Wonder

Wonder is currently streaming in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Stan, and in the US on fuboTV and MGM+ Amazon Channel, and it uses the format for more than just a visual hook. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. Its 8/10 TMDB score, built from 8,301 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Jacob Tremblay's voice work is a big part of what makes it distinctive. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Wonder is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The look of Wonder gets people in the door, but the writing is what keeps them there. The story of August Pullman – a boy with facial differences – who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time. Jacob Tremblay and Julia Roberts bring voice work that does more than the format usually asks for. Wonder came out in 2017. The animation style is distinctive enough to be immediately recognisable, but it is the writing underneath that keeps viewers coming back for more. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

If you have been sleeping on Wonder because of the format, the format is not the issue here. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Jacob Tremblay brings more to the role than the format usually demands. A harder one to justify skipping than to start.