We are both really big Pixar fans so when we heard a new movie was coming out we were pretty excited. To be honest though, we hadn’t seen too much marketing about Onward or really know what this new story was about. When we were invited to an early screening we went in knowing not much more than this was a story about two brother on a magical adventure. We discovered this story had a lot of interesting facets. Read on to hear what we thought about this latest addition to the Pixar film family…

Ian and Barley Lightfoot inside the car — Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) are two teenage elf brothers who embark on an extraordinary quest in a van named Guinevere to discover if there is still a little magic left in the world.

Official Film Synopsis:

When teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) get an unexpected opportunity to spend one more day with their late dad, they embark on an extraordinary quest aboard Barley’s epic van Guinevere. Like any good quest, their journey is filled with magic spells, cryptic maps, impossible obstacles and unimaginable discoveries. But when the boys’ fearless mom Laurel (voice of Julia Louis-Dreyfus) realizes her sons are missing, she teams up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion, former warrior – aka The Manticore (voice of Octavia Spencer) – and heads off to find them. Perilous curses aside, this one magical day could mean more than any of them ever dreamed. Directed by Dan Scanlon and produced by Kori Rae, Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” opens in U.S. theaters on March 6, 2020.

Brothers Ian and Barley are given a special gift from their late father on Ian’s 16th birthday. But when an accompanying spell meant to magically conjure their dad for one day goes awry, they embark on a quest fraught with some of the most unexpected obstacles.

Julie's Thoughts

Disney and Pixar’s Onward introduces us to a suburban fantasy world with elves, sprites, satyrs, cyclops, centaurs, gnomes and trolls, among other creatures from mythology, folklore, fables and fantasy fiction. The world used to be filled with magic, but with time and change it has faded away to everyone preferring modern conveniences instead. We are soon introduced to an elf family: the Lightfoots. Ian is a shy teen celebrating his 16th birthday, his older brother Barley who loves dabbling in old world lore, and their sweet but strong mother Laurel. The boys’ father had sadly passed away years ago before Ian was born. When Laurel presents a gift left behind by their Dad the boys discover that there may be some magic in the world and venture off on a quest to try to spend one magical day with him. I felt this movie asked that question “what if I could have one more day with a departed loved one?”

In true Pixar fashion I found Onward to be a really strong original story. I love how Pixar finds a way to take an abstract idea like mythical creatures and normalize them into a modern human-like world. It’s always fun to point out the details in the background like having a dragon for a pet, business signs, or a cold appetizer at a restaurant being heated by a fire breathing beast. I found this film also quickly established family dynamics and introduced characters that I cared about. There were definitely some emotional moments (I imagine especially so for people who have lost a parent). There were also lots of moments that had me laughing out loud. While some movies seem to be predictable, Onward kept me guessing a little bit and felt very adventurous at times. (There was a highway chase scene that really had my heart pumping a bit).

Onward did an awesome job of creating a little escape from the world with this touching fantasy. I found myself really invested in the characters, the story, the details. I laughed, got teary eyed, and couldn’t wait to continue “onward” to see where the quest would take them next. I thoroughly enjoy the film and can’t think of anything I would have added or changed. I think Onward is one of Pixar’s best original ideas in awhile and I can’t wait to see it again. Make sure to add this magical tale to your must-see list and enjoy a little trip to a new magical land.

HER RATING: 4.5 out of 5 “Guineveres”

The boys’ mom Laurel Lightfoot teams up with the Manticore to find Ian and Barley and warn them of the danger that awaits them. — The boys’ mom Laurel Lightfoot (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) teams up with the Manticore (Octavia Spencer) to find Ian and Barley and warn them of the danger that awaits them.

Andrew's Thoughts

Onward is Disney and Pixar storytelling at its best. Don't let the fact that there are some sorcerer elements to the movie scare you into thinking it's just an animated Harry Potter movie. This is far from that. While there are some scenes that include magic and sorcery, it really is a whole new world with the amount of creatures that live there. At the end of the day though I found this film really revolves around family and tells a feel good story. I found myself really invested in young Ian and his longing to be able to meet his Dad.

There were certain details from this new world that I really enjoyed such as Barley’s beater van Guinevere (who was almost a character herself), seeing Pixies as a biker gang, and a mystical tavern-turned-kiddie-birthday-party joint. Just again and again I found new surprises and moments that were really engaging or heartwarming. Onward moved at a great pace, I was never bored and entertained the whole time. I was invested in the story and even the end had a bit of a twist I wasn’t expecting. I also found an underlying message that was thought provoking. It seemed there was a parallel to the real world that started to explore technology and how it can be both a benefit and a hindrance, where some quality ways of the past may get swept to the side.

I have to admit I wasn’t super excited going into this film, because I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I’m a guy that loves Toy Story and Inside Out. I wasn’t sure if Onward would come close to films like that. But this film really exceeded my expectations and has earned a well rounded spot towards the top end of my Pixar list. We really think people will enjoy this film and should venture “onward” to the theater soon!