Strange World

My nephew Sean and I have a tradition of seeing the latest Disney/ Pixar movie together over the Thanksgiving holiday (we have seen The Good Dinosaur, Moana, Coco, Frozen II, and Encanto) so we went to see Strange World yesterday despite the lukewarm response.  We actually really liked it!  Legendary explorer Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid) and his son Searcher (Jake Gyllenhaal) are on an expedition to cross the mountains that surround their home Avalonia.  Along the way, Searcher discovers a plant that gives off energy and wants to return to Avalonia to grow it and improve the lives of the people there.  Jaeger, disappointed that Searcher doesn't have his adventurous spirit, continues on without him.  Twenty-five years later, Jaeger is presumed dead and Searcher is a farmer of the plant, called Pando, that powers every aspect of life with his wife Meridian (Gabrielle Union) and son Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White).  When Callisto Mal (Lucy Liu), a former member of Jaeger's team, informs Searcher that the Pando crop is failing, she convinces him to join an expedition to find the cause.  Disenchanted with life on the farm, Ethan sneaks aboard the ship and, when it becomes stranded in a subterranean world filled with fantastical creatures, he becomes separated from the group.  It turns out that Jaeger has been trapped in this world the whole time and he and Searcher must work together to find Ethan and save Avalonia.  I loved the beautiful and vibrant animation used in this movie, especially the style inspired by the pulp magazines of the 1930s and 1940s used for Jaeger's story, as well as the dazzling world-building and creature design (Splat is adorable).  I loved the diversity represented by the characters, particularly Ethan because he is an openly gay character who is completely accepted by everyone.  I was expecting some backlash from Jaeger (he is a hyper-masculine character) when he meets Ethan but I loved it when he gives him some advice for getting the attention of his crush!  Finally, I loved the messages about fathers and sons learning to accept one another for who they are and the importance of caring for the environment even when it might require a sacrifice.  I definitely recommend giving this movie a chance!