side-character to produce laughs. Rather than gags, the film leans into the emotional side of the story. There are some visually striking scenes and some chewy thematic material. There is no “villain.” The struggles are mostly internal, although influenced by the impact of larger cultural factors and prejudices. The story probes the experiences of an immigrant child and the difficulty of balancing personal dreams with family and societal expectations.

These themes are wholesome and redemptive, if occasionally heavy-handed (lectures about privilege come across a bit preachy in a film that otherwise leans more toward subtlety). If all this sounds like a lot for a child audience, it probably is. Even the romantic storyline, while not uncommon in animated films, is likely to resonate more with adults that pre-pubescent child viewers.

The pre-movie short film is a charming story featuring Carl and Doug from UP , and it serves as a reminder of the soaring heights Pixar once traveled. Elemental is not on par with those earlier classics, but it is a return to form after a string of uninspiring duds. The inclusion of some questionable or suggestive material may be enough to keep some Christian audiences away, but there is plenty of redemptive value to appreciate. Overall, Elemental is a charming, beautifully crafted, and skillfully told tale with enough classic elements to remind audiences why they fell in love with Pixar and several problematic elements that affirm why the relationship has become strained.

For Consideration

Language: No overt swears, but there are several substitutes. One flame character tells another to “Get off your lazy ash.” Characters also use words like “flame” as in-world profanities. There is one use of “dang.”

Violence: None. Several water characters get “boiled” by going too close to fire characters, but no lasting harm is done.

Sexuality: The story is a romance, with a strong emphasis on the feelings developing between the two main characters. There is also some LGBTQ representation. Some instances are clear (to parents, if not to younger children), while others are more ambiguous due to the characters’ non-human appearances. There is a scene in which two tree-like Earth elements are spotted picking apples off each other. They become bashful and awkwardly claim they are “just pruning,” which seems to be a clear sexual innuendo. Later, another character jokingly asks if there will be “pruning” on their date. Ember’s parents declare that their new life situation will allow them more time for “hanky panky.” A water element tells a fire element that she is “hot” and “smoking,” using the words literally, but they are received as unwanted flirtation.

Other: Spirituality plays a role throughout. One character alludes to “an act of God,” implying that there is some form of supernatural belief in the fantastical world. The fire people pray to a blue flame that serves as their spiritual connection. Ember’s mother is also a sort of “love psychic,” who does mystical “readings” to discover if couples are truly in love (the couple lights incense sticks, which allows her to “smell” love or not). These scenes are not necessarily depicted in an overtly spiritual or pagan sense, although they are clearly inspired by real-world psychic readings.

Engage The Film

Individualism & family ties.

Elementals strikes an interesting balance between modern individualism and traditional family ties. On the one hand, the movie champions individualism. Ember has dreams but feels pressured to conform to her family’s expectations. Wade encourages her to essentially “follow her heart” rather than her family’s wishes (and in the context of the story, he’s right). On the other hand, Ember’s struggle is evidence of her deep love for her family and her crippling fear of being a “bad daughter.” Unlike Turning Red , another recent Pixar film, in which the daughter aggressively flaunts her independence, Ember’s struggle comes across as far more mature. Some parents may feel uneasy about the theme of a child challenging her parents’ wishes (although, while Ember’s age is not stated, she appears to be a young adult rather than a child), but the film handles the theme in a way that both empowers the child and respects the parent.

Immigration and Racism

Prejudice and racism seemingly exist in all universes. Although set in a fantastical world, the movie clearly channels real-life experiences. Elemental is an immigration tale, with Ember’s family immigrating to Elemental City. Once there, the fire elements are largely consigned to Firetown and treated with disrespect from other elements.

The relationship between Ember and Wade begins as a necessary partnership but slowly morphs into something romantic as the characters from two different worlds come to see the beauty in each other, even as others—particularly Ember’s father—are blinded by stereotypes and unable to accept it. The movie does a good job of tracing Ember’s parents’ journey, sympathizing with their mistreatment and understandable resentment without endorsing it. Wade’s family is in many ways the typical “privileged class,” yet they are also depicted as fundamentally good characters. For the most part, the film handles the themes delicately and allows the characters’ experiences to speak for themselves, although it does occasionally become preachy. Even so, I was able to have a positive conversation with my children on the way home from the theater about immigration and the challenges some people face.

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Hanky Panky hahahaha

Positive Elements

The names of the characters in this film are clever and creative. Ember Lumen is the main character, and she is made entirely of fire, as are her loving mother and father and all their friends, who are frequent customers at her father’s store.

Like Ember, Wade Ripple is also aptly named. He is composed completely of water, and so are his kind and compassionate mother and father and large extended family.

Both main characters come from loving homes with moms and dads who want what’s best for them. They both care about their families and want to please their parents.

When issues arise for Ember, Wade helps out as best he can, even to the extent of potentially allowing harm to come to himself. He is very self-sacrificing. It’s very important to him to help Ember realize her full potential, which is awesome to see. Wade really cares about the growth of Ember as a person and seeing her achieve her hopes and dreams in life.

Ember’s anger problem is addressed by her father, and he does not agree to let her take over his store until she learns how to control her outburts. It’s good to show children that it’s okay to be angry, but that we need to learn to control our anger and express it in healthy ways. Ecclesiastes 7:9 says,

“Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool.”

James 1:19-20 declares,

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

Learning to control one’s anger is important, and this film highlights that, which is commendable.

Of course the movie leaves out something very important, which is that in order to be self-controlled, one must walk by the Spirit . “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh .” It is when we are not staying in step with the Holy Spirit that we are prone to let our “flesh” or sin nature reign. However, “Elemental” does show that angry outburts are not okay, and that there are consequences for not having self-control.

Although lying and deception are a part of the storyline, apologies are given, and the film does show that the actions of the characters do have consequences. Parents will need to discuss these plot points with their children and use discretion.

Expectations of parents is another prominent issue that comes up in the movie. Ember believes that her father’s dream in life is to see her take over his shop, and in time she realizes that she might have other talents that she wants to explore instead. Ember’s relationship with her father grows and evolves as she learns to respect and appreciate his sacrifices for her, while also acknowledging her own newly found abilities and aspirations.

Negative Elements

The phrase “lazy ash” is used once, and parents will understand the euphemism. Older kids may pick up on it as well. When something goes wrong and Ember gets upset, she yells “Flame!” as she leaves the shop, using it as a curse word. Ember mentions trying to fix a problem before her father notices.

Ember makes the decision to deceive her father and go against his wishes by spending time with Wade, even though she knows her father wouldn’t approve. The comment is made that, “He doesn’t have to know.” This hearkens back to other children in Disney movies who chose to lie and deceive their parents.

In “ The Little Mermaid ,” Ariel is forbidden from going to the shipwreck to learn any more about the human world. Her father tells her in no uncertain terms of his displeasure with her curiosity regarding the two-legged creatures above the ocean’s surface. Nevertheless, she rebels, bringing severe consequences upon herself and her family as a result.

In “The Lion King,” Simba’s father Mufasa tells him never to go to the shadowy area of the land, where there’s no light . But Simba ignores his father’s wisdom , much to the peril of Mufasa.

Rebellion is also portrayed in the 2015 film “ Inside Out .” When the main character, Riley, is heartbroken over her family’s move from the midwest to San Francisco, she gets on a bus and runs away from home.

The aforementioned Disney films showcase just a few examples of deception and rebellion of children towards their parents. This obviously isn’t anything new coming from Disney.

However, even when reading the Bible we can find examples of children deceiving their parents. Jacob deceived his father into thinking he was his brother Esau so that he could steal his father’s blessing ( Genesis 27 ). Of course, the Bible also tells children to honor and obey their parents.

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” — Colossians 3:20

The Bible does include true accounts of the actions of real humans, and these people did not always make righteous choices. So too, characters in films and books may not always act as they should, but if there are consequences to their actions, then hopefully that imparts an important lesson onto the viewer (for example, lying can get you in trouble with your parents, ruin your relationship with them, cause other negative events to transpire, and so on).

Wade asks the question, “Why does anyone get to tell you what you get to do in your life?” The rhetorical answer is that no one should be able to. According to society and culture, you should do as you please. But we know that children are commanded in the Bible to obey their parents. Ephesians 6:1 says,

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord , for this is right .”

Even as adults, we answer to a higher authority than ourselves. Yes, we are to obey the laws of the land, but even more than that, we should obey God and do His will. From a biblical standpoint, someone does get to tell us what to do, even as adults. As Christians, we believe in following in Jesus’ footsteps and doing the Lord’s will as He did. Jesus’ prayed for His Father’s will do be done. Jesus said in John 6:38,

“For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.”

He also taught His disciples to pray ,

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come . Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” — Matthew 6:9-10 ( more information )

We need to pray for God’s will and do what pleases Him because He is Holy , He is the Creator and Savior , and He is worthy of our obedience. We can also trust that He knows what’s best for us and has a better plan for our lives than we have for ourselves. Jeremiah 29:11 states,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Spiritual Aspects

A character mentions praying to fire . The family seeks to protect the blue flame that they pray to. Two characters are shown bowing down to each other to show respect and reverence. In another scene, a character mentions that it will take “an act of God” to be able to do something. Ember’s mother mentions something about doing a “reading” on her daughter and Wade, suggesting that she has some sort of fortune-telling abilities . Ember’s mother “reads” the smoke that emanates from wooden sticks lit by couples, and this is a sort of fortune telling process to see if their love will last. She tells Ember that she can “smell love” on her daughter.

Sexual Innuendos

In one scene, the two main characters go on a hot air balloon ride of sorts. As they float up in the night sky, two other characters, who are land people (apple trees) can be seen picking apples off of each other through an open window. When they are spotted, they laugh and giggle and say that nothing is going on “just a little pruning”. Later, this phrase is referred back to in order to ask if there will “be any pruning” allowed on a date. This will likely go over kids’ heads, but also didn’t need to be included.

At one point, Ember misunderstands a comment made to her. She is told, “You’re so hot,” and clearly thinks it is meant to speak of her attractiveness, rather than the fact that she’s literally made of fire. A follow-up comment of “You’re smokin” is made afterwards. Again, these grown-up “jokes” will likely go over many kids’ heads, but are nevertheless something to be mindful of. The two main characters do hold hands and dance together as a test to see whether anything negative will happen, because of the warning that was continually touted, “Fire and Water don’t mix.” The two are seen kissing towards the end of the film.

Wade has a younger sibling, Lake, who is briefly introduced to Ember amongst many other family members. Lake goes by “they/them” pronouns, but the introduction is so subtle that adult viewers may not even notice, much less children. I didn’t even notice it myself, but read about it in an article after viewing the film. This is the first time a “non-binary” character has been introduced in a Disney/Pixar film.

