In Your Dreams (2025)

3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Sleepaway Scamps

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

The first feature film by Kuku Studios, established in Berkeley by three former Pixar employees,In Your Dreams is a delight. It's a mix of weird humor, dazzling visuals and just the right amount of heart, as well as a powerful and resonant message. Stevie (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) begins to fear that her parents are on the verge of splitting up. Her mother (voiced by Cristin Milioti) wants to take a job in another town, and her father (voiced by Simu Liu), a struggling musician, wants to stay put. From a mysterious old book, she learns that the Sandman can make a person's dreams come true, so she and her bratty younger brother Elliot (voiced by Elias Janssen) set out on an adventure into their dreams to find him. Dreams include Breakfast Town and a flying bed (with a rocket boost), while nightmares encompass things like teeth falling out and not being prepared for a test. Elliot dreams about having "laser farts" and "dynamite fists." The movie makes excellent use of dream logic without getting into the surreal, keeping it kid-friendly. Craig Robinson voices "Baloney Tony," Elliot's stuffed giraffe, who comes along for the ride. I especially liked a sentient, moldy cupcake named "Delilah." ("I'm a perfect princess!")