Elemental (Pixar - June 2023)

[BuddyThomas]

Animation looks pretty good. But....plot???? Hello, plot???? Are you out there plot??? I can't see or find you anywhere.

From IMDB.COM - "The film journeys alongside an unlikely pair, Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together. The fiery young woman and the go-with-the-flow guy are about to discover something elemental: how much they actually have in common."

 

[MisterPenguin]

Animation looks pretty good. But....plot???? Hello, plot???? Are you out there plot??? I can't see or find you anywhere.

cf. Romeo & Juliet

 

[Disney Analyst]

It's a classic "love across boundaries" tale. Whether such a plot appeals to you or not is another matter, but the plot itself is very much in evidence.

And I’d also add, it’s the first trailer, how much plot is necessary? I got that premise from the trailer, that’s what you need.

 

[LittleBuford]

cf. Romeo & Juliet

Presumably without the double suicide.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Presumably without the double suicide.

Well that would be a dark twist for Pixar. They embrace at the end, he puts the fire out... she evaporates the water...

I guess at least he would come back as a... cloud?

 

[Phroobar]

Isn't this basically a story about dating outside of your culture? Asian girl / White boy. Asian girl's parents not happy and won't let her keep him?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Presumably without the double suicide.

And just how do you think Pixar will make this a tear-jerker like the rest of their movies?

 

[Phroobar]

And just how do you think Pixar will make this a tear-jerker like the rest of their movies?

When the boy isn't allowed to marry the girl, he will turn into a giant tidal wave and drown the land people and put out the fire people?

 

[LittleBuford]

Asian girl / White boy.

I personally didn't see anything in the trailer that would conjure those particular associations.

 

[Disney Analyst]

I personally didn't see anything in the trailer that would conjure those particular associations.

I mean, I think it's generally implied, but not necessarily that specific. For that poster, that may be a scenario close to them, which is why the trailer brings up that scenario for them, but in general I think the movie does speak to those themes. The idea of going against the traditions of your family, expectations, the perceived "norm" by the general public or those close to you. I could see this story applying to a lot of groups, or situations.

The associations that came to my mind almost instantly:

• Those who are expected to take over a family business, or be interested in a specific sport or activity.
• Those who are in an interracial relationship
• Those who are religious / non-religious / of a different religion in a relationship
• The 2slgbtqia+ community and our experience with relationships, family, coming out.
• The general act of growing up / possibly not matching expectations.

It's a tale as old as time, and incredibly relevant to this day.

 

[MisterPenguin]

The Walt Disney Studios

The Walt Disney Studios encompasses a collection of respected film studios, including Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Searchlight Pictures, and 20th Century Studios.

www.disneystudios.com

 

[Phroobar]

This would be an appropriate IP for the Play Pavilion replacement with entire area devoted to Elements and edutainment.

Good idea. They can add another section on emotions using Inside Out.
Another section could use Turning Red for a frank discussion on..... oh, never mind.

 

[LittleBuford]

I mean, I think it's generally implied, but not necessarily that specific. For that poster, that may be a scenario close to them, which is why the trailer brings up that scenario for them, but in general I think the movie does speak to those themes. The idea of going against the traditions of your family, expectations, the perceived "norm" by the general public or those close to you. I could see this story applying to a lot of groups, or situations.

The associations that came to my mind almost instantly:

• Those who are expected to take over a family business, or be interested in a specific sport or activity.
• Those who are in an interracial relationship
• Those who are religious / non-religious / of a different religion in a relationship
• The 2slgbtqia+ community and our experience with relationships, family, coming out.
• The general act of growing up / possibly not matching expectations.

It's a tale as old as time, and incredibly relevant to this day.

I certainly think the story speaks to themes of love across cultural boundaries; that much is clear from the trailer and implied in my earlier post anyway. It's the Asian/white framing in particular that I was commenting on. I see nothing that specific in the trailer.

 

[MickeyMouse10]

This looks like it should have been a short film.

 

[DKampy]

Isn't this basically a story about dating outside of your culture? Asian girl / White boy. Asian girl's parents not happy and won't let her keep him?

Where do you get any race indications?

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Looks great! Certainly one of Pixar's better trailers.

I hope this is the film where Disney figures out how to make a reasonable box office return before putting their animated films on Disney+.

 

[The Great Gonzo]

I think the designs could have been better. They didn't have to be so literal with their representation of the elements. I think they could have been more effective characters if they were more human looking.

 

[Phroobar]

Where do you get any race indications?

I'm using it as a real world example for what they are doing metaphorically with fire and water.

 

[TalkingHead]

Where do you get any race indications?

The term “mixing” as used in the dialogue has definite racial connotations.

 

[TalkingHead]

This looks like it should have been a short film.

Looks like it should’ve been left in the drafts folder.