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Onward – a Movie Review written by Samantha Lucas

Before I tell you all the wonders of Onward, let me preface with the fact that I am not unbiased here. I am a person who loves quests, adventures, and all things mystical. Therefore, this movie was a gift for me.

Onward is the story of two elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, living in a world that has forgotten magic, primarily because, “magic is hard”. Voiced by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt these two brothers couldn’t be more different from one another.

OH BROTHERS – In Disney and Pixar’s “Onward,” two teenage elf brothers embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left in the world. “Onward” opens in U.S. theaters on March 6, 2020. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Ian is anxious, scared of so many things, and in that very awkward stage of vacillating between feeling invisible, and wishing he was. While Barley is in what his mother calls “the longest gap year ever”. He seems to lack motivation and direction and is totally absorbed in a Dungeons and Dragons type board game, Quests of Yore, which Barely tries wholeheartedly to get his family to realize is all based in real history.

On Ian’s sixteenth birthday their mom, Laurel, gives Ian a present left by his father before he passed away. The present is a wizard’s staff and a magic spell that will supposedly bring their dad back for one full day. However, in the initial attempt to use this spell, remembering “magic is hard”, the spell goes a bit awry propelling the brothers on a quest that challenges them, bonds them, and gives the movie the bulk of its story.

CONJURING DAD – In Disney and Pixar’s “Onward,” brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) are given a special gift from their late father on Ian’s 16th birthday. “Onward” opens in U.S. theaters on March 6, 2020. © 2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Onward is Pixar at its best in my opinion. This movie goes on the shelf besides Coco, Up, WALL-E, and Inside Out, and reminds me of what they’ve always done best in their shorts, entertain us while getting us emotionally invested. This movie makes you feel. It’s beautiful, poignant, and shows us how important it is to remember who we truly are and just how far we can go when we have each other’s back.

I was absolutely thrilled with the side story of the boy’s mom who becomes involved with The Manticore in a perfect moment of girl power as they take on their own quest to find the boys before they find the Phoenix Gem and unleash the curse that they are unaware of.

Aside from the shameless pillaging from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, something I’m assuming was meant as an homage, but still felt a little funny as it was very note for note, this movie is a truly good reminder that there are more rewards on the hard path than the easy one, your travel companions will make or break any quest, and at the end of the day, sometimes we can’t see what’s right in front of us, without the quest.

FATHER & SON — In Disney and Pixar’s “Onward,” 16-year-old Ian (voice of Tom Holland) yearns for the father he lost back before he was born. When a magical gift allows Ian and his brother Barley to conjure their dad—or half him, anyway—Ian’s dreams of getting the fatherly advice he’s always sought just might come true. Directed by Dan Scanlon and produced by Kori Rae, “Onward” opens in U.S. theaters on March 6, 2020. © 2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

This movie is emotional, touching, and fun for everyone, but I think will especially speak to families who’ve lost a parent, obviously to close siblings, and for people like me, quest going, adventure loving, believer of all things mystical.

Disclaimer:

**Please note that I was invited to a complimentary viewing of this movie on February 19, 2020 so that I could bring you this review on behalf of Krista at Disneyways. Complementary admission in no way influenced my review, and all opinions are my own.**

About the Author:

Samantha Lucas is an Author, Mystic, Disney Enthusiast, Dream Follower Extraordinaire. Follow her on Instagram HERE

I received a free movie preview in exchange for writing a review on this blog.

Last week, we were treated to our sneak preview premier of the newest Disney-Pixar movie, Coco. This is my humble review of the movie. I promise this will be a spoiler free review.

The first thing I can say is that you simply HAVE to go see this movie if you enjoy any kind of good movies. From the moment I saw the first artwork, I was drawn in to this colorful and magical world. Once the previews and teaser trailers started coming out, I got even more excited about the movie. However, I was not even prepared for how amazing and well thought out this movie is. So what exactly is the premise of Coco, you might ask?

Well, this movie focuses on the family celebration of Dia De Los Muertos, or the Day Of The Dead. This celebration is a time where families lay out altars, or “ofrendas” filled with pictures of relatives that have passed on along with the family members’ favorite foods. This celebration is one time of the year, it is said, that the passed on may cross the universe and return (in spirit) to the living world and be with their families. The movie focuses on the Rivera family, specifically young Miguel, as he fights his family for his right to be a musician instead of a shoe maker like the rest of the family. His family is against his decision because of an event that happens years ago, but Miguel is determined to be a musician, even if he has to do it behind his family’s backs.

Through a series of comical events, Miguel comes face to face with his family on the “other side” and has to find his way back to the living world before the end of Dia De Los Muertos. However, along the journey of getting back, Miguel discovers that things are not always as they seem, including his family’s history. Finally faced with the truth, he must make a decision that could potentially change his life. Where will this decision take him? Well, for that answer, you must watch the movie, but I guarantee that it will leave you breathless with laughter and leave you with a deeper appreciation for, and better understanding of, the amazing culture of Mexico and Dia De Los Muertos.

There’s also another thing in this movie that followers of Pixar Animation have come to expect and enjoy: the music and the characters. Music plays a very pivotal role in this movie, as has become a bit of custom for anything coming out of the studio, and I have to say that the music in this movie is every bit as good as the music from Frozen (sorry Kristen and Idina). I use this reference because the people behind some of the most memorable music in this movie are the same team from Frozen: husband wife team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The music is just as catchy to me, and I look forward to hearing more from this talented duo. And the characters in this movie are so relatable. Whether you identify with Miguel’s Abuelita, a stern (at first) guardian of the family traditions who in the end just wants what’s best for her family, his Mama Imelda, who was so shaken by the departure of her husband that she bans music in the family forever (again, to protect her family), or Miguel himself, your sure to find a character to suit your fancy in this film, and leave wanting to know more about this amazing family.

To find tickets, just go to http://movies.disney.com/coco. I promise you won’t be disappointed by this amazing movie, and honestly believe that you’ll want to take your family back again and again.

Disclaimer: I received complimentary movie tickets in exchange for writing this review. This did not influence my opinion and all thoughts are my own.