FILM REVIEWS:
HOPPERS (USA 2026) ****
Directed by Daniel Chong
HOPPERS, the new Disney/Pixar animated feature, is budgeted at an estimated $ =150 to $200 million and, as expected from Pixar, an absolute delight.
After a group of scientists invent a way to "hop" human minds into lifelike robotic animal bodies, an animal-lover named Mabel Tanaka uses their technology to embody a robotic beaver and thwart a construction company's plot to destroy the local animal habitat, unwittingly starting an animal uprising against all humans.
It seems that the filmmakers had checked every box that makes a good film, including:
- a protagonist who is female with lots of female characters, such as Dr Sam and her assistant, instead of male characters
- a male villain, who is political with shades of Trump, but this one goes into a change unlike Trump
- An eclectic cast of characters, like Dr Sam’s assistant, is black
- humour that caters for both kids and adults
- good musical numbers and an original song
(Mark Mothersbaugh composed the film's score, marking his first composition for a Pixar feature film after composing for the Toy Story Toons short Hawaiian Vacation and several Cars Toons shorts for the studio.[In addition, the film features an original end credits song written and performed by SZA titled "Save The Day”._
- colourful creatures that includes insect and mammals
- impressive animation that includes fire and water
- a timely premise within spice-fiction and an AI robotics plot
- an urgent premise involving saving the world
- comedy and adventure
- important current world issues like environmental commentary (corporate expansion vs. conservation)
- emotional coming-of-age themes (Mabel grows from a little girl with her grandmother to an undergraduate student
The plot involves an undergrad Mabel trying to save her town glen from destruction. Mayor Jerry wants a highway through it, but if Mabel can show that wildlife is in the glen, the project will be halted. Mable waits and looks for a creature, like a beaver, to show up. A beaver shows up, but Mable trails it to a lab where she discovers the process of hopping. She becomes a hopper, taking her brain into the body of a robot beaver.
The theme of death, Mabel’s grandmother’s passing, is not shown on screen, but the death affects Mabel for the rest of her life.
Three heavyweights lend their hand to the voice characterisations, while having a lot of fun winning the princess. Jon Hamm voices the greedy Mayor Jerry, Meryl Streep the insect queen, while James Franco voices Titus, the insect queen’s son.
Director Dabile Chong has worked extensively as a storyboard artist with Disney and Pixar on hits like the TOY STORY franchise. Chong said that one of his inspirations for the films was the nature documentaries in which robot animals are placed in the animal world; "It felt like it was ripe for comedy. His sense of humour should be appreciated by kids and adults alike.
Through the theme of empathy across species, including corporate responsibility, identity and belonging and seeing the world from a different perspective — literally, HOPPERS succeeds as a feel-good sci-fi fantasy that is one absolute winner.
HOPPERS opens in theatres this Friday, March 6th.
Trailer:
PEAKY BLINDERS: THE IMMORTAL MAN (UK 2026) ***
Directed by Tom Knight
Review Embargoed till Thursday9am ET. Please check back later.
PEAKY BLINDERS opens in theatres on March 6th and opens on Netflix on the 20th.
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