Nimona (2023)

‘Nimona’ is a blast of inventive animation and heartfelt storytelling. The movie, which almost didn’t survive Disney’s takeover of 20th Century Fox, is a delightful blend of fantasy, sci-fi and comedy adventure.

One of the movie’s smartest moves – whether it was driven by budget concerns or not, was to largely skip the big-name actor voice cast in favor of people who just fit the roles. Beyond Ahmed, Moretz, Conroy and Bennett (who is a ‘Saturday Night Live’ veteran), most of the cast vanish into their characters, which helps you focus on the story.

Ahmed, of course, is excellent as Ballister, by turns driven and funny, nervous and assured. And he plays well against Moretz, who is a bundle of energy as the title character, who harbors a broken heart inside her ebullient personality. Lee, meanwhile, handles the role of Ambrosius with sensitivity, and Bennet brings big bro energy to Thoddeus.