Pixar's Luca REVIEW 

Alright, let me get on my Little Mermaid soap box. Eric wasn't Ariel's one and only motivation. She'd been enamored with human culture her whole life. Where do you think that whole grotto came from? If Ariel just wanted to leave because of Eric, she would've gone right to Ursula after meeting him for the first time. She didn't go to Ursula until her own father destroyed her entire grotto--her lifetime's work. She was driven away just as much as she was driven towards something. It really bugs me when people try to push that narrative that Ariel's storyline is so anti-feminist. I hope the live action doesn't change the true spirit of her story.

I just love this for movie for what it is. Sure it's doesn't have the complex themes of Inside Out and Soul, it doesn't have the emotional punch of Up and Coco but I love it for it's simplicity and innocence. This movie brings out the joys of childhood, those days that we spent having fun with our friends and there's no worry in the world. This is a personal story for Enrico Casarosa and I believe Pixar decided to make this movie because it's not the usual pixar film. It's different. It's personal and it's only about friendship. Sometimes less is more and it is far from company's weakest effort.

Can we all stop with that bad take on the Little Mermaid. Ariel wanted to go BEFORE she even met Eric. Sometime I think that y'all didn't watch the movie.

Grace I cannot see how you didn’t cry. I was a crying mess through the whole movie. I liked this better than Soul, Raya, and Onward. This was such a beautiful film with so much heart. And Pixar should have been offended that this is free in Disney+

I thought it was pretty good tbh, I don’t feel like every Pixar movie needs to be this HUGE thing. The small scale was perfect imo.

I felt it was kinda Ghibli like, it kinda reminded me of Kiki’s Delivery Service with how it was about a supernatural presence entering a small town and integrating itself into it. I also really liked how they just made the father have a birth defect without giving him some sad backstory as to why he doesn’t have an arm and made him 100% capable with only one I thought it was a nice touch

''The seaweed is always greener in the other ocean'' - Grace Randolf XD

To me it was positively "The Little Mermaid" meets "Call Me By Your Name" and I loved it

Hmm I feel like I watched a completely different movie. Yes the films depictions of Italy are colorful and breathtaking, but the story is definitely there too. It's a great story of friendship, acceptance of those who are different and wanting to change things in your town for the better. No mention of those themes in this review seems odd. Most definitely hits the Pixar mark.

I loved it's simplicity, heart and authenticity; The movie is about friendship, growth and acceptance, how delightful! I think that a good story doesn't have to be complicated or convoluted and I think LUCA resonates in a different way to different people. Although it doesn't explicitly represents LGBTQ+ topics, in a way it kinda does; when the townspeople change their mind about "sea monsters" for example. For me when the thin-moustached douchebag said "they shouldn't exist" sounded eerily familiar but when the people stood out for them and accepted them made me cry. I also cried when Luca went away cause we've all been there! growing and changing is always good! This was a very good movie.

“elsa doesn’t have any interests, her interests are being sad and alone” 😂

This movie was so sweet. I did cry (twice). My 6yr old has been counting sleeps until "Luca Day". She has watched it through a second time.

The fact that people are trying to put this in the same category as The Good Dinosaur and Cars 2 &3 boggles my mind. This new era of pixar is about personal stories for new creators and experimentation. Not every story has to be grand and large scale like Coco or Soul. Movies like Onward and Luca add a balance, and tell what seem like simple stories with deeper meaning. Andddddd also, if I may, I saw this movie as a big metaphor for the LGBTQ+ experience, especially coming out. "some people, they'll never accept him. But some will. And he seems to know how to find the good ones."

As a gay man, I can definetly tell you the whole movie is a BIG metaphor about growing up as part of the LGBT community in a small town. Wether it was intended on purpose or not, the similarities are all just there and not hard to spot at all. For me Alberto represents someone who's not afraid to come out (of the water, get it?) and Luca is more shy about it, but with Alberto's help he takes the step and discovers new aspects of his life he never dared to before. During the whole movie, you can see such a strong bond between Luca and Alberto, and especially at the end. Let me tell you, Woody and Buzz, are best friends, Luca and Alberto come across as more than that. There are so many other similarities with the LGBT experience to point out but, spoilers. I'm surprised because I thought it was so obvious you didn't need to be part of the LGBT community to spot it. I think seeing the movie through that lense makes it so much more enjoyable than it already is.

Little Mermaid wanted to see the world outside of the ocean, Prince was just a bonus.