Gay characters sit side-by-side as they are introduced to Ember, but once again, it is very subtle and the characters are composed of water, so it’s not very apparent what their gender is supposed to be. It’s so subtle that adults may not even realize what the scene is portraying, so children will likely not notice either. I also read about it online and did not catch it during the actual scene in the film, because of how large Wade’s family is and the fact that the gay characters don’t speak any lines of dialog or take up more than a couple of minutes (or less) of screen time. That particular scene is more focused on Ember and her burgeoning talents and abilities, and not so much on the orientation of any family members who are present. In fact, more attention seemed to be placed on Wade’s nephews, Marco and Polo, who were swimming around happily, and were also very creatively named.

Other Considerations

Ember’s mother and father are immigrants, and outcasts in a society where the fire people don’t fit in with everyone else and aren’t received as well as the other elements (air, water, and land) seem to be. In a flashback, we learn the reason why Ember’s father has so much hatred towards the water people. Themes of prejudice, anger towards other people groups, and assimilation into culture are explored. Being prejudiced against others is portrayed as a negative thing.

There are a couple of scenes where characters are in peril for a brief period of time, but it is not portrayed in a very frightening manner. In that sense, the movie is suitable for kids, as the action scenes are very mild.

I took my four young children to see “Elemental.” We all greatly enjoyed the film. While it wasn’t as visually stunning as the classic movies Disney/Pixar has brought us in the past, such as “ Toy Story ,” “ Finding Nemo ,” and “ Cars ,” “Elemental” had a good storyline, intriguing characters, some meaningful life lessons, and a fun, upbeat song that had us dancing in our seats in the movie theater. It had a few tearjerker moments and was more of a heartwarming film than a laugh-out-loud comedy, although there were a couple of funny parts. It would have been nice to see more scenes with the other elements in this imaginary world, such as air and land. Although they are briefly touched upon, the main focus is on the two elements of fire and water.

Parents will need to be aware that this movie has a romantic aspect to it, and is rated PG, so guidance will be needed. Children may need certain phrases or scenes discussed or explained to them later, and it may open up dialog about certain themes such as why lying and deception are wrong , why one must learn to control one’s anger , racism/prejudice , etc. Older or very astute children may notice the references to identifying oneself as gay, non-binary, etc., so parents will need to be cautious. Parents may also need to explain that any sort of fortune-telling is wrong, and that as Christians we only pray to God, not flames or any other substance that is merely part of the creation, and not the Creator Himself. Overall, I would recommend “Elemental” as a movie that parents can watch with their children, with the awareness that it may bring up some points for discussion and instruction.

Wokeism: Mild
Violence: Minor
Profane language: Minor—also “dang” and one “ holy dewdrop.”
Vulgar/Crude language: Minor—also “What the …?”
Drugs/Alcohol: Minor
Occult: Minor
Nudity: None

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers .

Non-viewer comments

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.

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Movie Review: Elemental

Pixar’s latest tells the colorful story of two very different characters—one fire, one water—who fall in love but struggle to navigate their obvious differences. Redemptive themes mingle with some hot-button cultural concerns that parents will want to consider carefully.

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Imagine all the people living in peace

Fire, Water, Earth, and Air live together in harmony. We hear messages of opposites attracting. But we are to marry someone with a similar background! We hear conflicting messages all the time about who we should marry, and what type of relationships work best. In this Pixar Elemental Christian Movie Review & Parent Guide, we explore these topics and give you the information you need to make informed viewing decisions with your children.

Imagine Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner meets Zootopia, and you have Element City. However, there may be content that concerns you as a parent, and I will detail that for you. You went searching for Elemental Christian Reviews, and you will find the information you need below.

Disney Pixar Elemental Social Media Post

Pixar Elemental Christian Review

Synopsis from studio:.

Set in Element City, where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together, Elemental introduces Ember, a tough, quick-witted and fiery young woman, whose friendship with a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in.

My Synopsis:

Sometimes, we have our lives all planned out for ourselves, and then things happen to thwart those plans. We meet someone, stumble onto a different path, or shock ourselves with the things that light us up.

Ember Lumen is a 20-something, first-generation fire woman. Her immigrant parents came to Element City before she was born, but they have held onto the blue flame that they brought with them and the other traditions handed down.

Ember is all set to take over her father’s convenience store until she meets Wade Ripple. That meeting sets a path in motion that Ember couldn’t ever imagine. Will Ember take over the family business, or will love change the course of her life?

Ember, a fire women, and Wade a water man standing with plants in front of them.

Pixar Elemental Review: What Parents Want to Know

In this parent’s guide, I give you the information you need before making viewing decisions with your children. Be aware that this is a romance, and this makes Elemental Pixar’s first rom-com. Therefore, most of the content surrounds the budding relationship between Fire and Water.

While there is no foul language, there are some sayings and phrases to be aware of – you know what they are implying with the phrases.

Lazy ash is said, as well as “fluffin leak.”

Dang is uttered.

There is minimal violence. Ember loses her temper often and explodes causing havoc. There are several scenes where things explode or break. There is a flood that destroys everything in its path.

The phrase act of god is said twice.

There is a smoke-reading matchmaker. The ritual that is done will tell the couple if the person they are with is their true love. The matchmaker says she can “smell true love.”

A reference is made about praying to the blue flame. The blue flame was brought to Elemental City from their homeland by Ember’s parents. The blue flame is protected at all costs.

Sexual Content:

Some sexual innuendos or phrases were cringy.

There is a scene where two apple trees were picking apples off each other. The one tree says, “Nothing weird here. Just a little pruning.” But the scene was intended to be weird.

One character says, “I just didn’t know she would be so smoky.” Another says, “You’re so hot,” and “You’re smoking.”

When Ember is leaving, her dad says, “We will have more time for hanky panky.”

The main couple has a “steamy” scene where they touch. The implications as fire woman touches water guy, making it boil, giving off sexual energy. My older son just said it felt creepy.

During the end credits, there are clips of couples at a ball game with a Kiss Cam. They kiss, and the phrase Too Hot flashes.

LGBTQ+ content: There is an extremely brief encounter over family dinner with a lesbian couple – one character introduces his sister and her girlfriend. While it appears they are a same-sex couple, the person who plays the sister has said she is non-binary.

Positive Elements:

Ember wants to respect and honor her parents. She wants their approval, and this is why she lies to them.

Ember and Wade work several times to try to save Bernie’s shop.

Overall, the graphics and imagery are beautiful. The way water and fire move throughout the movie is spectacular. Additionally, the background scenes in Element City are very pretty, with great colors.

Disney Pixar Elemental Christian Movie Review Ember and Wade - Fire and Water

Teachable Moments & Homeschool-Worthy Content:

The blessing: In this movie, Bernie’s dad refused to give his blessing. In the Jewish or Christian faith, a father giving a blessing to a child is a big deal. To have your father speak God’s word over you acknowledges the gift of the blessing. Praying and speaking life over your children is fantastic for you and them.

The Ancient Greeks believed there were four elements . These Elements of Matter were Earth, Water, Air & Fire.

Later, Aristotle added a fifth element, aether.

Talk about how we now know the states of matter, solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.

Start to go over the different elements in the periodic table. Talk to your children about how “science” has expanded and changed to fit what we learn, but how the Bible is unchanging.

Discuss the fire elements people and water elements people. What is anthropomorphism? According to Wikipedia, anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Why do movies use inanimate objects as human characters? What other movies have main characters that have human qualities? Examples: the toys in Toy Story, the sea life in Finding Nemo, or the dinosaurs in The Good Dinosaur.

For older children, compare the star-crossed lovers in Romeo and Juliet with Ember and Wade. How are these characters similar and how are they different?

Finally, talk about racial issues with your children at home. Why is there a racial divide , and why is it worse in some areas?

Pixar Elemental Movie Christian Review: Viewing Recommendations

While many are calling this movie a rom-com, it is not a comedy in any sense of the word. I don’t remember laughing at anything. In fact, I kept waiting for something funny to be said, and toward the end thought, “Who called this a comedy?” However, it definitely has moments of romance and is a love story.

Others have talked about the puns and sight gags, but I really didn’t see the humor in it.

Furthermore, on a scale of Finding Dory to Turning Red (both rated PG), Elemental sits right in the center as far as objectionable content and scariness factor.

The visuals are great, and this Pixar film really made the elements of fire and water come to life. However, overall the storyline is just so-so. I don’t see this movie being a blockbuster, but children will like it. My viewing recommendations are for ages six and up.

About the Movie:

Rating: PG Thematic Elements/Some Peril/Brief Language

Runtime: 1 hour, 43 minutes

Release Date: June 16, 2023

Genre: Kids & Family/Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy, Animation

Director: Peter Sohn

Producer: Denise Ream

Writer John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, Brenda Hsueh

Soundtrack: Thomas Newman (cousin of Randy Newman)

Cast of Pixar Elemental:

Ember Lumen voiced by Leah Lewis

Wade Rippled voiced by Mamoudou Athie

Clod voiced by Mason Wertheimer

Gale Cumulus voiced by Wendi McLendon-Covey

Brook Ripple voiced by Catherine O’Hara

Alan Ripple voiced by Matthew Yang King

Cinder Lumen voiced by Shila Ommi

Fern Grouchwood voiced by Joe Pera

Bernie Lumen voiced by Ronnie del Carmen

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is there an end-credit scene or a mid-credit scene in pixar elemental.

While there is not an end-credit scene or mid-credit scene, there are images that are mixed in with the credits. Additionally, at the end of the credits, there are “in memory of” and photos of the director’s parents.

Is There a Non-Binary Character in Elemental?

When we watched the movie, our family was certain Wade said, “This is my sister and her girlfriend.” However, according to the actress who plays the sister, this is the non-binary character. Also, people are reporting that books introduce this character as non-binary.

When Can I Watch Elemental at home?

Elemental is available for digital download starting on August 15, 2023. Furthermore, the date for Blu-Ray and DVD is September 26, 2023.

Is Pixar Elemental streaming on Netflix, Disney+ or other streaming platforms?

Pixar Elemental was released into movie theaters on June 16, 2023. It was announced that it would begin streaming on September 13, 2023, on Disney Plus.

When will Pixar Elemental be streaming?

Disney Pixar Elemental will begin streaming September 13, 2023. This is 89 days after the theatrical release. It will be released to Disney+. Additionally, expect it to stream with additional fees on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and YouTube.

What is the overall message of this movie?

The message of Pixar Elemental involves racism and immigrants. The director, Peter Sohn, said the storyline is based on his relationship with his wife. He is Korean, and she is Italian-American. He kept the relationship from his parents because they expected him to marry a Korean woman.

Is there a short before Pixar Elemental?

Yes, the short is entitled Carl’s Date. It is based on Carl Fredrickson (Ed Asner) from Pixar Up and involves getting ready for a date.

