“Elemental” is the newest upcoming film from Pixar studios and looks to adapt director Peter Sohn’s own experiences into the studio’s first romantic comedy. Though subject to early parody, the film looks to offer a stellar work of animation, as well something narratively different.
Pixar has been around for nearly 30 years now, and its success can be traced to its “formula” of filmmaking. This can be understood as the way they write characters, structure a story and the moment of reflection when elements come together.
Behind the scenes we have a variety of creative minds who are working to fit this “Pixar formula.” Certain names appear repeatedly across several Pixar films, like Pete Docter, as the creative process on films is not individually driven but often a result of a studio mindset. To see the potential in Pixar’s latest feature, we need to look back at what it has made prior.
Sohn’s first Pixar feature, “The Good Dinosaur,” was met with a lukewarm response both critically and commercially. A story that reverses the roles of a boy and his dog, it follows a friendly, agrarian brontosaurus as the pair make their journey back home.
Narratively, the film is not one of Pixar’s strongest. Visually, however, the film is a true standout. The film creates a world that is equally detailed as it is sublime. It defined a new high watermark for animation moving forward, as photorealism was rendered in detail.
Contrary to this, the film “Luca,” released direct to Disney+, follows two boys entering a bicycle race for the grand prize of a Vespa. The film’s simplicity masks some of the deeper narrative complexities and animation styles at work.
In the realm of characters, we have incredible character work that defines the relationship of these two boys with each other and the town. While the animation borrows heavily from Studio Ghibli films like “Porco Rosso,” this new animation style balanced the modeling of CGI with an expression of hand drawn animation.
In the realm of expression, we have “Onward,” a fantasy film about two brothers on a quest to see their father one last time. Equal parts “Harry Potter” and “Dazed and Confused,” the film follows two brothers on the journeys of life through a high fantasy setting.
What is notable about “Onward” is the story structure. Films often have clear narrative structures. Take the original “Toy Story,” for example, in which each event is a cause and effect that begins in Andy’s original room and ends in Andy’s new room. In essence, the structure of the film is a circle.
In the case of “Onward” we are not provided with a clean loop. The goals of the journey are not exactly met, and instead the expectations of the viewers are subverted in a final character beat.
On a first viewing it feels like a contrived “Pixar” ending, where the goal is to help the character grow rather than give them what they want. However, the nuances to the scene can be understood as an anamorphic structure, in that the full image is only perceivable from one angle.
The film’s narrative is intricately linked to its ending. “Onward” weaves the anecdotes of the film together so that the final revelation of the protagonist is a revelation for the audience as well.
Given Pixar’s output, “Elemental” has the potential to be something new, even within the cliché genre of romantic comedy. Be it advances in animation, character narrative or story structure, the story will bring something new to film.
Benjamin Ervin is a senior studying English literature and writing at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Benjamin know by emailing him be425014@ohio.edu.
