{"id":5537,"date":"2020-03-05T11:53:35","date_gmt":"2020-03-05T18:53:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=5537"},"modified":"2020-03-05T11:54:19","modified_gmt":"2020-03-05T18:54:19","slug":"onward-favorite-pixar-films","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2020\/onward-favorite-pixar-films\/","title":{"rendered":"Onward * Easily One of Our Favorite Pixar Films. Touching Story, Fun, Exciting, Adventurous!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Onward.poster.jpg?resize=152%2C225&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5538\" width=\"152\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Onward.poster.jpg?resize=202%2C300&amp;ssl=1 202w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Onward.poster.jpg?w=674&amp;ssl=1 674w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 152px) 100vw, 152px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Set in a\nsuburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers embark on a quest to discover\nif there is still magic out there. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Calista B. comments,\n\u201cAs of now, this film is easily one of my favorite Pixar films. I adore the\ntouching story and especially the world building. Overall, <em>Onward<\/em> is an\namazing film.\u201d Zoe C. adds, \u201c<em>Onward<\/em> is fun, exiting, adventurous, and an\nemotional roller coaster. Pixar delivers another wonderful film that is very\nappealing to new generations and easy to relate, despite characters from\nanother world.\u201d Jolleen M. contributes, \u201cI loved every bit of this movie so\nmuch that I cannot pick one part as my favorite. The film induces such a wide\nrange of emotions. Tears of joy, as well as sympathy were shed, because of all\nthe beautiful moments. Ian and Barley have a sweet relationship from the\nbeginning, but the way that their relationship as brothers develops is\nwonderful to watch.\u201d Will C. says, \u201cThe animators have created a beautiful\nimaginative world with lots of clever details that will make you want to watch\nagain and again. The voice acting is top notch, with Tom Holland and Chris\nPratt showing a range of emotions and humor as Ian and Barley. Octavia Spencer\nas Manticore brings her character to life with frantic energy.\u201d And Katherine\nS. wraps it up with, \u201cThe messages of this movie are that family is the most\nimportant thing and sometimes what you\u2019re looking for has been with you the\nwhole time. This film does have some magical scenes that kids should not\nimitate. It also reminds us to always pay your parking tickets.\u201d See their full\nreviews below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Onward<br>By Calista B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 16<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/J0-s70-AkyU\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>As of now,\nthis film is easily one of my favorite Pixar films. I adore the touching story\nand especially the world building. Overall, <em>Onward<\/em> is an amazing film. <em>Onward<\/em>\ntakes in a world much like our own, except it\u2019s populated with fantasy\ncreatures. We follow two elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot as they\ndiscover magic still exists and thus go on a quest to revive their father for\none day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/snLo7-DYJuQ\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>So, first\nthe animation. I feel like this is pretty self-explanatory. Since it is Pixar,\nthe animation is absolutely outstanding. But, I specifically want to discuss\nthe world in which <em>Onward<\/em> takes place. There are so many creative and\ndiverse character designs and representations of mythological creatures (which\nI appreciate as a mythology fan). The world building is probably some of the\nbest I\u2019ve ever seen. I have contemplated the idea of a suburban fantasy, so I\u2019m\nreally happy seeing that idea brought to life. There\u2019s a lot of really funny\ngags surrounding this idea, such as an historically accurate \u201cDungeons and\nDragons\u201d and unicorns becoming the equivalent of raccoons. You can tell the\nartists really enjoyed designing the settings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t261_115_pub.pub16.788.jpg?resize=225%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5543\" width=\"225\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t261_115_pub.pub16.788.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t261_115_pub.pub16.788.jpg?resize=1024%2C429&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t261_115_pub.pub16.788.jpg?resize=768%2C322&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t261_115_pub.pub16.788.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the\nworld is not the only enjoyable aspect of this film. The characters are\nespecially fun. The two brothers, Ian and Barley, have amazing chemistry. This\nis probably thanks to their voices actors &#8211; Tom Holland playing Ian and Chris\nPratt playing Barley. They already have a connection from the Marvel movies, so\ntheir relationship feels real. But Ian and Barley aren\u2019t the only great\ncharacters in this movie. I would say my personal favorite character is The\nManticore, played by Octavia Spencer. The Manticore is probably the funniest\ncharacter and I really like her friendship with the brothers\u2019 mom, Laurel (Julia\nLouis-Dreyfus).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t261_63_pub.pub16.994.jpg?resize=225%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5542\" width=\"225\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t261_63_pub.pub16.994.