Ed Asner passed away in 2021.

When was the last short before a Pixar movie?

The last short was shown before The Incredibles 2 in 2018 and it was entitled Bao. Bao is based on a boy and a dumpling.

The last short before a Pixar movie was before Onward in 2020, but it was not a Pixar short. It was based on the Simpsons and was entitled Playdate with Destiny.

Is Disney Pixar Elemental rated PG-13?

No. Elemental’s rating from the Motion Picture Association rating is PG.

How old is Ember in Elemental?

In the movie, they say Ember is twenty-something. However, she is said to be 22 in Elemental fandom. Furthermore, the actress that plays Ember is 26.

Are Wade and Ember dating?

Ember and Wade begin dating at the end of Elemental and are an official couple.

Who is Ember’s boyfriend in the movie Elemental?

Wade, who is a water element, is Ember’s boyfriend.

What is Wade Ripple’s job?

Wade is a city inspector. He enters the Fireplace shop through broken water pipes in the store’s basement, and then he reports the violations in the fireplace shop. Ember tries to get to City Hall to stop Wade from turning in the tickets, and they two end up teaming up together to try to save Ember’s family business.

What have critics and audiences thought of Pixar Elemental?

First, this movie received a lukewarm reception at its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May of 2023.

Next, it currently has a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 74% which is not bad, but it isn’t the score Pixar was hoping it would received. However, the audience score is 93%, but it does appear to have a low number of ratings from the audience. In fact, only Cars 2 and Cars 3 have a lower critic RT score. (Is this because people have given up on the Disney /Pixar animated film?)

Finally, the IMDb score is a 7.0.

Have you watched this romantic comedy yet? What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.

Disney Pixar Elemental Christian Movie Review. Movie release poster

Reviewing movies for parents from a Christian perspective since 2005. Know Before You Go!

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Schooling with disney’s pinocchio movie plus review, 13 thoughts on “pixar elemental christian movie review”.

I think I noticed a satanic star when the Mother was making the smoke reading ritual

While I did not notice it, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t there.

Thank you for the review! My son was invited by friends to go see it without me & I knew to check here first. We’ll watch it as a family instead, when it streams.

My last favorite Pixar movie was Coco. I feel like it’s been downhill since.

I think its impossible for evil to make a Christian movie! There are so many good and Christian movies out there and true stories that lift up character..why do we feel the need for the gray area especially for our children!!

I do think it is important to know about the culture that we are living in. There are also people who read my reviews who may not be Christian but want to know the content before taking their children.

I guess this is how the enemy slowly makes us lower our guard to accept worldly ideas. They now sneak things into children’s movies. There is no positive message in this film at all if it contains “hidden” sex, or immorality. I did not watch the whole movie, but I don’t think it’s a children’s movie at all. To bad parents are still tricked that just because it is Disney, it has to be good. Good is not the same as correct.

Did you pick up on the non-binary Lake character? Was it obvious? Or did Disney just sneak it in so they could say they did it? Thanks!

I did not pick up on that. I also had someone mention to me that there were a couple of bushes that they thought were same-sex couple, but the scene was brief. It was not in any production notes, but that is how Disney/Pixar has opted to do things. They allow the community to divulge content instead of it being released by the studio.

That’s what I read-that Disney didn’t announce it but the voice actor announced how proud she was to have been the first non-binary character. I wondered then if it was obvious within the film. I’m just so sad at what Disney has become. Thank you for all your reviews and insights.

The conservative social channels are really emphasizing the non-binary subject. That’s why I paused to read her review before allowing my son to see it without me.

I used to let Disney Jr play for background noise at home. He picked up on two moms in “Fire Buds” and recognizes LGBTQ content more than I realized.

Sadly, we no longer let Disney Jr play. I record only the shows I approve now 😩

I am reading Simon Sinek’s book, Start with Why written in the 90s. In it he states that you can let your children watch Disney because they are known for family values. Sadly that is not the case anymore and it breaks my heart.

Thank you for your reviews! I really wanted to take my daughter because she was excited about it , but after your review I think I should watch it first on DVD. It is really frustrating how they always stick adult humor in kids movies- no need! And always slipping in the LGBT propaganda.

How old is your daughter? I know that much of the comments will go over the heads of little ones. However, I did feel it was over the top.

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DVD & Streaming
Action/Adventure , Animation , Comedy

Content Caution

In Theaters

June 15, 2023
Leah Lewis as Ember Lumen; Mamoudou Athie as Wade Ripple; Ronnie Del Carmen as Bernie Lumen; Shila Ommi as Cinder Lumen; Wendi McLendon-Covey as Gale; Catherine O’Hara as Brook Ripple; Mason Wertheimer as Clod; Joe Pera as Fern; Matthew Yang King as Alan Ripple; Innocent Ekakitie as Marco and Polo Ripple

Home Release Date

August 15, 2023

Distributor

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; Disney+

Movie Review

Element City: Families come here to build new lives, raise their children, fulfill their wildest dreams. It’s the one place where every element peacefully coexists in harmony.

Except fire, that is. And Ember Lumen is sick of it.

Ember’s parents were the first Fire people to migrate to Element City. Since then, they’ve helped establish an entire community, providing food, toys and wisdom through their shop, the Fireplace.

Bernie, Ember’s dad, wants to retire and give the shop to Ember. But he won’t do it until she can control her purple-hot temper.

Only, that’s really hard when there’s so much to be upset about. Element City wasn’t designed with Fire people in mind. So Ember can’t even leave Firetown without accidentally burning the leaves off Earth people or boiling Water people to the point of evaporation. And even in her own neighborhood, she has to carry around an umbrella to protect her from water spilling over from Element City’s transportation canals.

Still, Ember’s determined to prove she can keep her cool and run the shop.

But when Wade Ripple, a Water person who works for the city’s building code office, accidentally bursts through the Fireplace’s pipes, elements clash.

Wade immediately cites the Fireplace for a number of code violations—not that he wants to, mind you, it’s just his job. But after seeing Ember’s fiery passion, he agrees to help her save the Fireplace from being shut down by the city.

Pretty soon, Wade shows Ember all that Element City has to offer. And she realizes that despite prejudices held by even her own parents, there just might be a way for elements to mix.

Positive Elements

Ember is incredibly loyal to her family and her community. She’s grateful to her parents for leaving their home in order to build a better life for her in the city. And she considers it an honor to sacrifice her own desires for the needs of her family.

Unfortunately, this loyalty makes Ember feel guilty when she begins to fall for Wade. She’s been told her entire life that “elements don’t mix.” And she worries that if she pursues a future with Wade (or a future outside her family’s shop), it’ll break her father’s heart.

However, as the film progresses, Wade helps Ember to embrace the idea that she should be honest with her parents instead of suffering in silence. Ember’s parents came to Element City for her , not for the shop. And while they would love for her to stay with them and run the shop, what they really want is for Ember to be happy.

Wade and his family just might be the most sympathetic people ever. They constantly shed tears of sorrow and joy for the misfortunes and jubilations of others. They’re also incredibly kind, constantly helping others. (Wade uses his empathic abilities to rally an entire stadium of angry sports fans into cheering for a slumping player whose mother is sick.)

That said, Wade still struggles to understand why Ember feels guilty pursuing her own dreams. But when the time comes, Wade chooses to make a sacrifice of his own, proving that he does understand the value of what Ember’s parents have done for her.

At several critical points in the story, we see characters risk their lives to help others.

Apart from individual characters’ redemptive moments, the story clearly hopes to be a catalyst for a deeper examination of the intertwined subjects of racism and immigration. We see classic immigration tropes, such as an official at an Ellis Island-like receiving station who is unable to spell Bernie and Cinder’s real names, and who then unilaterally changes them. We also see Bernie and Cinder struggle to find housing, with folks slamming doors in their faces without even speaking to them.

Throughout the early part of the film, especially, we see how racial prejudice is at work against the Fire people. For instance, someone assumes Ember grew up speaking the Fire language and inadvertently insults her when he says how well she speaks the common tongue (not realizing she grew up speaking it just like him).

Those aren’t positive things, obviously. The racism that Ember and her family experience is a hard thing for them. But the film itself obviously strives to spotlight how poorly immigrants are sometimes treated and the prejudice they must overcome, which is a redemptive theme.

Spiritual Elements

Ember’s family protects a mystical Blue Flame that Bernie brought with them from Fireland, where he was born. He tells Ember that it holds “all their traditions” and helps them to “burn bright.” And their family often prays to it.

Cinder, Ember’s mom, acts as a sort of fortune teller for romance. She makes couples light wooden sticks and then “reads” the smoke to find out if they’re destined to be. She also appears to be able to smell love on a person.

Ember mentions an “act of God.”

Sexual Content

Wade’s sister (who is reported to identify as nonbinary) is gay and sits next to her girlfriend at a family dinner. There appear to be other same-sex couples in some scenes who dance and kiss, but it’s difficult to say for certain since these aren’t human characters and because their screen time is typically very brief.

Two Earth people (who look like apple trees) pick each other’s fruit. When someone spots them through an open window, they get embarrassed and say they’re just “pruning.” Later, a couple jokes about whether there will be any “pruning” on their date. A married couple talks about “hanky panky.”

Several couples smooch. Ember is irritated when a guy calls her “hot,” not realizing he meant her temperature, not her appearance.

As mentioned, Ember and Wade gradually kindle an unlikely romance and learn to navigate their “elemental” differences.

Violent Content

Several Water people are accidentally boiled by the heat of a Fire person. One Water guy actually evaporates (though he’s later able to recondense, reviving him). A few Earth people have their leaves burned off by fire, as well. Two Water boys try to make a Fire girl fall into water, asking if she’ll die if she does. (Though it doesn’t appear the boys would have succeeded, their father stops them and embarrassedly apologizes.)

Many Fire people are injured when water hits their various limbs. (Though a few chomps of a fire stick restore their flames.) The entire Fire community flees a flash flood, though it appears none are permanently harmed.

A storm causes significant damage to an island community. An elderly Fire woman passes away in a poof of smoke. People talk about a butterfly getting crushed by a windshield wiper. Ember causes substantial property damage in a few scenes when she literally explodes after losing her temper.

An Earth boy who grows flowers from his armpits often picks these blooms (to his own pain) to gift to girls. A boy hits his uncle with a bat. A man’s hand is accidentally slammed in a door.

Crude or Profane Language

None, but the words “ash” and “fluffing” are substituted for profanities in two scenes. Someone utters the incomplete phrase, “What the—?” We also hear a few uses of “dang” and one “holy dewdrop.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

None, but clips in the credits show Ember’s mom with a cocktail.

Other Negative Elements

As noted above, racism in the context of immigration is a big theme here, and we definitely see various characters treated poorly because of their race. Sometimes, they hurl element-based insults at each other.

