Wish Dragon (2021)

This animated co-production between Sony and Chinese studios takes the classic archetype of the wish-granting genie and transports it to contemporary Shanghai to explore a profoundly human theme: the temptation to use magical shortcuts instead of facing reality with authenticity. Din, a young worker from a humble background, encounters a millennial dragon capable of granting three wishes. His initial goal is superficial —to impress Li Na, his childhood friend now in the world of the elite— but the script skillfully constructs an arc of maturity where the protagonist learns that true friendship cannot be bought with magic nor sustained by masks.

The film celebrates loyalty, humility, and the value of being oneself without pretension. The animation is vibrant, the humor works without resorting to cheap mockery, and the pacing holds the attention of children and adults. For parents, it is an excellent opportunity to converse about the difference between superficial desires and the heart's yearnings, between appearance and substance. A solid choice for the whole family that trusts in classic virtues without the need for postmodern irony.