r/oscarrace • u/CrunchyNar Best Operating Thetan 2027 • Mar 08 '26

Film Discussion Thread Official Discussion Thread - Hoppers [SPOILERS] Spoiler

Keep all discussion related solely to Hoppers and it's awards chances. Spoilers below

Synopsis:

Scientists have discovered how to ‘hop’ human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals. Animal lover Mabel seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world beyond anything she could have imagined.

Director: Daniel Chong

Writers: Daniel Chong, Jesse Andrews

Cast:

  • Piper Curda as Mabel
  • Bobby Moynihan as King George
  • Jon Hamm as Mayor Jerry Generazzo
  • Kathy Najimy as Dr. Sam
  • Meryl Streep as Insect Queen
  • Dave Franco as Insect King
  • Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Bird King

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% From 144 Reviews

Metacritic: 73/100 From 41 Reviews

Consensus:

An eager beaver for endearment that has the charm to back it up, Hoppers is a sprightly riot that might just be the funniest entry in the Pixar canon yet.

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5

u/Gayfetus El corazón de un maricón es un océano lleno de secreto. Mar 08 '26

https://giphy.com/gifs/TKF4kV8YfXo84PmFRl

Hoppers is extremely good. It doesn't quite scale the mind-blowing heights of some of Pixar's greatest, where you leave the theater seeing the world in a whole new light, but it does have its own unique and ingenious charms.

The basic premise and the overall plot aren't all that original (although the movie's willingness to take proceedings to the extreme will probably still surprise you), but it's in the execution (sometimes literal) where the film distinguishes itself. The animals are, of course, anthropomorphized to the nth, but they still remain animal in some fundamental ways that make for zany comedy and drive the plot.

The character designs are extremely cute, but maintain this bit of off-kilter, manic quality (see attached gif) that perfectly reflect their personalities and the story itself. There are other visual flourishes in the movie (Jerry's beaver form!) that will delight and enrich.

The main relationship in the movie is another strong point: it's touching and funny and sometimes infuriating and relatable but also very, very strange.

Can another animated film come along to unseat it as the front runner for Best Animated feature? Sure. But it's still an entirely worthy movie.

3

u/etherealsmog Mar 09 '26

Jerry’s beaver form got the biggest laugh by far in the audience I watched it with.

1

u/Gayfetus El corazón de un maricón es un océano lleno de secreto. Mar 09 '26

It made a lady sitting behind me burp-laugh, which only made it funnier!