And those prejudices go both directions, too. Bernie, for example, makes it very clear how much he hates Water people, even going as far as saying they all look alike (yet another racist trope). And when Ember’s grandmother dies, she makes Ember promise to marry a Fire person.

Some Water kids purposely ruin objects for sale in the Fireplace. A Fire customer repeatedly tries to exploit a “Buy one, get one free” sale. Ember loses her temper with multiple customers at the Fireplace. Characters lie. Sports fans insult players and the referee when a game doesn’t go their way. (And the team involved is called the Windbreakers, with their team slogan being “Toot, toot!”) A woman repeatedly tries to sneak past a security guard.

We hear that Bernie’s dad didn’t give Bernie his blessing when Bernie and Cinder went to Element City to build a new life. Wade says he clashed with his dad and never got the chance to make things right before his dad died.

Pixar has long been touted as a company that makes children’s films. However, recent years have shown a drift towards more grown-up themes and storylines. Elemental flows in that stream.

Ember is a Fire girl who always thought she’d grow up to run her family’s shop in Firetown. But after she meets Wade, she realizes she has other dreams and ambitions.

The couple has more than just familial expectations to overcome. “Elements don’t mix,” they’re told. And as a Water guy, Wade represents everything that Ember’s dad hates about Element City’s prejudice against Fire people.

But through empathy, determination, perseverance and love, the couple finds a way not only to save Ember’s family’s store, but to build a new Element City—one that nurtures healthy elemental relations and fosters a thriving community.

Those are terrific, redemptive messages that potentially give families a lot to discuss.

But as we’ve seen so regularly from Disney and Pixar the last few years, families also have visual and verbal references to same-sex couples to contend with as well. And while there’s no crude language, we do hear a couple of substitutions for harsher profanities and some innuendo as well.

These elements, plus the film’s romcom plot, might make Elemental too mature for younger viewers. But the themes we see here are still in line with what Pixar’s been doing for a while now, both in positive ways and in ways that may give some families pause.

Emily Tsiao

Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.

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At its best, Pixar is unbeatable, making clever, charming, and brightly original films to touch the heart and spark the imagination. And so it’s been dispiriting to see the animation studio behind such emotive triumphs as “ Toy Story ,” “ Ratatouille ,” “ Up ,” and “ Inside Out ”—among the best films of their respective years, bar none—recently fall short of its past standard of excellence.

It’s not just that modern-day Pixar has focused on reprising its greatest hits with a parade of sequels (“ Toy Story 4 ,” “ Incredibles 2 ,” “ Lightyear ”), or that the studio’s slate of recent originals (“ Soul ,” “ Luca ,” “ Turning Red ”) have all, oddly enough, centered on characters transforming into animals (a revealing trope for its prevalence in films about feeling different, whose initially diverse protagonists invariably spend most of the runtime covered in fur or scales). Also absent lately at Pixar, a subsidiary of Disney since 2006, is the mastery of execution that had distinguished the studio, a brilliance for establishing high-concept premises and effortlessly navigating their particulars.

“Elemental,” Disney and Pixar’s latest, feels emblematic of the studio’s struggle to recapture its original magic, making a mess of its world-building in service of a conventional story that fails the talent of the animators involved. Set in a world where natural elements—earth, fire, water, air—coexist in a New York-style metropolis, each representing different social classes, the film—directed by Peter Sohn , from a screenplay by John Hoberh, Kat Likkel , and Brenda Hsueh —aims high with that central metaphor but is set immediately off-balance by its unwieldiness as racial allegory, an issue compounded by haphazard pacing and writing so flatly predictable it suggests a Pixar film authored by an AI algorithm. At times bordering on the nonsensical, the film feels under-developed rather than universal, a colorful missed opportunity.

Presented as the closing-night selection of the 76th Cannes Film Festival, ahead of its stateside release in mid-June, “Elemental” envisions a densely populated urban sprawl similar to that of Disney’s anthrozoomorphic “ Zootopia ,” in which ideas of racial discrimination were uneasily reduced to “predator and prey” dynamics to allow for a story that focused more on dismantling personal prejudices than systemic racism. In Element City, a similarly ill-advised simplification is at work (though Sohn has explained that his Korean heritage and desire to make a film about assimilation fueled some of the creative decisions), and there’s even a similar eyebrow to raise with regard to the legitimate danger that these contrasting elements, like foxes to rabbits, pose to one another.

In “Elemental,” socially privileged water people flow back and forth through slickly designed high-rises and have no issue splashing down the city’s grand canals and monorails, which were designed for their gelatinous-blob bods, whereas fire folk are sequestered to Firetown, where their tight-knit community reflects East Asian, Middle Eastern, and European traditions—and accents run the gamut from Italian to Jamaican, Iranian, and West Indian, in a way that uncomfortably positions fire as representative as all immigrants and water as representative of the white upper-class. Earth and air, meanwhile, barely register; we see earth people who sprout daisies from their dirt-brown armpits, and cotton candy-esque cloud puffs playing “airball” in Cyclone Stadium, but the film is surprisingly non-committal in imagining the chemistry of inner-city elements interacting. Background sight gags abound, such as the “hot logs” that fire folk chow down on, but the actual ins and outs of Element City are explored only superficially, such as the revelation that all these elements take advantage of the same public transit. Replete with computer-generated inhabitants and generic modernist structures, its milieu feels more like concept art, to be further detailed at some point in the animation process, than a fully thought-through, lived-in environment.

“Elemental” centers on hot-tempered Ember Lumen ( Leah Lewis , of “ The Half of It ”), a second-generation immigrant who works as an assistant in her father’s bodega shop. Fire people who emigrated from Fireland, from whence they brought spicy food and rigid cultural traditions of honor and lineage, Ember and her father Útrí dár ì Bùrdì ( Ronnie del Carmen )—though he and his wife Fâsh ì Síddèr ( Shila Ommi ) had their names Anglicized to Bernie and Cinder at the “Elemental” equivalent of Ellis Island—have a close relationship as he readies her to take over the family business. Ember, though, is questioning whether or not she truly wants to inherit the store, as her beloved “ashfa” says he expects, or whether her gifts—such as the ability to heat a hot-air balloon and mold glass with her hands—might lead her in another direction.

Unable to control her emotions, which can take her from red-hot into a more ominous purple shade, Ember one day ruptures a pipe in her father’s shop, at which point city inspector Wade ( Mamoudou Athie ) gushes in. Wade’s been investigating the city’s dilapidated canal system, searching for the source of a leak that keeps flooding Ember’s basement but imperils all of Firetown. Determined to keep her father’s business from going under, Ember pursues and then quickly joins forces with Wade. As romance sparks between the two, they make for a particularly odd couple given one of the film’s less-than-convincing rules: that “elements don’t mix,” for reasons both practical and parochial, in Element City. Ember might extinguish Wade, while he could douse her flame, but their inevitably steamy romance is moreso forbidden because her father would never approve, setting up “Elemental” as an interracial love story, the kind Pixar hasn’t yet told with human characters.

From there, the film works like a checklist of Pixar storytelling clichés, its two opposites at first getting on one another’s last nerve but gradually forming a close bond, before separating over what amounts to a basic misunderstanding, which is resolved in climactic fashion as the two rescue one another from a looming threat and rekindle their love. Still, as the plot’s frantically paced chain reaction of events keeps Ember and Wade together, their relationship becomes the film’s slight but endearing center, a welcome respite from the mixed metaphors and misshapen conceptual mechanics that often threaten to break the story’s inner reality. (Why, for example, is what will happen if Ember and Wade touch such a mystery to them both, in a city whose ceramic and terracotta glass structures point to other elements interacting?)

Lewis voices Ember with a playful warmth that nicely complements the bubbling affability that Athie brings to Wade, while the animation of both their bodies—hers flickering then suddenly ablaze with emotion, heat wafting upward; his fluid and transparent, prone to collapsing into a puddle on the ground—is always exciting to look at, emphasizing malleability and dabbling in abstraction.

But even the film’s promising use of color, form, and movement feels hemmed in by the unimaginative storytelling. Only a few standout sequences—a visit to an underwater garden of Vivisteria flowers, a detour into hand-drawn animation that tells a love story in minimal, swirling lines—separate “Elemental” from any other Pixar film in which the characters are phosphorescent little blobs traveling through realistically animated cityscapes, and as rapidly as the film progresses it never goes anywhere unexpected.

There’s similarly nothing in “Elemental” to recall the wondrous aesthetic imagination of modern Pixar classics like “ Finding Nemo ” and “ Wall-E ,” with the exception of a rich score by composer Thomas Newman that takes its cues from a potpourri of global musical traditions and presents a more fully formed vision of cross-cultural exchange than the film’s muddled depiction of immigrant communities. Perhaps fittingly for a film that would have more accurately been titled “When Fire Met Water…,” “Elemental” is combustible enough from minute to minute, but it evaporates from memory the second you leave the theater.

This review was filed from the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. "Elemental" is now playing in theaters.

Isaac Feldberg

Isaac Feldberg is an entertainment journalist currently based in Chicago, who’s been writing professionally for nine years and hopes to stay at it for a few more.

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Film Credits

Elemental (2023)

Rated PG for some peril, thematic elements and brief language.

102 minutes

Leah Lewis as Ember Lumen (voice)

Mamoudou Athie as Wade Ripple (voice)

Ronnie del Carmen as Bernie Lumen (voice)

Shila Ommi as Cinder Lumen (voice)

Wendi McLendon-Covey as Gale (voice)

Catherine O'Hara as Brook Ripple (voice)

Mason Wertheimer as Clod (voice)

Ronobir Lahiri as Harold (voice)

Wilma Bonet as Flarrietta (voice)

Joe Pera as Fern (voice)

Matthew Yang King as Alan / Lutz / Earth Pruner (voice)

Clara Lin Ding as Little Kid Ember (voice)

Reagan To as Big Kid Ember (voice)

Writer (story)

John Hoberg
Brenda Hsueh

Cinematographer

David Juan Bianchi
Jean-Claude Kalache
Stephen Schaffer
Thomas Newman

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Elemental Movie Poster: Ember and Wade look at each other, against a black background

Parents say (53)
Kids say (48)

Based on 53 parent reviews

Fun film that's not really for sub 13 y/os

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing

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Not for tweens or younger.

Educational value

Good messaging for the most part, poor language

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Saw this as a date.

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Rather odd but interesting.

Amazing pixar animation.

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Catholic Review

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Movie Review: ‘Elemental’

NEW YORK (OSV News) – Thanks to its rich blend of ethnicities, the United States has long been referred to as a melting pot. In the animated romantic comedy “Elemental” (Disney), director Peter Sohn substitutes for that metaphor a fable featuring embodiments of the four elements, using the dynamics of their imaginary world to explore the immigrant experience.