Grace: "I didn't cry. There was no crying, it's not that type of movie." ...are we sure that this is a Pixar movie 🤨?

I beg to differ that this movie doesn’t have LGBTQ+ themes. Yes, Luca and Alberto don’t “fall in love” but they are considered freaks that the town wants to kill. The LGBTQ+ community has been marginalized for many years and people, to this day, still discriminate against us simply because of who we are (or as they would say, for what we are). The Mr. Vespa guy (didn’t care to remember his name) even mentioned that the town is completely afraid of sea monsters and that’s simply the only reason they wanted to kill them. But once the town got to know them a little bit better, they could come to accept them. That is the battle the LGBTQ+ community faces every day. Simple acceptance. And the key factor playing in the discrimination against our community and every single minority community is fear. I’d also like to add that Luca and Alberto have a far stronger connection than that of brothers, in my opinion. So yeah, there’s no romance but this is absolutely a movie for LGBTQ+ representation. If only Disney would finally be outright about it…….

The comment about you not crying and saying “it’s not that kind of movie” is discrediting how other people experienced the movie, you of all people should know there isn’t one way to watch or experience a work of art , I for one cried like a baby because it was relatable in many different ways, especially to the lgbt experience, I love your reviews tho

I loved Luca! I grew up in a small town and during all those years I was afraid ALL THE TIME people would find out I was gay. I was really scared they would think I was a monster or something like that. It´s really hard trying to live hiding who you are. It was hard coming out but it got much better after I did. So Luca touched me a lot. This movie will from now on be forever in my heart.

Grace they eat pasta with pesto and not with tomato sauce because this movie is inspired be the 5 lands national park in the region of Liguria, in the north of Italy, and that region is famous for pesto, it's where it originated from. And if you want and even more accurate experience you should eat it with trofie, which is the type of pasta speciality of Liguria. When you come to Italy next time and you want to experience the same location as Luca be sure to go to the 5 lands, they're fantastic :)

For the first time I gotta disagree with you. I loved the movie, is the best pixar movie since wall-e and there was so much lgbt+ representation that Really moved everything inside of me. I cried two times and I need a sequel.

I don't think Ariel was obsessed with Erick, he was just the last straw in her desire to be part of the human world

Ariel's obsession was with all humankind. C’mon people!

I’m having a small family get together in my garden watching this on my 300” 4K projector 😉🌸

Grace, you totally missed the 'call me by your name' gay subversion in Luca. The movie is much more enjoyable and made so much sense when it is watched in that lens.

For me the movie was extremely gay, it feel so relatable to growing up gay experience. I see the whole movie as gay coded. Which make sense considering the demogragic and the company that made it. I agree the movie felt small but still so charming

I thought it was super good, the friendship between the two boys was so good and the world was amazing. A video game would be an amazing experience

Don’t know what you’re talking about, it seriously made me cry! And I liked the weird and wacky Sacha BC cameo! Definitely glad I ignored Grace on this one and watched it!

Absolutely loved this movie. Simple story but deep emotions. It has many flavors of love between characters and it made me cry at the end when Alberto sent Luca off to chase his dream. It has nothing to do with your appearance, everyone deserves an opportunity and when you are brave enough to grab it, the cloudy sky will turn bright.

I think Pixar employees are offended that it’s going to Disney+ for free! And it’s easy to see why they would be upset. Raya was released with ‘early access’ for $30/£20, while Luca and a much superior Soul - were just thrown on there for free. It does seem kinda rude on Disneys end…

Just finished Luca and I cannot stand The Good Dinosaur This movie was Amazing and def nowhere near as bad in my opinion 🤷🏾‍♂️

Sorry, Grace. Not sure how you missed it. The entire movie is a gay allegory. This is absolutely a “coming out” story full of very real, lived experiences of any young queer person. I could make an entire list, but there are other articles out there that do the same. And if you understand those experiences, then yes, the movie will make you cry - especially the end.

Hey Grace long time fan I just finished the movie and I respectfully have to disagree this was a really good movie. With some very surprising moments for me I agree with the some similarities to little mermaid but to be honest they are shallow comparisons I feel once you get passed them. I am happy this was made. I’m trying to think about if it was a theater release instead of streaming I’m not sure. I would love to see the animation on the big screen though.

I think partly why Luca doesn't have 'sad' scene is because we ourselves have been living in sad situation as we are now thanks to COVID and they want to take our mind of off it for abit.

I don't know why the whole 'lack of Italian actors/authenticity' is such a thing. No one complained about how Brave was a completely bastardised version of Scottish history and culture.

