Boys Go to Jupiter Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Boys Go to Jupiter Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 18, 2026

Julian Glander gets a little weird for his feature-length directorial debut, “Boys Go to Jupiter.” It’s an animated offering of absurdity and screen detail, delivering a Wes Anderson-y spin on the experiences of a 16-year-old kid trying to take on an adult world of financial responsibilities and relationships. Glander plays with dryness and video game-like visuals, but he’s fully committed to the oddity of his screenplay, which demands viewers go with its flow as it visits areas of adolescence, weird science, and late-stage capitalism while it also explores teen dilemmas of life and love. “Boys Go to Jupiter” is a creative effort from Glander, and it possesses enough humor and visual idiosyncrasy to hold attention as the tale dances with unreality and musical interests while visiting the secret lives of Floridians.

Billy 5000 (voiced by Jack Corbett) is an incredibly smart teenager who’s dropped out of school, trying to make $5,000 as a delivery man for Grubster, using a small time scam to do so. He lives in a small Florida town, occasionally palling around with Freckles (Grace Kuhlenschmidt), Peanut (J.R. Phillips), and Beatbox (Elsie Fisher), but professional duties keep him busy, even sleepless, traveling all over on a hoverboard making deliveries to an odd line-up of customers. One such order is placed by Rosario Dolphin, or Rozebud (Miya Folick), the daughter of Dr. Dolphin (Janeane Garofalo), who runs Dolphin Groves, an orange processing factory and secret lab. Billy 5000 reunites with Rozebud, an old classmate, electing to take an experimental lemon during his visit. As the adolescent attempts to make money and deal with others, he’s visited by a small alien he names Donut, and the visitor stays close as Billy 5000 handles his emotional and monetary business as his worlds grow increasingly stranger.

It’s winter break in “Boys Go to Jupiter,” leaving kids like Freckles, Beatbox, and Peanut on their own while guardians deal with their responsibilities. This means time at an empty beach, embracing the liberation of warm weather, giving Freckles, the leader of the pack, a chance to explore his love of mischief and hanging out, which was something the gang used to do with Billy 5000. The older teen is now a driven young man, and Glander follows his routine, which involves food delivery from local restaurants to bizarre people, including one secretive “spaghetti critic” who demands his orders be pushed through a mail slot. Billy 5000 is scripted as a character often inside his own head, trying to make it through the days without sleeping as a way to reach his financial goal in the shortest time possible, using an exchange rate scheme on the Grubster app to build a small fortune.

“Boys Go to Jupiter” gets a lot of mileage out of touring the area. Glander seems to understand the Florida vibe and community experience, putting Billy 5000 on the move, eventually taking him to Dolphin Groves to reconnect with Rozebud. It’s here where something of a plot begins to take shape, putting Billy 5000 around a lemon he steals from the collection, also experiencing the intensity of Dr. Dolphin, who appears in robot form, offering little patience for her child’s disinterest in the business. The stolen lemon is returned to repeatedly in the film, and the arrival of Donut takes things in a strange direction, adding an alien element to “Boys Go to Jupiter.” Also of interest are many musical interludes in the picture, which often breaks away to give characters a chance to articulate their feelings through song, pausing the action.

Boys Go to Jupiter Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image presentation (1.78:1 aspect ratio) for "Boys Go to Jupiter" provides a richly colorful viewing experience. This being a Florida tale, oranges and blues dominate the palette, and primaries are equally powerful. Alien hues favor a more glowing look, and artistic intent remains intact. Animation detail is appealing, exploring smoother looks for the characters, while community tours carry interesting textures. Delineation is satisfactory. Some compression issues are found along the way, with banding periodic. Brief blockiness is found as well.

Boys Go to Jupiter Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix maintains clear dialogue exchanges throughout "Boys Go to Jupiter," which follows a wide range of performance styles and alien languages. Music is distinct, with a full synth sound and crisp vocals. Sound effects are lively, and atmospherics are appreciable, exploring location changes and community activity.

Boys Go to Jupiter Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet contains the behind-the-scenes journey for "Boys Go to Jupiter," collecting images and thoughts from writer/director Julian Glander.

• Commentary features writer/director Julian Glander, executive producer Peisin Yang Lazo, and actor Max Wittert.

• "Julian Glander Short Films" (HD) include 2014's "Street Demon" (:29), 2016's "Bloop's Birthday" (3:27), 2018's "Skybaby," and 2024's "Working Myself Into a Puddle" (2:01).

• Music Videos (HD) offer "Winter Citrus" (1:41), "No Batteries" (1:08), "Egg Song" (1:37), and "Beverages Have Different Flavors" (1:37).

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:47, HD) is included.

Boys Go to Jupiter Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Glander has a lot on his mind in "Boys Go to Jupiter," which examines capitalist theory and the employment grind. There's also time with family, as Billy 5000 lives with his older sister, trying to avoid his mother as he gives up on education, despite his skills as a "human computer." The writing can be elusive at times, attempting to pack in too much for Glander's patience levels, but he scores with conversational and observational moments. Voicework is low-key and colorful, bringing personality to the endeavor. And animation is inventive and interesting, with compelling character designs and environments. "Boys Go to Jupiter" isn't an exhaustive viewing experience, and while it provides an amusing conclusion, it also indulges a bit of randomness. However, Glander makes a very cozy picture containing many artful highlights and some laughs, crafting a promising debut with this slice of oddity.