An advanced, highly versatile robot ROZZUM Unit 7134, or just “Roz” (voice by Lupita Nyong’o), finds itself shipwrecked on an uninhabited (by humans) island. In the process of finding a task to
complete as required by her programming, she adapts to her harsh surroundings, allays the natural fears of the island’s animal inhabitants large and small, and inadvertently adopts a gosling (Kit Connor) that imprints on her as his mom when he hatches.

Pedro Pascal voices the most interesting character, the perfectly named Fink the fox, who is forced to resist his natural predatory desires and reluctantly help Roz understand what it means to be a mother. Fink gets all the bests lines. Additional voice talent includes Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu and Ving Rhames. The director is Chris Sanders, who tops his own Lilo and Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon. Adapted from the best-selling book by Peter Brown.

I’ll shut up now and let you discover how the obligatory conflicts emerge and how they’re resolved. It’s one of those rare films that kids will adore, and adults will not only not be insulted, but they’ll adore it just as much. Refreshingly free of those lazy pop-culture references. It’s about motherhood, courage, compassion, being better to those around you and the power of a community that works together in the face of adversity. But mostly motherhood.

If you think you know where this is going, be warned that it will hypnotically insinuate itself into your mind, whence into your heart. And then surprise you. Often. Even this hardened film critic got a little misty at one point. Okay, two. Hands down the best animated film of the year (Oscar nom, plus two others). Hell, maybe the best film, period. Big screen, please. (102 min)