The film’s primary setting, Element City, is the New York of this milieu. Although ostensibly a meeting place for all, the metropolis is nonetheless divided into distinct neighborhoods in one of which, Firetown, dwells Ember Lumen (voice of Leah Lewis).

The 20-something daughter of migrants from far-off Fireland, Ember is not one to suffer fools gladly or indulge the sometimes annoying customers of her parents’ corner shop. In fact, Ember has a literally explosive temper that constantly gets her into trouble.

As a result, her loving dad Bernie (voice of Ronnie del Carmen) — who sees Ember as his heir — keeps delaying the day when he’ll retire and turn the operation over to her. But Bernie is ailing and Ember knows that continuing to work is not his best option.

Ember’s difficulties only increase when she falls for water youth Wade Ripple (voice of Mamoudou Athie). He’s not only an outsider to her world but a government inspector whose negative report on the family store could shut the establishment down — thus ruining Bernie’s dream of success.

Add to this personal dilemma a leak in the city’s plumbing system that threatens to flood Firetown and things reach a crisis point. As Ember and Wade try to establish a relationship while scrambling to avert disaster, John Hoberg, Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh’s script explores familiar Hollywood themes of tolerance and individual self-fulfillment.

With gender issues currently to the fore, it’s perhaps no accident that Ember is a thoroughly forceful character while Wade is pliant and anxious to please. In fact, their story is initially unengaging due to the fact that this is taken to extremes so that she registers as petulant while he – although rich in empathy for others – projects a lachrymose, wimpy demeanor.

As the movie progresses, it develops that all H2O types are much given to weeping and this becomes a running joke. The recurring gag is part of the overall spot-on humor that eventually rescues the proceedings and enhances viewer interest in this kindly intended, mostly family friendly production.

While the screenplay steers clear of anything really off-color, however, it does include material that could be confusing for impressionable youngsters. Thus Bernie and his clan maintain a sacred blue flame in a large brazier in their home and go to great lengths to prevent it from ever being extinguished.

We’re shown that Bernie transported the fire in a lantern while journeying to his new homeland. So teens and their elders may see it as a symbol of the need to preserve one’s cultural heritage rather than as anything specifically religious.

Still, it’s a motif requiring a certain level of maturity. Together with a few other moments that might jar on the nerves of those accompanied by small fry, it indicates that “Elemental” is appropriate for a wide but not universal audience.

The film contains nonscriptural beliefs and practices, characters in peril, fleeting mature word play and a very vague sexual reference. The OSV News classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

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Watch Elemental with a subscription on Disney+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

Elemental may not satisfy as fully as the greatest Pixar pictures, but it remains a solid story told with dazzling visual flair.

With a heartwarming message and stunning animation, Elemental proves Pixar hasn't lost its touch.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Ember Lumen

Mamoudou Athie

Wade Ripple

Ronnie del Carmen

Bernie Lumen

Cinder Lumen

Wendi McLendon-Covey

Movie Clips

‘Elemental’: How Director Peter Sohn’s Experience on ‘The Good Dinosaur’ Informed His New Pixar Film

The long-awaited movie will premiere at Cannes later this month and open in June

“Elemental,” the new Pixar feature where the elements (earth, air, water and fire) are andromorphic characters living in a vast, technologically advanced city, is nearly here. It’ll premiere at the Cannes Film Festival later this month and you can buy your tickets now for the stateside debut on June 16. And for director Peter Sohn, it serves as the culmination of seven – yes, seven – years of hard work on his sophomore film and the culmination of a journey that began at the end of his first feature, “The Good Dinosaur.”

TheWrap spoke with Sohn and producer Denise Ream at Pixar Animation Studios about the unlikely origins of the film and why it took so long.

“So much of the time was figuring out the pipeline,” Sohn explained. “Because none of this had been done before. We were pulling people together for these experimental runs. There was a lot of happened in seven years for us.”

The lengthy production was actually something he knew he needed, from experience.

Sohn recalled making his short film “Partly Cloudy,” which was released in 2009 and attached theatrically to Pete Docter’s “Up.” At the time, making a character out of clouds was super difficult; the technical team asked if he wanted to push back the project a couple of years so they could noodle with the technology. Sohn refused. “But the film, in terms of the look, you can see the places where it suffers that choice,” Sohn admits now. This helped him inform his decision to push for a longer time on “Elemental.”

“I understood that moving down the deadline was going to be very helpful for us,” Sohn said.

Ream said that they maybe could have made the movie in five years, but even that would have been pushing it.

Time has never been on Sohn’s side. And “Elemental” feels like Sohn’s first true movie, especially after he was given “The Good Dinosaur” after the original director was removed and the storyline heavily reworked (for a while the movie had no director, with several filmmakers at Pixar contributing to the project). He had a truncated schedule and a movie that had to be reworked, almost from the ground up. And after that big crush the film was met with a decidedly muted response.

“I definitely remember feeling that the film wasn’t connecting, and how hard it was. I’m feeling very proud of the film that we have done in such a short amount of time,” Sohn said. “But I it did do one thing for me that was really interesting was it mirrored the journey, meaning the story making of itself, I didn’t see it at the time until after it was all done, did I see like holy cow that’s really parallel to what I went through – Arlo was thrown into this wilderness, that I was also thrown into this job that I had never done before.”

“I was really sad. I was heartbroken,” said Ream, who also produced “The Good Dinosaur.” “It represented the hard work so many people. It was really hard to do a whole movie in such a short amount of time. I felt really badly for our team and for Pixar.”

Sohn new that his next film had to be deeply personal. “I had only had heard stories, that there’s a danger that when you do something personal, you’re going to start to lock down and you won’t let it evolve,” Sohn said. “There are moments of the film where it was like that for me. I lost my dad early on in the development and I started getting really like tight about things. I didn’t know consciously what was going on. There was just processing,” Sohn said.

In fact, the beginnings of “Elemental” are actually connected to something from “The Good Dinosaur.” When “The Good Dinosaur” was opening, Sohn would talk about how he was from the Bronx. That led to an opportunity for Sohn to do a speech in the Bronx about what it was like growing up there. His parents came and got dressed up and when Sohn was standing in front of the crowd, he threw away the note cards he had (which were scribbled with notes). He says that, now, he doesn’t remember what he said but he was so moved to be there and to be able to thank his parents for all the things that he appreciated now that he didn’t appreciate as a kid.

When he got back to Pixar, after “The Good Dinosaur” underperformed and he had done this engagement, he told this story. And Pixar brass said (according to Sohn), “Pete that’s your next film. That’s the film you have to do.” Sohn said that was when the idea “began forming.” “It was from this hard experience that turned into something that has been very positive in different ways,” Sohn said.

The resulting film, which centers on an immigrant family of fire characters and their impetuous daughter Ember (Leah Lewis), who has to navigate a world that was, quite literally, not built for her, feels warm and relatable and imaginative. It’s the kind of movie that Sohn was always meant to make and one that he finally has. His father would have been very proud.

“Elemental” debuts in theaters June 16.

Peter Docter poses in the winners room at the EE British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Opera House on February 14, 2016 in London, England.

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‘Elemental’ Review: A Hothead and a Water-Boy Fall for One Another in Pixar’s Overcomplicated Rom-Com

Trying to bring the high-concept charm of 'Inside Out' to the world of incompatible natural elements, 'The Good Dinosaur' director Peter Sohn's opposites-attract movie is a bit of a misfire.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

Chief Film Critic

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I reckon there are more ideas per second of screentime in “ Elemental ” than any other Pixar movie to date. So why does this imagination-teasing opposites-attract rom-com feel like a misfire?

Reviewed at Cannes Film Festival (closer), May 25, 2023. MPA Rating: PG. Running time: 103 MIN.

Production: (Animated) A Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures release of a Pixar Animation Studios production. Producer: Denise Ream. Executive producer: Pete Docter.
Crew: Director: Peter Sohn. Screenplay: John Hobert & Kat Likkel, Brenda Hsueh; story: Peter Sohn, John Hobert & Kat Likkel, Brenda Hsueh. Camera: David Juan Bianchi, Jean-Claude Kalache. Editor: Stephen Schaffer. Music: Thomas Newman.
With: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O’Hara, Mason Wertheimer, Joe Pera.

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Review: pixar's 'elemental' is a romantic but murky mix of fire and water.

"Elemental" is the most emotional Pixar movie since "Inside Out," and the hardest to make sense of.

It's a full-on romance, set in a world where characters belong to one of four groups that pretty much stick to themselves: fire, water, earth and air. Main characters Ember (fire) and Wade (water) fall in love — "When I met you, I thought I was drowning, but that light inside you has made me so alive," is how Wade puts it. Voice actors Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie, respectively, bring huge depths of feeling to their performances as a couple whose communities — especially Ember's traditional parents — don't approve.

Pixar has sometimes been shy about love stories, but that's the part of "Elemental" that works best. That has a lot to do with director Peter Sohn's willingness to commit to the central romance, which has humor but gets into pretty dark emotional territory for both of its unmoored main characters, whose parents are not wrong when they point out the tremendous differences between them.

It also has to do with the clever character design. In the time-honored cartoon tradition of Squidward, Winnie-the-Pooh and Donald Duck, Wade wears a shirt but no pants. But, otherwise, these are very untraditional characters. It could seem like a drawback that both Ember and Wade are visually amorphous — the flames that constitute her body and the water that makes up his are in constant motion — but they're always clearly these two vivid, passionate characters.

What works less well in "Elemental" is the fuzzy central idea. The four-elements thing wants to be a metaphor for immigration, with some of the elements feeling less-than and unwelcomed by some of the others. We're certainly accustomed to storytelling that presents cross-cultural lovers from different worlds — Romeo and Juliet, Tony and Maria , Ariel and Prince Eric from the current "Little Mermaid."

But, unlike in the well-defined concept of "Inside Out" or the slightly less clear one in "Soul," the "Elemental" territories are so amorphous that we aren't sure what their rules are, especially since Ember and Wade genuinely do seem to have an issue that makes it impossible for them to be together: A well-tossed bucket of him will put her out forever and it wouldn't take much of her to make him evaporate.

Just a couple of minor but confusing dilemmas: A running joke is that the water people cry all the time, but so does Ember. What's that about? And earth and air are clearly important elements, but both are virtually ignored in "Elemental." All of this makes you feel like the movie might work better with human characters, who wouldn't always be at one or two allegorical removes from the story that's being told.

The murkiness is not a deal-breaker by any means. I was moved by Ember and Wade's romance and "Elemental" has flashes of insight into the complicated bonds between immigrant parents and first-generation children.

But I have to admit my mind kept going back to "Carl's Date," the brief "Up" sequel that plays before "Elemental" and that stands out for its simplicity and warmth. Is it wrong of me to wish I were watching a full-length version of that, instead?

