Disney and Pixar’s newest collaboration, “Onward,” released on March 6. The movie is set in a suburban fantasy world called Mushroomton, where magic has become mostly obsolete. The characters in the film managed to engineer new ways of living relying primarily on technology, as opposed to magic. The film follows two teenage elf brothers as they embark on a quest to discover any magic left in the world.  

When I first saw advertising for “Onward,” I knew I wanted to see it as soon as it came out. This tale of brotherhood supported by a star-studded cast caught my eye as something I knew I would enjoy. With Tom Holland as Ian Lightfoot and Chris Pratt as Barley Lightfoot, I was excited to see these familiar faces out of their super-suits and work toward a new goal. 

I roped my best friend, El, into coming with me and on March 7 at the 1:00 p.m. show, we entered the Newly Reopened Guthrie Theatre in Grove City. After a man dressed as an elf from the movie greeted us, we made our way up to the balcony and settled into our reclining seats.

The movie took us on a magical adventure by the celebrity voices of not only Holland and Pratt but also Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer. The voice actors of this film aren’t even the best part, the story itself was a magnificent spin on your average road adventure. The twists and turns of the film were not always what the audience expected,  but Ian and Barley’s brotherly love led the way. The film itself plays off one overlaying theme that everyone can relate to: what would you do if you had one more day with someone who died?

This theme coupled with the overwhelming amount of family love and Pixar’s stellar attention to detail made this film an absolute win. Pixar’s ability to think and execute some of the most outlandish solutions to Barley and Ian’s problems were some of my favorite moments of the film to watch. So much so, that I forced my lovely sister to accompany me on a second trip to see the film the following day. 

This film, although a cartoon “kids” movie, brings a whole new magical value to the word “Onward,” especially in our current state of uncertainty and fear, I can’t think of a better time for a movie with themes of moving forward and loving those around you. “Onward” was a magical road trip that led all of its viewers to a beautiful and emotional ending.