3:50 if you want there to be, there really is! This whole movie felt like a big allegory towards coming out. I can resemble and connect so many emotions of the plot, decisions, lines to my own coming out (and some stuff I've heard from others). I'd even go as far as to say that, in some aspects, it was better, in terms of understanding the fear of coming out, thank some actual LGBTQ movies/series focussed on it.

The only movies I have liked pixar recently is coco and soul. Onward did not feel pixar at all to me it felt very dreamworks like and now this. Not my cup of tea but I respect the ones that enjoy it

That little girl was the cutest thing. It captured childhood friendships & bullies perfectly.

I loved this movie and the story it told. As well as the atmosphere and setting, not to mention animation. And the characters were all enjoyable and well voiced.

Luca looks like a pixar short film that somehow made to be long-lengh.

I cried so hard after watching Luca. It's beautiful and simple.. Thanks pixar.

I really enjoyed this movie. The bond of friendship and what that friendship means to you. And for some of us, bonds that have lasted decades past childhood. That theme is complex, and probably only connects with those that have those friendships.

This movie is just incredibly beautiful. Top 3 of Pixar for me. Almost cried at the end of the movie. I really don't understand some comments of Grace about this movie

This movie is like a cross between “The Little Mermaid” & “Call Me By Your Name”

Grace I can’t believe you missed Sebastian’s classic line! The seaweed is always greener in somebody else’s lake 🎶

I just watched Luca and it was actually amazing. A very beautiful story about friendship that was simple which sometimes more is less you don’t need someone to die lmao and the ending could definitely make one cry!

I am very sad that you outside Italy didn't like this movie. We Italians are really loving it.

The movie is amazing. The story is lighthearted and a breath of fresh air. It isn't anything suspenseful but not every good movie needs suspense or to explain itself, sometimes just a laidback experience is all you need and the Mediterranean setting of the movie really brings that chill out of it.

91% on Rotten Tomatoes with 164 reviews not bad

I have no idea what your talking about this film was amazing

How did you not see the gay undertones? Hahaha Especially at the end with the two elderly woman revealing themselves after the boys

Honestly before I continue to watch: I wasn't conflicted. It was a fantastic movie to me (just finished it 5 minutes ago) and I am in love with it

I just saw the movie! It was so good. Everyone loved it! The movie is fun, it was visually beautiful, and it was very heart-warming

Grace: "It's like The Good Dinosaur." Me: "OOOOF!!!!"

Got to admit, really disagree with this review. If you were looking for strong LGBT themes, they’re absolutely there.

I did cried, when Lucas's friend found a father figure and it was so organic and another kind of love story that we never get.

I absolutely ADORED it. I'm kinda glad that it's not like a huge thing. It was simple in the most perfect way possible. It's totally rewatchable imo.

That Elsa burn though LOL

Isn't the whole movie a metaphor of being a part of the LGBT community? It's what I got out of it immediately once the film ended. Especially with the line "Some people will never accept them, but some will. And he (Luca) seems to know how to find the good ones"

As an Italian I appreciate that FINALLY you guys didn’t stereotype us this time , you represented vintage Italy almost as an Italian would , in fact the director was Italian 🤙🇮🇹🔝

Ariel is a super nerd about humans even before she fell for Price Erik. She had a whole cave with humans things, she sings part of your world before she mets Eric.

I really enjoyed the lightness of the story, the beauty of the Italian coast, and characters that really seemed to connect and care for each other. This was way better than the good Dinosaur. It reminded me of a Miyazaki movie we’re friendship and is a theme and focus that’s worth spending time with.

The seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake!

I didn't expect much from this, and that turned out to have been a good thing. The movie surprised me, it was a fun watch. Has a nice message and it's great that different cultures are getting a shot in these new Disney movies. (It took them long enough). Which only promises for the future. I loved the art style, it made me think of Shulz's Charlie Brown

I’m more excited about this than Soul …. Love mermaids and Italy

One of my favourite films released in 2021. Loved it and Luca was just too damn cute.

La Luna is one of my favourite Disney Pixar shorts. It's always making me tear up. It's so mesmerising and beautiful 🤩🤩🤩

Hmmm I am LGBT and I still kind of felt a slight LGBT undertone at times...

Lowkey... I'm more hyped to watch Luca then I was with Soul. I mean Soul was too sad like a Lifetime movie but Luca seems way more fun.