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t261_63_pub.pub16.994.jpg?resize=1024%2C429&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t261_63_pub.pub16.994.jpg?resize=768%2C322&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t261_63_pub.pub16.994.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking of\nwhich, <em>Onward<\/em> is really funny. There\u2019s a specific scene involving The\nManticore that caused me to laugh probably the hardest I\u2019ve ever laughed at a\nPixar movie. There are also a lot of gags involving the fact that the world is\npopulated with fantasy creatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And as\nexpected from a Pixar film, it\u2019s pretty emotional. And, given the context of\nthe plot, I feel this might be one of Pixar\u2019s most heart wrenching films. When\nyou think about it, who wouldn\u2019t want to bring someone back, even for one day? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give this\nfilm 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 7 to 18. It comes out on March\n6, 2020 so look for it. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Onward<br>By Zoe C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ba_lDZw1Dzg\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Onward<\/em> is fun, exiting,\nadventurous, and an emotional roller coaster. Pixar delivers another wonderful\nfilm that is very appealing to new generations and easy to relate, despite characters\nfrom another world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Onward <\/em>is a computer\nanimated, urban fantasy film directed by Dan Scanlon, who also co-wrote the\nscript with Jason Headley and Keith Bunin. The story follows brothers Ian (Tom\nHolland) and Barley Lightfoot (Chris Pratt), two teenage elf\u2019s who embark on an\nextraordinary quest. Their goal is to try and see if there is magic left in the\nworld, in order to spend one last day with their father, who died when they\nwere younger. This is a story about bonding between father and son, and between\ntwo brothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Zoe\u2019s interview\nwith Carlos Felipe Leon,\nshading art director, in Spanish) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CV9aAaJSe9U\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>Tom Holland, as\nIan, the younger of the two brothers delivers a very subtle, but engaging\ninterpretation that makes the audience immediately connect with his loner\nbehavior. Chris Pratt, as Barley, the eldest brother, is vibrant, optimistic\nand his personality is almost opposite to his younger brother. Octavia Spencer\nplays Manticore, a fearless creature who can fly and sends people on quests). I\nabsolutely love Octavia\u2019s performance and Manticore is my favorite character.\nI\u2019ve always loved Octavia as an actress, so I was really exited that she voices\nthis character. Another great voice is Laurel, the brother\u2019s mother, by super\nfun and charismatic Julia Louise-Dreyfus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t313_41a_pub.pub16.329.jpg?resize=225%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5544\" width=\"225\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t313_41a_pub.pub16.329.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t313_41a_pub.pub16.329.jpg?resize=1024%2C429&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t313_41a_pub.pub16.329.jpg?resize=768%2C322&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-Online-Use-t313_41a_pub.pub16.329.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The animation in\nthis movie is very detailed and sometimes photo realistic. Pixar has developed\ndigital animation over the years to a fine art, and truly this film displays\nthat. You can see so many details in the characters\u2019 facial expressions. If you\nlook very closely you can see that the elves all have freckles! There is also a\nlot of emotion in this movie and the animation displays it so well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m pretty sure\neveryone who watches this movie will cry at one point. I sure did. One of the\nfascinating aspects of <em>Onward<\/em> is how these fantasy creatures interact\nwith each other and go through a journey of redemption and self discovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Onward<\/em> is entertaining\nall the way, but some jokes don\u2019t work out and, at some point, it\u2019s a little\nhard to feel fully invested in one of the characters that appears only from his\nwaist to his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The message of this\nfilm is &#8211; believe. The magic in the film is a metaphor for our own ability of\nmake things happen and letting out the light within ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give <em>Onward<\/em>\n4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 4 to 13. Make sure to check out <em>Onward<\/em>\nin theaters on March 6, 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Onward<br>By Jolleen M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qao8f3jlPQo\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Onward <\/em>has an amazing plot with lots of humor. The whole theater was laughing so much throughout, but there were also so many other emotions. Watching the film was an amazing rollercoaster and I learned a lot from it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nfilm takes place in a fantasy world where many different species of creatures\nlive. It follows the journey of two elves who are brothers, Ian (Tom Holland)\nand Barley (Chris Pratt). Ian is a shy, cautious person, while his older\nbrother Barley is fearless and obsessed with quests and adventure. After Ian\nturns 16, their mother reveals a gift that their late father left for them.