'Elemental'

*** out of 4 stars

Rated : PG for animated destruction and danger.

Where : In theaters Friday.

Interim books editor Chris Hewitt previously worked at the Pioneer Press in St. Paul, where he wrote about movies and theater.

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‘Elemental’ Review: Pixar’s Latest Offers Mixed Immigrant Metaphors and a Genuine Romance

Siddhant adlakha.

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Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Disney releases the film in theaters on Friday, June 16.

Sohn’s last directorial venture, “The Good Dinosaur,” was an unfortunate victim — along with “Soul” and “Toy Story 4” — of the strange Pixar era where environmental realism was the emerging lingua franca. This left cartoonish characters feeling awkward, and visually adrift. However, this time around, “Elemental” is set in Element City, a whole cloth creation that exists outside our reality, with its enormous cloud towers and water-splashing monorails, but one that’s meant to work as a metaphor for the modern United States.

People made of water, trees, clouds, and flame — having immigrated in that order — make up the citizenry of this sprawling, storybook metropolis, but unlike the first three groups, its fire residents have not yet fully integrated or assimilated, owing to the rampant prejudice against them. Granted, this set up presents a bit of an X-Men problem (or, more vitally, a “Zootopia” problem, in which herbivores are prejudiced against carnivores) since the flame people do pose a legitimate danger, but hopefully the four-year-olds in the audience won’t mind.

From the word go, the story of “Elemental” reflects the broad strokes of the American immigrant experience, but it begins to get muddled — slowly at first, and then rather quickly — when it tries to get specific. It pulls details from various real cultures to create its fire community, “the Firish,” born from a mix of minor traditions borrowed from various East Asian, Middle Eastern, and European cultures, and accents that seem to shift between Italian, Hispanic, Iranian, and West Indian at the drop of a hat. The idea may be for immigrant and first generation kids to be able to find some sort of recognition, but the result is del Carmen and Ommi playing an uncomfortable game of ethnic hopscotch with their vocal performances, with practically every line dedicated to some malformed pun unlikely to elicit even chuckle (in Element City, hot dogs are called hot logs, because they’re made of logs).

FUTURE’S SO BRIGHT -- In Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental,” fiery young woman Ember (voice of Leah Lewis) lives with her immigrant parents in Firetown—a borough of Element City, where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together. Directed by Peter Sohn (“The Good Dinosaur,” “Party Cloudy” short) and produced by Denise Ream (“The Good Dinosaur,” “Cars 2”), Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” releases on June 16, 2023. © 2023 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Her relationship with her father is central; it’s sweet, if sometimes jagged, with the weight of expectation being as much a gift as it is a burden. In his broken English, he calls her his “good daughter,” and she lovingly refers to him as “ashfa” — the honorific for “father” in their language — but Lumen also struggles with a burning temper whose origins she fails to fully recognize, and which manifests as her red-and-yellow flame turning dangerously purple.

The plot is kicked into motion when the store gets accidentally flooded in Bernie’s absence, and Lumen is left to deal city inspector Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie), a sheltered but empathetic and sensitive (to the point of sappy) water-person who decides to help her, if it means keeping her father’s business afloat. This results in a whole lot of half-baked plot being pumped into the movie within very little time — mostly involving a quest to discover a rather mundane leak — but thankfully, its flimsiness ends up a blessing in disguise, since this subplot easily shoved aside when it comes time to let Wade and Ember interact.

Once you get past the movie’s mal-formed mechanics — water people are made of water, but they aren’t water themselves; tree people, similarly, don’t seem to mind people eating “hot logs” — and if you’re ready to take the movie at its word, when it comes to water and fire being equally dangerous to one another, then its story is not entirely untoward. Wade and Ember are reluctant to touch for this reason, but the way they frolic through the city, and soften and strengthen one another, makes for Pixar’s first genuine romance since Carl and Ellie (albeit with slightly happier results than the opening scene of “Up”).

Despite its confused and overstuffed worldbuilding, “Elemental” has enough charming moments to get by, even if its meaning lies less in its ill-conceived immigrant saga, and more in the personal drama that lives a few layers beneath it.

“Elemental” premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Disney will release it in theaters on Friday, June 16.

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Elemental Parent Guide

Stunning visual design and an appealing story come together in a magical family film..

Theaters: In a city where fire, earth, air, and water residents live, a young fire woman meets a water man and learns to step outside her comfort zone.

Release date June 16, 2023

Run Time: 109 minutes

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kirsten hawkes.

Ember Lumen (Leah Lewis) has a lifelong dream – running Fireplace, her father’s neighborhood store. That goal is threatened when she loses her temper, bursts pipes in the basement, and comes across city inspector Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie). Wade issues numerous tickets and informs Ember that the store was built against code and must be closed down.

Determined not to have her father’s life’s work destroyed, Ember chases Wade through Element City, finally persuading him to help her save the shop. As the two work together, their relationship deepens but they face a unique obstacle. Ember is a Fire – a person made of flame – and Wade is a Water – a man composed of H 2 O. Fire and water don’t mix. In fact, as everyone knows, they will destroy one another if they touch.

Where Elemental shines is in its exquisitely detailed worldbuilding. The city has inhabitants who are made of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water and the filmmakers have given them distinct physical characteristics and dwellings. Water people are weepily emotional and live in glass skyscrapers. Air dwellers are made of clouds and live with a pastel color palette. Earth residents are plants who come in many different shapes. In a humorous take, puberty is signaled by the growth of flowers in their armpits – a quirk that is repeatedly played for laughs. Fire people eat charcoal, wear metallic clothing, and live in brick, stone, and clay homes. As with other Pixar films, the detail is astounding and the artistic renderings superb. It will take more than one viewing to absorb all the minutiae the animation artists have packed into this production.

The movie doesn’t just look good; it also tells an absorbing story. This is obviously a film about diversity, but it does more than just repeat that “diversity is good” – it demonstrates that diversity is beautiful. As Ember and Wade get to know each other, they marvel at the wonders of each other’s worlds and talents. There are truly breathtaking moments in this movie when Ember makes glass, Wade creates a rainbow, or the couple take an underwater voyage to see a magical tree.

The film also tackles difficult issues – perhaps too many to fit comfortably in its runtime. Fire people are clearly an underclass in Element City and the story addresses prejudice, exclusion, class differences, cultural preservation, and clueless good intentions. A major plotline concerns Ember’s struggles with her parents’ expectations. As a daughter of immigrants, she feels trapped by the magnitude of her parents’ sacrifice and must learn to express her own hopes and talents. The script follows a well-trodden path but does so with gentle honesty.

Real originality comes in the movie’s love story. Ember and Wade are the unlikeliest odd couple – an explosive, radiant woman with anger management issues, and a chill, emotionally open guy with surfer dude vibes. Somehow it works. Their relationship is fraught with peril but also lit with acceptance, love, and joy. That’s not something you see every day in a kids’ film but being able to tap into these elemental emotions explains why Pixar continues to dominate the world of family entertainment.

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Kirsten hawkes, watch the trailer for elemental.

Elemental Rating & Content Info

Why is Elemental rated PG? Elemental is rated PG by the MPAA for some peril, thematic elements, and brief language

Violence: Dangerous floods put characters at risk and cause property damage. A character’s death is implied on screen. Children playfully hit each other with sticks. Fire characters are discriminated against by being denied access to an attraction. A character causes property destruction when she loses her temper and inadvertently sets things on fire. Sexual Content: There is some brief, minor sexual innuendo. A male and female character kiss. Two very minor female characters are introduced as “girlfriends”. An adult mentions “hanky panky”. Profanity: The word “ash” is used as a substitute for an anatomical term. Alcohol / Drug Use: None noted.

Page last updated June 15, 2023

Elemental Parents' Guide

Why does Ember feel responsible for taking over her father’s store? Why is she afraid to tell him what she really wants to do?

What do Ember and Wade love about each other? What do they learn from one another? How are their lives enriched by their time together? Have you ever spent time with someone with different talents or who comes from a different culture? What did you learn from them?

This movie has striking visual design. If you want to learn more about how the film was made, follow these links:

Mama’s Geeky: Designing Element City & Its Residents for Pixar’s Elemental

Laughing Place: Building Element City – The Real Stories That Inspired Pixar’s “Elemental”

Loved this movie? Try these books…

There are plenty of books to choose from if you’re looking for something that will help your child appreciate other cultures – and get along better with others.

This Is How We Do It follows a day in the life of kids from Italy, India, Iran, Japan, Peru, Russia, and Uganda. Written by Matt Lamothe, this book gives kids the chance to learn what it’s like to live in another culture.

Kids who want to learn more about other cultures can read Our Favorite Day of the Year, a book that explains cultural holidays and is written by A.E. Ali and illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell.

In rhyming text Are Your Stars Like My Stars? encourages children to imagine how children in other parts of the world experience their lives. This picture book is written by Leslie Helakoski and illustrated by Heidi Woodward Sheffield.

Pen pals Elliot and Kailash learn about their differences and similarities in Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw.

Cultural differences – and similarities – are made easy to understand in Everybody Cooks Rice. In this book by Norah Dooley and Peter J. Thornton, a girl’s trip through her neighborhood uses food to show how people can take a simple ingredient and produce marvelously different foods.

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4 Things Parents Should Know about Pixar's Elemental

Michael Foust Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
Updated Jun 21, 2023

4 Things Parents Should Know about Pixar's <em>Elemental</em>

Ember is a feisty young woman with a positive attitude, a drive to succeed and a quick temper that often gets in the way.

When Ember gets angry, she blows up. Literally.

That’s because Ember is literally made of fire and resides with her fiery family in Element City, where the other elemental citizens live. There’s the water citizens. And the land citizens. And the air citizens. These elements often interact – they chat and they say their “hellos” – but they dare not touch.

“Elements don’t mix,” we are told.

Back to Ember: She works for her father in a family-owned store that sells the necessary items you need if you’re made of fire – fire-starter and lighter fluid, for instance.

Unfortunately for Ember, her short fuse can be a problem in customer relations. One day, she wisely walks away from an argument, only to explode (literally) in the basement, causing widespread damage and – aghast – water damage from the sprinklers.

That’s when she bumps into Wade, a member of the water element community who is a city inspector. He’s her polar opposite – patient and empathetic. He also cries … a lot.

Despite their differences, they quickly hit it off.

Can a woman who is made of fire and a man who is composed of water find romance?

The new Pixar/Disney movie Elemental tells the story of Ember, Wade and their families. It stars Leah Lewis as Ember and Mamoudou Athie as Wade.

Here are four things parents should know:

1. It's a Flashback to the Pixar Movies of Old

Honestly, the film isn’t among Pixar’s greatest products. It’s slow at times. It’s confusing at times. Even so, it gives us something – originality – that’s becoming rare at the box office. Even before the film even begins we get to enjoy a fun Pixar Short film: Carl’s Date , which spotlights the elderly man from Up .