I was excited to know what your options would be on this film, sadly everything you said sounds like what I expected but the main reason I wanted to watch this was I love the atmosphere 🤩

The Queer allegory is not about Luca having a crush. It's about his whole experience being different and the difficulty of coming out and having society accepts you for being different.

I honestly believe that Disney had no intention on making this LGTB but they mistakenly made a very cute and sweet LGTB story.

I absolutely loved it! I appreciated that it felt more like an older, more traditional animated movie.

lmao, "you wanted there to be lgbt aspects in this movie, but there are not".... did you even watch it? hahahaha

Grace: “Elsa’s interest is being sad and alone” Me: “Me”

Grace is the second person I've seen point out the lack of Italian or at least Italian-American actors so... yeah it's a really missed opportunity there that said, it may have been studio meddling why the movie feels like an americanized version of Italy as the director hadn't really directed before, so they likely hold him back in a number of things. Coco at least had the advantage that the people leading the project had worked at Pixar for ages and thus had built up some actual trust in their capacities by then, so they got to go a lot deeper

You know how they say you always tell if the person you are with at that time feels about you, by the way they look at you. That is how you can tell the type of review grace will give us. By the look she has in the thumbnail. Some might say it is in her eyes 👀.

It looks like a miss opportunity 😕 At least it makes me glad what you said about the world of Luca. I’am an italian descendent and I’ve never been in Italy. I was about to go and the pandemic hit because I want to reconnect with its culture and that’s why I really want to see this one anyway.

Can’t wait for this movie, I miss going to Italy 😢, can’t wait to watch this to get the feels of my past trips there

I really was looking forward to watch this movie. It has a lot of inspiration from anime Ghibli Studios. I loved it! ❤ I laughed, I cried. I was touched with their strong friendship. Great colors and animation.

ARIEL WAS NO OBSESSED WITH ERIC OMG. She was obsess with HUMANS. Eric was her way to the human world. If anything she had a little crush on him and was using him to become fully human. Her leaving the sea world was because Triton destroyed her stuff and didn’t respect her interests, not because she was obsessed with a man.

European movies: nothing happened WITH GRAVITAS! that comment killed me. So true!

This looked like an interesting take on Lu Over The Wall from the trailers, it’s a shame that it didn’t pan out.

I’m making carbonara to watch luca - not the lightest pasta dish like the ones you recommended but I’ve been wanting to fulfill that craving anyway so this feels like a good place to do that .. accompanying it with tomato and pesto bread

Got the Disney River cruise ads watching this video lol

Lol In 4:47 if you look at the picture of Luca and that girl in the bottom Donald Duck is there😭

This is one of those times I have to disagree with Grace. I absolutely loved this movie and it gave me all the feels. I wouldn't change a thing.

The little mermaid was obsessed with the human world and wanted to dance. Eric was just her ticket out. A whole new world was about finding a new life and it was before she met the Prince

The Little Mermaid is ultimately a love at first sight story. Either you're cool with that or not. I gain nothing by trying to argue a 30+ yr old children's movie is "acceptable" or "responsible" per today's political sensibilities. Ariel and Eric both lack dimension, but serve their purpose in the story; which is to convey how powerful sudden romance can be.

I despise the Good Dinosaur, but I really love Luca, change my mind.

The point of the Little Mermaid, was that she was infatuated with the other world outside the ocean. I don't understand the issue at all. The Little Mermaid is suppose to be romantic. People confuse me.

Characters have to make mistakes. Ariel makes mistakes and pays for them.

Good to know not to expect too much from this. Still gonna watch it, but I feel like now I can enjoy it more now that I know what mindset to go into it with 👍

Isn’t there a Italy pavilion at Epcot? Wouldn’t they put it there and not France like a grace said?

I personally loved Luca. It might now be LGBT representation but it definitely spoke on a lot of experiences we have. It’s as close as I think we’ll get from Disney. Plus it was so adorable! It’s kind of a comfort movie to me now 😊

I always kind of take issue when people fault the movie for "not living up to the Pixar standard." Is it such a crime to make a lighthearted, enjoyable movie? Do they all need to be profound? Isn't it enough, sometimes, for a movie to just be charming and comforting?

Thanks for the review Grace. Much ❤ as always 😊

grace how do you know when I need something to watch you release a BTT video❤🤣

Grace's thumbnail faces tell me everything lol

Finally got to watch this with the family on Disney+ and I really enjoyed it! I didn't feel like it needed much more. I enjoyed it more than I expected. Simple and feel good is just what you need sometimes. ;)