The underrated Pixar movie that makes me cry every time

We've all seen, and probably bawled our eyes out, at Pixar’s greatest hits: Toy Story, Up, Finding Nemo. Each one an animated masterpiece, full of big emotions and game-changing technical wizardry.

But meanwhile, denied a cinema release and tucked away in Pixar's back catalogue, is an underrated gem: Luca.

Luca arrived in 2021 during the Covid pandemic and went straight to streaming on Disney Plus.

It was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the Oscars, but having missed out on big screen attention it was largely overshadowed by Encanto's phenomenal success shortly after. Forget We Don't Talk About Bruno; not enough people talk about Luca.

Which is a crying shame, because Luca is one of Pixar’s most gorgeous, charming and rewatchable films.

This animated family flick tells the tale of a young sea monster named Luca - although "monster" doesn't seem like the right word for this loveable underwater daydreamer and his quirky finned family. To his anxious mother, the real monsters are the humans who live above the waves, with their motor boats and their nets (and legs).

So of course Luca becomes fascinated by the human world. With his adventurous new friend, Alberto, he ventures out of the sea. Disguised as humans, the two boys explore a sun-soaked Italian fishing village.

What follows is a delightful coming-of-age yarn set during a glorious Mediterranean summer, as the boys befriend a plucky villager and take on a loudmouthed bully while trying to keep their true forms hidden. It's a story about friendship, belonging and pasta, in lush and whimsical animated world. Think The Little Mermaid meets La Dolce Vita.

Director Enrico Casarosa channels a sense of nostalgia in a setting inspired by the Ligurian Riviera, bursting with warmth and texture. Italian cinema of the 1950s and 60s was a huge influence on the rich visuals, with cobbled streets, pastel houses and the sparkling Mediterranean sea all lovingly rendered.

The shimmering turquoise depths of the ocean are invitingly luminous, while the soundtrack bubbles with jaunty vintage Italian bops. On a decent home cinema setup, the detail and sound design make it feel like a little seaside holiday.

With its painterly backdrops and characters that lean as much towards vintage 2D animation as to modern 3D computer graphics, Luca also owes a debt to Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli films. And the melancholic tone, with its bittersweet view of childhood, has a touch of Ghibli to it.

It’s a film about the small joys of youth, like sharing secrets, lusting after a scooter and scoffing too much gelato. Aside from being magical sea creatures, the predicaments the young friends face are relatively realistic.

Apparently, Pixar boss John Lasseter originally wanted a giant kraken menacing the village, but the finished film is much more intimate, focused on the breezy young friends and their relatively grounded small-town scrapes.

But like all Pixar films, there's a strong emotional undercurrent. Like even the most perfect summer, this timeless story of childhood is warm but fleeting, and the ending gets me every time. Simple, sincere and utterly gorgeous, Luca deserves its moment in the sun.

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