In some eyes, Pixar can do no wrong, and the reviews for Onward are mostly glowing. I have to say, this particular film is not in the same class as Up and some of the other genuine Pixar classics, and as per usual, things start with a short subject— this one involving the baby daughter of the Simpsons. It was o.k. but not my cup of tea. The basic plot line of this movie is young elves go on a quest to magically bring their deceased father back to life for a day. Like so many of these films these days we are talking about a family where one parent is dead, and the other struggles to raise her children. The story focuses on the coming of age of the younger brother Ian and the gaming older brother named Barley (go figure). In some ways this less than 2 hour film is a bit like Fantastic Beasts with is fairies and dragons etc. and a bit like Harry Potter, since it involves lots of spells. Unlike many Pixar films, this one lacks some of the humor and whimsy of the earlier films, but it does have a good moral about families in the end. I do recommend this film for families with children, as it will give one an opportunity to talk about important things like— what are the really important things in life.
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