ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Two family-friendly features have landed in theaters this month. “Elio” is a new Pixar original movie about a young, alien-obsessed boy who finds himself whisked away to negotiate an intergalactic peace treaty. “How to Train Your Dragon,” meanwhile, is a high fidelity live-action remake of the 2010 Viking coming-of-age classic.

“ELIO” (2025, 98 min., directed by Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi)

For some reason, despite a childhood of adoration for Pixar Animation Studios films like “Ratatouille,” “The Incredibles,” “Wall-E” and “Finding Nemo,” I have found myself resistant to seeing the studio’s new crop of films over the last couple of years. Something about recent entries like “Turning Red,” “Luca” and “Soul” have lacked the immediate appeal of their predecessors, despite the beautiful, refined animation and Pixar’s well-established reputation for excellence.

I’m not alone, either: most of Pixar’s recent original films have been relegated to Disney+ or underwhelmed critically, financially, or both. While sequels to beloved Pixar properties, like the billion-plus grossers “Inside Out 2,” “Toy Story 4” and “Incredibles 2,” have continued to keep the studio afloat for the past decade, the originality which was once the animation house’s brand reputation has been diminished by a waning public interest.

It’s a shame, because many of those recent Pixar features are genuinely wonderful, “Elio” included. While I had to force myself to sit down for the space adventure, which follows a young, orphaned boy coping with grief through an obsession with making extraterrestrial contact, as soon as the opening credits rolled, my heart was already abducted by the Pixar UFO.

“Elio” isn’t as groundbreaking as other titles from the Pixar canon, but the movie is gorgeously animated and endowed with enough wry wit and silly gags to entertain kids and adults alike. Elio is as believable a Pixar protagonist as they come, and his difficulty relating to others, particularly his aunt-turned-guardian, voiced by recent Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña, is heartbreaking without becoming aggravatingly saccharine. The film is a fun send-up of 1950s sci-fi movies, with shades of “E.T.” thrown in for good measure, and a total tearjerker for any kid who has ever had a hard time relating to a parent – or for a parent struggling to connect a child.

“Elio” has made headlines for bombing at the box office, raking in the worst opening weekend in the studio’s history. Concurrently, Pixar has already announced that “Incredibles 3,” “Coco 2” and “Toy Story 5” are in development. The future of the studio is uncertain. I’m not sure what has kept our collective excitement for original Pixar films from soaring like it once did, but if you give “Elio” a chance, it might be the boost you need to find that space in your heart again. It was for me.

Rating: 4/5

(Courtesy: Universal Pictures) Hiccup, played by Mason Thames, with the live-action rendering of Toothless.

“HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON” (2025, 125 min., directed by Dean DeBlois)

Unlike recent Disney live-action retreads like “Lilo & Stitch” and “Snow White,” there are very few differences between Dean DeBlois’ 2010 animated film and his 2025 remake. Whether that’s a good thing or not is up for debate.

One thing is indisputable: the movie feels great. The effects look good, the cinematography is swooping and dynamic, Mason Thames is a great lead and the music remains one of the best movie scores of the 21st century. However, if its greatness derives entirely from a previous piece of art, can “How to Train Your Dragon” actually be great?

The film is virtually a one-for-one recreation of the animated original, often down to the shots themselves. It all feels creatively bankrupt. The entire film could be viewed merely as a nostalgic upscaling of a beloved classic, but it might be more accurately cast as a cynical – though well-crafted – piece of product, not art. It makes the movie hard to recommend, even if it is an entertaining reiteration of a beautiful story.

How to train a studio to make original films again is unclear, especially if the miserable performance of “Elio” is an example of the public’s interest in original family-friendly fare. So far, the $371 million box office receipts of “How to Train Your Dragon” are putting up a ferocious argument.

Rating: 3/5