Strange World

Friday, December 9 until Thursday, December 22, 2022Yukon Theatre

A family of explorers attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob, a three-legged dog and a slew of ravenous creatures.

The voice cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher Clade, a family man who finds himself out of his element on an unpredictable mission; Dennis Quaid as Searcher’s larger-than-life explorer father, Jaeger; Jaboukie Young-White as Searcher’s 16-year-old son, Ethan, who longs for adventure; Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade, an accomplished pilot and Searcher’s partner in all things; and Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal, Avalonia’s fearless leader who spearheads the exploration into the strange world. Helmed by Don Hall (Oscar®-winning “Big Hero 6,” “Raya and the Last Dragon”) and co-director/writer Qui Nguyen (co-writer “Raya and the Last Dragon”), and produced by Roy Conli (Oscar®-winning “Big Hero 6,” “Tangled”).

Recommended for ages 8+. Some mild peril.

From Commonsensemedia.org: Parents need to know that Strange World is an exciting animated sci-fi adventure that follows the Clades, a family of famous explorers who must put aside their differences to hunt down whatever is killing their town's power-providing plants. Inspired by retro sci-fi films, the movie features several life-or-death pursuits and close calls, including the death of a minor character and the use of a flamethrower and other weapons to defeat foes. The story has positive messages about the environment, diplomatic relations, and honest communication between parents and children, whether they're teens or adults. Teenage Ethan Clade (voiced by Jaboukie Young-White) is openly gay (although the word is never said) and has a crush on another boy. He's also biracial, but his identity isn't the movie's focus. It's just part of the general inclusivity of the cast, which has representation across categories of race, ethnicity, and disability (the family has a happy tripod dog).