\nTheir father died before Ian was born and Barley only has four memories of him.\nThe gift includes a magical staff and a spell that will bring back their father\nfor a day, so that he can see what his boys grew up to be. Ian manages to start\nthe spell, but he is only able to resurrect the lower half of his father\u2019s body\nbefore the crystal in the staff breaks. To be able to meet his father is\neverything to Ian, so along with Barley they go to find another crystal and\nbring the rest of their father back.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t252_29f_pub.pub16.2035.jpg?resize=225%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5539\" width=\"225\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t252_29f_pub.pub16.2035.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t252_29f_pub.pub16.2035.jpg?resize=1024%2C429&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t252_29f_pub.pub16.2035.jpg?resize=768%2C322&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t252_29f_pub.pub16.2035.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Tom\nHolland and Chris Pratt have worked with each other before on other films, so\nthey have a close relationship. You can see this when they voice Ian and\nBarley. It makes the film more enjoyable to watch, because they have such good\nchemistry. The animation is full of vibrant colors and magic. The creatures are\nall unique and have distinct personalities. The entire film is unique and\nfilled with creative ideas, which pleasantly surprises the audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\nloved every bit of this movie so much that I cannot pick one part as my\nfavorite. The film induces such a wide range of emotions. Tears of joy, as well\nas sympathy were shed, because of all the beautiful moments. Ian and Barley\nhave a sweet relationship from the beginning, but the way that their\nrelationship as brothers develops is wonderful to watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\nare so many lessons and messages that you could take away, but the most\nprominent one is about being grateful for what you have. Ian was always so\nfocused on the fact that he was never able to meet his father that he looked\npast the things that he did have. Fortunately, he is able to realize that he\u2019s\nhad his brother Barley all his life, before it is too late. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Onward<\/em> is such\na well made and creative movie that kept me intrigued the entire time. I give\nit 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 7 to 18, plus adults. It comes\nout in theaters March 6, 2020 so be sure to go and watch it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Onward<br>By Will C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 10<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wqU9d5vt11s\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Onward <\/em>is Disney\/Pixar\u2019s new action-packed animated movie with lots of magical laughs! There\u2019s hilarious physical humor, exciting chases and fights, but it\u2019s also a very moving film. You really feel the main characters\u2019 sense of loss at not growing up with their father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ian (Tom\nHolland) and Barley Lightfoot (Chris Pratt) are teenage elf brothers who live\nin a suburban mushroom house in a land that was formerly full of magic. They\nuse a spell to bring their dad back to life, but only get his bottom half! They\nhave 24 hours to complete a quest to finish the spell and see him one more\ntime. All they need to finish the spell is the Phoenix gem, but finding it proves a lot more\ncomplicated than they first think. While they are working to bring him back,\nthey have to bring their dad\u2019s legs and feet along with them for the ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t252_71s_pub.pub16.1436.jpg?resize=225%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5540\" width=\"225\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t252_71s_pub.pub16.1436.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t252_71s_pub.pub16.1436.jpg?resize=1024%2C429&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t252_71s_pub.pub16.1436.jpg?resize=768%2C322&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t252_71s_pub.pub16.1436.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The animators\nhave created a beautiful imaginative world with lots of clever details that\nwill make you want to watch again and again. The voice acting is top notch,\nwith Tom Holland and Chris Pratt showing a range of emotions and humor as Ian\nand Barley. Octavia Spencer as Manticore brings her character to life with\nfrantic energy. The introduction of her character is hilarious! She\u2019s a former\nmagical adventurer turned family restaurant owner. I really like the part when\nBarley shrinks down to a tiny size due to Ian messing up a spell. I also like\nwhen Ian turns their boat into a cheese puff so they can eat their own\ntransportation! I love Officer Colt and his catchphrase where he asks everyone\nif they are \u201cworking hard or hardly working.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a lot\nof positive messages in this film about family and loyalty. Another message is\nthat you can go searching for things you\u2019ve never had in life, but you might\nfind they were right with you all along. Parents of younger kids might want to\nwatch out for some of the risky actions the brothers take, like when Ian walks\noff a cliff, trusting in his magic to keep him safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give this\nmovie 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for kids ages 5 to 17, and adults\nwill like it too. You can see <em>Onward<\/em>\nin theaters everywhere starting March 6, 2020. