Onward

In a land once known for magic, teen elf brothers Ian and Barley (Tom Holland, Chris Pratt) find themselves on a quest to meet their long since passed father. But, the true meaning and self discovery of their mission is a mystery the two will only understand at their journey’s end. Directed by Dan Scanlon and Written by Scanlon and Jason Headley this animated hero’s quest in search of knowledge follows all of the requisite self exploration themes for any well crafted screenplay, in this case a vision through the comedic filter of a magical land that’s gone soft in favor of simplicity, clever. Meanwhile, touching on the real world experiences of loss, single parenting, and growing up in a fractured home, Scanlon and Pixar carefully thread the needle to offer a massive hug to kids and adults who’ve lost a parent or a partner, offering hope, inspiration, and a sense of normality with a healthy dash of laughter along the way, bravo again Pixar, bravo. Worth the ride! Onward comes in at a reasonable hour and forty two minutes of runtime and is rated PG.