Onward (March 6, 2020)

This is the most recent Pixar film (and Disney film in general) to be released in theaters- a mere week before the near-worldwide shut down due to Coronavirus. I was fortunate enough to watch it in theaters before this occurred (a week early, in fact) but decided to re-watch it in August for the purposes of this review. Going into my first watch through, I had seen the trailers and while I loved the fantasy aesthetic, I just was not excited for the overall film. It seemed derivative and, honestly, bland despite its magical elements. But I was proven wrong during the film. I ended up loving almost every bit of this delightfully weird and heartfelt brotherly adventure. The animation was fantastic, as per Pixar’s top quality, with particularly the facial expressions, wonderous magic, lighting and other elemental effects (fire and water). Even something as simple and mundane as crossing of items on a list are so lovingly rendered that they pack tons of meaning in every pen stroke. What adds to the atmosphere is the gorgeous soundtrack that perfectly elevates both the moments of levity and drama. Moving on to the story itself, the story follows teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley as they embark on a magical quest to spend one more day with their late father. I loved the evolving relationship between the two brothers as they grew from distrust, annoyance, and even animosity towards one another to a supportive and loving relationship. It is not an easy road to get to this endpoint and it can be slow at times, but the journey is so engrossing and rich I had no problem with the pacing of the film. Most of the side characters range from uninteresting to annoying, with exceptions being Corey the Manticore and the brother’s mother, Laurel. Additionally, while avoiding spoilers in this review I will say that it is a nice touch how every spell that Ian learns is expertly used in the final climatic battle, no knowledge is gone to waste. Overall, Onward has shot up to become one of my favorite Pixar movies with its wonderful world and great relationship building between its two protagonists. It was not given its due in theaters because of the current pandemic so I strongly encourage everyone to give it a change at home!

Final Rating: 9/10