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Onward<br>By Katherine S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sLzAOrBX6Ks\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>I love <em>Onward<\/em>! It is a whimsical story filled with colorful and eccentric characters. Pixar nailed the animation, and the cast of voices is pure perfection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Onward <\/em>takes place in a magical world, that\nisn\u2019t quite so magical anymore. Brothers Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris\nPratt) are complete opposites in every way. Brave Barley is never is afraid to\ntake a risk, especially when it involves magic. Ian, on the other hand, is\nquirky, and lacks confidence. Their mom, Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), is an\nimportant character as she is the glue keeping their family together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t261_20c_pub.pub16.405.jpg?resize=225%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5541\" width=\"225\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t261_20c_pub.pub16.405.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t261_20c_pub.pub16.405.jpg?resize=1024%2C429&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t261_20c_pub.pub16.405.jpg?resize=768%2C322&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ONWARD-ONLINE-USE-t261_20c_pub.pub16.405.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The movie is\ninspired by the director, Dan Scanlon\u2019s own childhood. I love the setting of\nthis movie. It takes place in a modern town, where everyone lives in\nmushroom-shaped houses. Unicorns, once a majestic creature, are now more like\nraccoons than anything else. Adorable mini dragons are kept as pets. The voice-over\nactors are wonderful. Mel Rodriguez, who voices Officer Bronco, has the\nfunniest laugh. Octavia Spencer, who voices The Manticore, acts as wild as a Manticore\nshould. Tom Holland (Ian) perfectly portrays an awkward kid. My favorite\ncharacter is Barley, because he is a classic rock loving boy.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The messages\nof this movie are that family is the most important thing and sometimes what\nyou\u2019re looking for has been with you the whole time. This film does have some\nmagical scenes that kids should not imitate. It also reminds us to always pay\nyour parking tickets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give <em>Onward<\/em>\n5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 7 to 18. People with siblings will\nespecially like it as will adults. <em>Onward <\/em>opens in theaters March 6,\n2020.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Set in a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers embark on a quest to discover if there is still magic out there. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Calista B. comments, \u201cAs of now, this film is easily one of my favorite Pixar films. I adore the touching story and especially the world building. Overall, Onward is an amazing film.\u201d Zoe C. adds, \u201cOnward is fun, exiting, adventurous, and an emotional roller coaster. Pixar delivers another wonderful film that is very appealing to new generations and easy to relate, despite characters from another world.\u201d Jolleen M. contributes, \u201cI loved every bit of this movie so much that I cannot pick one part as my favorite. The film induces such a wide range of emotions. Tears of joy, as well as sympathy were shed, because of all the beautiful moments. Ian and Barley have a sweet relationship from the beginning, but the way that their relationship as brothers develops is wonderful to watch.\u201d Will C. says, \u201cThe animators have created a beautiful imaginative world with lots of clever details that will make you want to watch again and again. The voice acting is top notch, with Tom Holland and Chris Pratt showing a range of emotions and humor as Ian and Barley. Octavia Spencer as Manticore brings her character to life with frantic energy.\u201d And Katherine S. wraps it up with, \u201cThe messages of this movie are that family is the most important thing and sometimes what you\u2019re looking for has been with you the whole time. This film does have some magical scenes that kids should not imitate. It also reminds us to always pay your parking tickets.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[15],"tags":[1462,1455,1466,363,1467,1465,109,1452,1450,1459,1460,1458,506,1451,267,1456,1457,1454,551,1166,1463,1464,1241,1449,1453,1163,1461,393,463,211],"class_list":["post-5537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-adam-habib","tag-alki-wong","tag-bert-berry","tag-calista-bess","tag-carlos-felipe-leon","tag-catherine-apple","tag-chris-pratt","tag-dan-scanlon","tag-jason-headley","tag-jeff-danna","tag-jenni-rowland","tag-john-ratzenberger","tag-jolleen-mejia","tag-julia-louis-dreyfus","tag-katherine-schell","tag-kori-rae","tag-lena-waithe","tag-mel-rodriguz","tag-movie-review","tag-movie-reviews","tag-mychael-danna","tag-noah-klocek","tag-octavia-spencer","tag-onward","tag-pete-docter","tag-reviews-by-kids-for-kids","tag-sharon-calahan","tag-tom-holland","tag-will-chuhta","tag-zoe-cannella"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-1rj","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5537"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5546,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5537\/revisions\/5546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}