This year, we’ve seen a plethora of films from former Disney and Pixar brass hit the mainstream. From Light of the World to Out of the Nest, animators and directors have fled the “House of Mouse” to either start independent projects or move to other companies. Director Alex Woo left Pixar to start Kuku Studios, the outfit behind the new animated film, In Your Dreams, which will be streaming globally on Netflix by the end of the week.
The animated adventure follows a young girl named Stevie (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and her little brother Elliot (Elias Janssen) as they navigate a growing divide in their household. Their mother, Jenn (Cristin Milioti), and father, Michael (Simu Liu), used to perform duets under the name Hypsonics. Michael is still holding on to the past, working on an album with no end in sight, while Jenn is eyeing a move to Duluth to become an assistant professor. With one parent looking forward and the other planted in the present, the friction becomes visible to the kids. As the eldest, Stevie is convinced that she’s the only one capable of saving her family and keeping them together.
The only way to save her family, she believes, is by escaping to a world of dreams and having the Sandman (Omid Djalili) grant her wish. Stumbling across the book in a restricted area at a bookstore, the pair head home, with Stevie anxious to learn more. Over the course of the next few nights, the two discover they can be in each other’s dreams at once, embarking on a magical, imaginative adventure to save their parents.
The story hits close to home for Alex Woo, who recounted his own mother needing time away from their family to “figure things out.” He, too, had a sibling to rely on and thankfully, didn’t have to experience it alone. Just like Woo and his brother, Stevie and Elliot built a bond on their journey together, as she often saw him as an interruption to her perfect life.
The cool thing about dreams is that anything can happen. This is where writers can flex their imaginations the most because there are no limitations. Talking objects like food and clothing became the norm, and Elliot’s stuffed giraffe, Baloney Toney (Craig Robinson), suddenly became the source of endless comedy. Like a Donkey to his Shrek, Baloney Toney had to do some growing of his own, but stayed loyal to his friend Elliot, no matter the situation (he even sounded like Donkey).
The story feels like a bunch of segments from other stories were looped together to try something new. The kids flying on a bed felt very much like Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, while the interactions with the Sandman felt more like a dusty Santa Claus. It’s easy enough to follow that kids should get a kick out of it, but outside of a few antics from Baloney Toney, it’s a snoozer for adults. On the positive end, audiences will be exposed to themes of humility and adaptation. A certain level of maturity is found by Michael, and both he and Stevie learn to adapt to the respective changes occurring in their lives.
In Your Dreams gets a 7 out of 10. Like the aforementioned films in the beginning, I always give props to former Disney/Pixar people who brave the animated world on their own. Now, a good decision was made in not including musical numbers. Forcing a song where mediocrity lies its head would’ve been a terrible choice. Elliot is annoying and distracting in the first half of the film, but becomes bearable as time goes on. Nobody really stands out besides Baloney Toney, making Craig Robinson the real winner here. If you have free time this weekend, stream it. This is nothing to set a reminder for.
In Your Dreams premieres globally on Netflix on Nov. 14.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Netflix
Genre: Animation
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1 hr 30 minutes
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: November 14, 2025, on Netflix