The new animated film ARCO looks, feels, and sounds like an anime film, but it’s actually French. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s a “timeless” animated gem that kinda “soars” to life, covering my 3-year-old’s favorite topic – dinosaurs.
So why does it only “semi” soar to life? The film is beautiful to look at. However, it feels like Ugo Bienvenu’s directorial calling card. As you watch it, you can see that this filmmaker has the gift to make something great, and ARCO is just the beginning.
ARCO has a CASTLE IN THE SKY-style animation mixed with a positive message, time travel, and a lovable robot, which has all the makings of imagery that people will reference. And even though the voice acting is top-notch, the real star of the film is the relationship between the two kids (one from the future, and one wanting to be seen and heard).
Final Thought: The hype machine on ARCO makes it feel like this year’s FLOW, and I can safely say it’s not it. It’s a good film that had me questioning the power of love… aka rainbows.
It was released in limited theaters on November 14th, 2025.