2. It's all about Loving those Who Look Different

At the beginning of the film, we watch Ember’s parents move to the city and search for a place to rent. They’re turned away by landlords from the air community. They’re also turned away by citizens from the land community. Of course, there seemingly are practical reasons for the shunning – fire can evaporate clouds and burn down trees – but as Ember and Wade later show us, elements can indeed mix.

The plot thickens when Ember’s mother accepts Wade but Ember’s father rejects him, offended by a comment. Her dad even places a picture of Wade above the store counter, reminding employees not to welcome him.

“Fire and water cannot be together,” someone says.

Eventually, Wade and Ember hold hands. Incredibly, both survive. She’s not extinguished. He doesn’t disappear (remember – he’s made of water).

The film urges us to embrace people who look different. It encourages us to love them. It reminds us that we probably have more in common than we think. Elemental is not a Christian movie, but the message nevertheless seems straight out of the Bible.

3. It's about Individualism and Following Your Heart

Elemental has a few good lessons, yet it continues the ubiquitous me-centric message found in Disney movies. Ember’s father assumes she will take over the shop once he retires. Ember, though, has no desire to follow in his footsteps. Their different desires clash when Ember meets Wade, who wants her to run away with him.

“You've got an opportunity to do something you want with your life,” he tells her late in the film.

But Ember’s family, she tells Wade, is not a “follow your heart” family.

“Getting to do what you want is a luxury,” she says.

Wade retorts that a “strong” person would walk away from the shop.

“You're just afraid,” he says.

4. It Includes a Few Speed Bumps for Families

Elemental is rated PG for some peril, thematic elements and brief language. The language is “pushing the boundaries” stuff, but still noteworthy. Someone tells another person to “get up off your lazy ash.” We hear someone complain about a “fluffin’ leak” – a replacement for the F-word. We also hear “gosh” and “dang.”

Wade jokes that he may do a “little pruning” on the date. (Ember says that won’t happen.) At the end of the film, they kiss.

The film also includes a lesbian couple, continuing Disney’s goal of placing LGBT characters in its plots. (At his home, Wade introduces Ember to his sister and “her girlfriend.”)

Finally, Elemental includes a religious element, when Ember tells Wade how she would “pray to the blue flame.” We also see a couple of brief ceremonies around that flame, with people sitting around a table, trying to determine the future.

Elemental isn’t one of the best animated movies of 2023. Still, Pixar should get lots of credit for trying something new.

Entertainment rating : 3 out of 5 stars.

Family-friendly rating : 4 out of 5 stars.

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

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‘Elemental’ Review: Sparks Fly

The latest movie from Disney/Pixar tucks a romantic comedy inside a high-concept premise. It’s smoldering and splashy.

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A man made of water and a woman made of fire sit in a movie theater together, with other patrons in the background.

By Amy Nicholson

“Elemental” is the latest Pixar premise to feel like someone laced the cafeteria’s kombucha keg with ayahuasca. Starting eight years ago with “Inside Out,” the animation company has transformed cartoons into a form of group therapy that encourages audiences to ruminate on inner peace, death (“Coco”) and resurrection (“Soul”). This story is simpler (elemental, even). It’s a girl-meets-boy cross-cultural romantic comedy — a good one that woos us to root for the big kiss. But the Pixar-brand psychotropic flourish comes from which cultures. Here, they are water, earth, air and fire — the four classical elements that the ancient philosopher Empedocles used to explain our world — all tenuously coexisting in Element City, a Manhattan analogue founded by the first droplet to ooze out of the primordial sea. The girl, Ember Lumen (voiced by Leah Lewis), is a leggy lick of flame; her crush, Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie), is a drip. When she brushes near him, his body roils. Steamy.

This setup sounds strange and looks stranger. Yet, the four classical elements are one of civilization’s great unifiers, a cosmological theory shared by the Hindu Vedas, the Buddhist Mahabhuta, the Kongo cosmogram, the Indigenous medicine wheel and the zodiac. We’ve long interpreted life through water, earth, air and fire. Now, the trick is to see the life in them, once we squint past the visually overwhelming chaos of Element City, a smelting pot of puns and allusions.

You’d have to freeze-frame each scene to absorb all the sight gags: fire-mommies pushing fire-babies in BBQ grills, tree-couples tenderly harvesting each other’s apples, luxury tower aquariums with sunken swimming pools for a living room, whirlwind basketball games that hawk souvenir cloud-shaped pants. Even then, the yuks spillith over into the closing credits whose margins are cluttered with funny bits of illustrated flotsam like Lighterfinger candy bars and Sizzlemint gum.

The suspension of disbelief is so staggering that one flaw in the execution would cause the whole gimmick to collapse. I decided to trust the director, Peter Sohn, during the opening sequence. As Ember’s future parents, Bernie and Cinder (Ronnie del Carmen and Shila Ommi) disembark upon a bizarro Ellis Island, all-too-aware that they’re two of the earliest fireball émigrés, I clocked her father’s chain mail pants and relaxed. Metal knickers are the kind of minutia that tells you Sohn and the three screenwriters (John Hoberg, Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh) have pored over every corner of their high concept, allowing us to make the mental switch from scanning the landscape suspiciously to marveling in the details.

The staggering design ambition balances out the plot’s affecting, relatable ordinariness, which kicks in a couple of decades after the Lumens settle in and open a store that ignites a thriving fire community. By the time Ember is an adult, the Firish (as in “Kiss Me, I’m…”) have erected blocks of residential kilns that resemble a modernized Cappadocia. Yet, there’s no forgetting that Element City was once a wets-only town. The Wetro light rail zipping overhead creates a splash zone of urban blight in its wake.

Ember expects to inherit the family shop. Then Wade bursts through the pipes. Smartly, the couple’s differences aren’t just tactile — they’re cultural. A child of immigration and sacrifice, she’s overworked, emotionally burdened, vulnerable to being snuffed and prone to explode. He’s a preppy, soft-bellied blue-blood comfortable wearing his emotions on (or rather, soaking through) his sleeves. Even his name — Wade Ripple — belongs inside a champagne bucket in Kennebunkport.

The film’s loveliest stretches watch the pair tentatively discover each other’s habitats. She’s enchanted by (and quietly resentful of) his confidence that he’s welcome anywhere. He finds purpose encouraging her to forge through a society inclined to see her as distracting (dark movie theaters are a no-go), off-putting (what’s with that flamin’ hot food!) and dangerous (look out when her temper ticks past its flashpoint).

Their romance doesn’t rush a beat. Oddly, it’s the most human rom-com in years. There’s no villain, no phony contrivances, and the mandatory breakup is well-buttressed by the script. The running time is strung together from dozens of perceptive moments and the occasional stunning set-piece. A near-wordless scuba dive (a callback to WALL-E and Eva’s space ballet?) plays like a swoony Bollywood interlude alongside Thomas Newman’s gentle, semi-acoustic score, which could double as a mood-setter at a meditation retreat. This is what animation should do: wow us with expressive, impossible wonders rather than reimagining Flounder from “The Little Mermaid” as a photorealistic fish.

“Elemental” seems like a stunt from a company running dry on ideas. Perhaps that’s partially true. Yet, it’s in the tradition of mankind’s long history looking to water, earth, air and fire to understand itself. Only, please, nobody tell Pixar that Aristotle added a fifth element, ether, which physicists interpret as dark matter or the void. My brain can’t handle a sequel.

Elemental Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes. In theaters.

An earlier version of this review described incorrectly the humor in “Elemental.” It included jokes about breaking wind; those jokes weren’t completely absent from the film.

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The director Pablo Berger broke down how he brought a New York street scene to life in “Robot Dreams,” his Oscar-nominated animated film about the friendship between a dog and a robot.

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A “Star Wars” spinoff is receiving negative attention from fans for pushing LGBT ideology in what has become a trend in recent adaptations of legendary franchises.

While “The Acolyte” premiered Tuesday, it has been clear since long before the series officially became available to the subscribers of Disney+ that the program was designed to appeal to a progressive audience. In an X post last year, the “Star Wars” fan account The Direct announced that “THE ACOLYTE has cast Abigail Thorn as Ensign Eurus, making her the first transgender actor to appear in a #StarWars series.”

Earlier this year, series creator Leslye Headland openly admitted to the goal behind the show in an interview that surfaced on X. “When I saw ‘Frozen’ as a grown-a-- woman, I cried through the entire movie,” she recalled. “There was just something about the relationship between the sisters, the … devillainization of the classic kind of fairytale bad guy, you know, the concept of true love being between two sisters and not a heterosexual relationship ... it just destroyed me completely.”

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At that point, Headland said her desire was “to make something like this that is, you know, for lack of a better term, Disney, meaning something that like my parents would have allowed me to see when I was younger as a queer person, that I would have been able to understand a queer person.” She asserted that had such a program existed, she “would have had a completely different life.”

“I really was inspired by it and I was like ‘God, I would love to make a story like this,’” she added. “When I was developing this original idea to pitch to [production company Lucasfilm’s] Kathleen [Kennedy], I thought ... you know it can’t just be that, you know, when you’re pitching 'Star Wars' you have to pull from what you know [‘Star Wars’ creator] George [Lucas] was also interested in.”

Headland saw an opportunity to create her “own new characters” who lived during a period of time in the “Star Wars” universe known as the “High Republic” or the “end of High Republic into prequels” that preceded the “Skywalker saga” that is at the center of the “Star Wars” franchise.

In a text message to The New York Times published last week, Headland proclaimed, “Anyone who engages in bigotry, racism or hate speech … I don’t consider a fan.”

A review of the first few episodes of “The Acolyte” posted to YouTube Tuesday night warned that the third episode of the series works to “completely redefine what ‘The Force’ is” and highlighted how “two mothers conceive twins” as part of the plot line. The video, posted by the account Geeks + Gamers, featured one fan of the franchise telling the others on the panel to “get ready for pronouns in Star Wars.”

A summary of “The Acolyte” created by the Internet Movie Database describes the show as a “Star Wars series that takes viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.”

“The Acolyte” is not the first example of a new installment of a long-running franchise embracing LGBT ideology. In 2021, DC Comics announced on “National Coming Out Day” that “the life of Jon Kent, the Superman of Earth and son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane” would take a “bold new direction” in a then-unpublished version of the comic book series Superman: Son of Kal-El. The plot twist hyped by the comic book company involved the revelation of the main character as bisexual.

Earlier in the year, DC Comics published Batman: Urban Legends # 6 , which features Batman’s sidekick Robin pursuing a romantic relationship with a male friend.

Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: [email protected]

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Based on the true story of three Christian prisoners who face execution their joy in Christ stuns the entire prison camp. Based on the true story of three Christian prisoners who face execution their joy in Christ stuns the entire prison camp. Based on the true story of three Christian prisoners who face execution their joy in Christ stuns the entire prison camp.

