If Netflix’s In Your Dreams conjures up Pixar’s enchanting realms and heartfelt life lessons, it’s by design.

This film serves as the directorial debut for Alex Woo, a previous story artist for Ratatouille and WALL-E, who departed Pixar to create Kuku Studios. In Your Dreams is the first film from Kuku, heralding the emergence of a hopeful new animation studio.

What is In Your Dreams about?

In Your Dreams begins with an excessively sweet scene: Stevie (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) prepares French toast with her parents (voiced by Simu Liu and Cristin Milioti). They dance and share jokes, but it feels too idyllic to be real—it’s a dream sequence that shifts into a nightmare.

The nightmare is set off by Stevie’s younger brother Elliot (voiced by Elias Janssen), whose crying in the dream leads to pacifiers raining down, igniting a dispute between their parents.

Stevie’s nightmare reflects her actual concerns. As a perfectionist, she shares a space with Elliot, a disorganized would-be magician. However, her anxiety is not solely about his messiness; she perceives the strain between her parents and yearns for the days of family unity.

Stevie and Elliot stumble upon a magical book, The Legend of the Sandman, which whisks them away into their dream realms. They seek out the Sandman (voiced by Omid Djalili) to make a wish for a joyful family.

In Your Dreams presents delightful dreams and unsettling nightmares.

The film’s dream settings are childhood daydreams. Stevie and Elliot navigate a river reminiscent of Disney’s It’s A Small World and Chuck E. Cheese, and they explore Breakfast Town, a realm filled with animated muffins and bacon. There, they encounter Elliot’s plush giraffe Baloney Tony (voiced by Craig Robinson), who guides them with wit and laser farts.

These vivid worlds stand in stark contrast to the subdued reality of Stevie and Elliot’s existence. The film cleverly transforms dreams into nightmares when the siblings become distressed, such as when Breakfast Town is overrun by food zombies.

Woo and the crew infused enjoyment into the film’s nightmares, showcasing classic scenarios like public nudity and outrageous ones like being devoured by a colossal hot dog. The dream motif allows animators to express their creativity, with shipwrecks and references to The Shining and Sailor Moon. The outcome is a thrilling animated journey that profoundly delves into Stevie and Elliot’s family worries.

In Your Dreams addresses parental discord.

The film’s dream chaos is rooted in Stevie and Elliot’s concerns regarding their parents’ relationship, depicted with sincerity. There are no dramatic confrontations or villainizing of either parent, just subdued discussions about potentially needing space and how they’ve evolved. It is a mature portrayal of parental separation and affection.

In Your Dreams recognizes that children are aware of marital strains, leading to their own anxiety. Stevie attempts to mediate, both in dreams and in reality, in hopeful yet pressured efforts to revive the past. The film reassures young audiences facing similar struggles that everything will turn out alright. Amidst magic and fantasy, this theme renders In Your Dreams a genuinely fulfilling experience.

In Your Dreams is currently being shown in select theaters. It debuts on Nov. 14 on Netflix.