I just saw the newest Disney Pixar film, Onwards, with the kids. We all loved it! The film starred Chris Pratt as Barley, Tom Holland as Ian, his brother, and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss as their mom in a beautifully animated fantasy world of elves, wizards, minotaurs and unicorns.

In this fantasy world that used to be full of magic, all of the magic has been replaced with the conveniences of modernity. Barley and Ian’s dad died before Ian was born, and on his sixteenth birthday, their mom Laurel gives Ian and Barley a gift, a magical staff and spell to bring their father back for only twenty-four hours. When the spell doesn’t go as planned, the two brothers need to embark on a quest to put things right.

The film was directed by Dan Scanlon, a Pixar guy who also directed Monsters University.

Themes of the film center around family, particularly the bonds between siblings and the role of an older sibling and their younger sibling who looks up to him. It included lots of clean laughs and an interesting, unique story that I hadn’t seen in any other similar movies like it before.

This was an excellent film geared towards kids, but enjoyable for adults as well. Anyone who has enjoyed other Pixar films will love this one.