It is hard to be disappointed in a movie like Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. In a year that, with some notable exceptions aside, has been relatively light on solid animated fare, there is something nice about just getting to take in a largely sweet story like this one. In many ways, considering the release from Pixar this year was quite formulaic, it feels like it could have emerged as one of 2023’s stronger studio animations on par with something like the terrific Turning Red. Alas, while not always defined by formula, it still ends up feeling frequently derivative and slight without putting in the time to dive deeper into its premise. The characters are consistently charming, the humor sufficiently silly, and the animation often beautiful, though the standard path it takes holds it back from fully exploring the potential lurking just beneath the surface. When it all bursts free towards the end is when the film is at its best.