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‘Robot Dreams’ review: This animated delight explores friendship and loss

By Peter Rainer Contributor

May 29, 2024

Animated movies are the ultimate conjuring act. We are drawn into a world of graphic stylization that, at its best, carries the same emotional impact and allurement as any nonanimated drama.

Pablo Berger’s whimsical “Robot Dreams,” a tribute to the beauty and frailty of friendship, certainly fits this description. Set in a 1980s New York City almost entirely populated by animals, and with virtually no spoken dialogue, the film affected me in much the same way as last year’s “Past Lives,” which was also about the fragility of the ties that bind.

Of course, “Robot Dreams,” a fantasia about a dog and a robot, is a very different sort of film. But it earns its tears just as honestly. Why should this be a surprise? If we can be transported by the power of a great painting, why should a great animated movie afford us any less of an experience?

Why We Wrote This

When an animated film is invested with the full range of feeling, the result is “Robot Dreams.” The movie is a tribute to the beauty and frailty of friendship, our critic writes.

We first encounter Dog in his depressingly sparse third-story apartment on the Lower East Side. Watching TV while downing his microwaved TV dinner, he takes note of a commercial for a do-it-yourself robot kit that asks, “Are You Alone?” Dog may be a loner, but he’s industrious. Soon he and Robot, his mail-order buddy, are inseparable.

The scenes of them jaunting around their neighborhood are elating. The blocks are teeming with rhinos, giraffes, ostriches, pigs, ponies, raccoons, and sundry other critters. The Spanish-born Berger lived in New York for 10 years and has said in interviews that “Robot Dreams” is his “love letter” to the city. It shows. His cityscapes are a multiethnic menagerie spilling over with the rough bustle of street life. The anthropomorphism on display is anything but cutesy.

Waiting for the First Avenue subway, Dog and Robot are loudly serenaded by an octopus knocking out a drum solo, sticks flying high in the air. The pair skate through Central Park, boogying to the beat of their favorite song, Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September.” A day at Coney Island is bliss until it becomes clear that the seawater has rusted Robot’s joints. Immobile, lying face up on the sand, he awaits Dog’s rescue mission. But unbeknownst to them both, the beach season has just ended. Dog’s frantic nighttime attempts to break through the fencing and save Robot leads to his arrest. A snowy winter awaits.

The source material for “Robot Dreams” is the eponymous 2007 graphic novel by the esteemed Sara Varon, whose books also include “Bake Sale,” about the friendship between a cupcake and an eggplant. Along with his art director José Luis Ágreda and animation director Benoît Féroumont, Berger has not so much reimagined as intensified Varon’s storybook vision. His dramatized dream sequences for both Dog and Robot, as they imagine their reunion, have the effect of heartbreaking wish-fulfillment fantasies. The byways of hope all lead to rude awakenings.

Besides Varon, Berger was clearly inspired by “The Wizard of Oz” and such popular artists as Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Busby Berkeley, and Jacques Tati. Above all, the look and feel of the film is a nod to the graphics of Hergé’s “Tintin” books, which Berger has described as a “visual punch” – clear lines, limited shadows, flat colors. The unfussy design of “Robot Dreams” should not be mistaken for a lack of complexity. On the contrary, the clean graphics summon us straight into the story’s emotional heart.

I greatly admire the voluptuous, free-form lyricism of animators like Hayao Miyazaki, but what Berger does here, in its own scaled-down way, is just about as robust. He’s a voluptuary of the everyday. This is his first animated movie, having directed three previous live-action features. He honors the animation medium by investing it with a full range of feeling – just as if he were making a movie with real people.

This is another way of saying that “Robot Dreams” is a film for adults perhaps even more than for children. It’s a movie about overcoming loss, and that is an emotion that can certainly resonate across generations.

Peter Rainer is the Monitor’s film critic. “Robot Dreams” is unrated.

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IMAGES

Pixar Elemental Christian Movie Review
Pixar Elemental Christian Movie Review
Elemental
Elemental (Christian Movie Review)
Elemental (Christian Movie Review)
Elemental (Christian Movie Review)

VIDEO

Elemental
Elemental

COMMENTS

Should Christian Families Watch Pixar's ELEMENTAL?
ELEMENTAL tells a funny, charming, ultimately heartwarming story. It displays Pixar's usual knack for creating and building an amazing world with surprising, funny situations. The movie contains a main theme about overcoming prejudice. As such, it seems to learn toward a traditional Pro-American message that we live in a melting pot where ...
Elemental (Christian Movie Review)
Elemental is a Romeo and Juliet-esque romance. Ember (a fire element) and Wade (a water element) unexpectedly fall in love. The budding romance poses obvious problems, such as their inability to physically touch and the societal expectations that "elements don't mix.". The movie isn't slow, but it isn't action packed either.
Elemental (2023)
MOVIE REVIEW. Elemental ... However, "Elemental" does show that angry outburts are not okay, and that there are consequences for not having self-control. Although lying and deception are a part of the storyline, apologies are given, and the film does show that the actions of the characters do have consequences. Parents will need to discuss ...
Movie Review: Elemental
Movie Review: Elemental. Pixar's latest tells the colorful story of two very different characters—one fire, one water—who fall in love but struggle to navigate their obvious differences. Redemptive themes mingle with some hot-button cultural concerns that parents will want to consider carefully. Read the Plugged In Review.
Elemental
Check out our written review here: https://thecollision.org/elemental-christian-movie-review/TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro1:42 About The Film5:05 Content to Consider...
Pixar Elemental Christian Review
Furthermore, on a scale of Finding Dory to Turning Red (both rated PG), Elemental sits right in the center as far as objectionable content and scariness factor. The visuals are great, and this Pixar film really made the elements of fire and water come to life. However, overall the storyline is just so-so.
Elemental
Elemental flows in that stream. Ember is a Fire girl who always thought she'd grow up to run her family's shop in Firetown. But after she meets Wade, she realizes she has other dreams and ambitions. The couple has more than just familial expectations to overcome. "Elements don't mix," they're told.
Elemental
Portraits of three environmental activists and the challenges they face to help stem the tide of ecological disaster. 2013 S&P Award Winner. Film Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat. "The only way to avert the catastrophe. of neglect is through an evolutionary leap. in the way we see and feel our context.
Elemental movie review & film summary (2023)
Advertisement. "Elemental," Disney and Pixar's latest, feels emblematic of the studio's struggle to recapture its original magic, making a mess of its world-building in service of a conventional story that fails the talent of the animators involved. Set in a world where natural elements—earth, fire, water, air—coexist in a New York ...
Elemental Movie Review
October 11, 2023. age 10+. This movie attempts to address immigration, discrimination and xenophobia. While I appreciate the intent, the result is jarring and problematic for a young audience. There are multiple depictions of discrimination and derogatory remarks, primarily made against the fire people.
Movie review: Disney's 'Elemental'
In the animated romantic comedy "Elemental" (Disney), director Peter Sohn substitutes for that metaphor a fable featuring embodiments of the four elements, using the dynamics of their imaginary world to explore the immigrant experience. The film's primary setting, Element City, is the New York of this milieu. Although ostensibly a meeting ...
Parent reviews for Elemental
APS12345 Parent of 6-year-old. October 11, 2023. age 10+. This movie attempts to address immigration, discrimination and xenophobia. While I appreciate the intent, the result is jarring and problematic for a young audience. There are multiple depictions of discrimination and derogatory remarks, primarily made against the fire people.
Movie Review: 'Elemental'
Movie Review: 'Elemental'. NEW YORK (OSV News) - Thanks to its rich blend of ethnicities, the United States has long been referred to as a melting pot. In the animated romantic comedy "Elemental" (Disney), director Peter Sohn substitutes for that metaphor a fable featuring embodiments of the four elements, using the dynamics of their ...
Elemental (2023)
Disney and Pixar's "Elemental," an all-new, original feature film set in Element City, where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together. The story introduces Ember, a tough, quick-witted ...
Get the Inside Story of Elemental from Director Pete Sohn
Drew Taylor. May 16, 2023 @ 11:12 AM. "Elemental," the new Pixar feature where the elements (earth, air, water and fire) are andromorphic characters living in a vast, technologically advanced ...
'Elemental' Review: Pixar's Overcomplicated Rom-Com
Editor: Stephen Schaffer. Music: Thomas Newman. With: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O'Hara, Mason Wertheimer, Joe Pera. Trying to ...
Review: Pixar's 'Elemental' is a romantic but murky mix of fire and water
2. "Elemental" is the most emotional Pixar movie since "Inside Out," and the hardest to make sense of. It's a full-on romance, set in a world where characters belong to one of four groups that ...
'Elemental' Review: Pixar Offers Mixed Metaphors and ...
Disney releases the film in theaters on Friday, June 16. So much of modern Pixar comes mired in "almost's" and "what-if's," and Peter Sohn's " Elemental " is no exception. It's ...
Elemental Movie Review for Parents
Elemental is a uniquely appealing movie. It's rich, thoughtful, sweet and, best of all, contains limited amounts of negative content. There are scenes of peril involving fire and floods, an implied death scene, and some very minor sexual innuendo. ... Family movie reviews, movie ratings, fun film party ideas and pop culture news — all with ...
4 Things Parents Should Know about Pixar's Elemental
4. It Includes a Few Speed Bumps for Families. Elemental is rated PG for some peril, thematic elements and brief language. The language is "pushing the boundaries" stuff, but still noteworthy ...
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Ember expects to inherit the family shop. Then Wade bursts through the pipes. Smartly, the couple's differences aren't just tactile — they're cultural. A child of immigration and sacrifice ...
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'Star Wars' spinoff 'The Acolyte' pushes LGBT ideology
A summary of "The Acolyte" created by the Internet Movie Database describes the show as a "Star Wars series that takes viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.". "The Acolyte" is not the first example of a new installment of a long-running franchise embracing ...
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Disciples in the Moonlight: Directed by Brett Varvel. With Todd Terry, Brett Varvel, Josh Strychalski, Drew Varvel. A reluctant leader heads up a team of 7 Christians intent on smuggling Bibles to underground churches in a future America where the Bible is illegal and danger is around every corner.
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The Firing Squad: Directed by Timothy A. Chey. With James Barrington, Kevin Sorbo, Cuba Gooding Jr., Tupua Ainu'u. Based on the true story of three Christian prisoners who face execution their joy in Christ stuns the entire prison camp.
'Robot Dreams' review: This animated delight explores friendship and
This is another way of saying that "Robot Dreams" is a film for adults perhaps even more than for children. It's a movie about overcoming loss, and that is an emotion that can certainly ...

Elemental (Christian Movie Review)

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Movie Review: Elemental

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