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Onward

Disney brings ONWARD home early

March 20, 2020 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

BURBANK, Calif. (March 20, 2020) –The Walt Disney Studios announced today that Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” will be available to buy digitally and on Movies Anywhere beginning today at 5:00PM PST/ 8:00PM EST and on Disney+ on April 3 in the U.S.

The film premiered in theaters on March 6 and earned rave reviews from audiences, including a 95% Verified Audience Score on RottenTomatoes. With cinemas currently impacted by closures due to the global health crisis, Disney will offer the film ahead of schedule to purchase on digital platforms in the U.S. beginning today at 5:00PM PST /8:00PM EST for $19.99.

“While we’re looking forward to audiences enjoying our films on the big screen again soon, given the current circumstances, we are pleased to release this fun, adventurous film to digital platforms early for audiences to enjoy from the comfort of their homes,” said Dan Scanlon (Director, “Onward”) and Kori Rae (Producer, “Onward”).

In “Onward,” teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) get an unexpected opportunity to spend one more day with their late dad, embarking on an extraordinary quest aboard Barley’s epic van Guinevere. Like any good quest, their journey is filled with magic spells, cryptic maps, impossible obstacles and unimaginable discoveries. But when the boys’ fearless mom Laurel (voice of Julia Louis-Dreyfus) realizes her sons are missing, she teams up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion, former warrior – aka The Manticore (voice of Octavia Spencer) – and heads off to find them. Perilous curses aside, this one magical day could mean more than any of them ever dreamed.

This follows recent moves by Universal to bring in-theatre titles such as Invisible Man, The Hunt and the upcoming Trolls: World Tour to on demand services early as a result of the current pandemic. Warner Bros. has also opted to bring The Way Back to on demand early from theatres and titles Birds of Prey and Just Mercy as well.

What makes this move particularly interesting is that Disney has decided to use Disney+ in their arsenal, as opposed to mere VOD as an outlet. While other studios have options in terms of on demand streaming, Disney already has a significant claim to the home market thanks to their streaming sites.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Chris Pratt, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Disney, Onward

6.24 Finding Purpose in the Quest in ONWARD

March 14, 2020 by Julie Levac 1 Comment

Julie, Paul, and Jolie bring their thoughts on Onward, Pixar’s latest feature about two brothers on a quest to bring back their late father before sundown.

With voices of Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Octavia Spencer, is Onward too star heavy to be rich in content? Or does it deliver a classic, fun, and heart warming story?

Listen in as we talk about discovering who you truly are, what matters most, and finding what you’re looking for where you least expected it.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Podcast Tagged With: Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Onward, Pixar, tom holland

Onward: The Magic is Within

March 4, 2020 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

“Long ago, the world was full of wonder. It was adventurous, exciting and best of all, there was magic. And that magic helped all in need. But it wasn’t easy to master. And so the world found a simpler way to get by. Over time, magic faded away….”

Disney/Pixar’s Onward is set in this world that used to be so full of wonder, adventure, magic. But technology made it easier to get by without the magic, so things settled into a ho-hum suburban lifestyle. The world is still filled with magical creatures—elves, pixies, unicorns, mermaids, cyclopes, centaurs, fauns, manticores, dragons—but because they haven’t been in touch with the magical nature of the world, all those gifts have become dormant.

It is in this fantasy world that elf Ian Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland) is turning 16. Ian is shy, but wishes he could be bold. He feels a bit empty because he never knew his father. His older brother Barley (Chris Pratt) has three memories of their father and though they are rather banal, because of their rarity, both brothers venerate those memories. Barley is as boisterous and outgoing as Ian is reserved and quiet.

Because it’s Ian’s birthday, their mother Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) gives the two boys a gift from their father meant for when they are both over 16. It is a magical staff with a note that includes a spell to allow him to come back for one day so he can see how they’ve grown up. Barley can’t make it work. But when Ian picks up the staff, it is obvious that he is the one with the magical gifts. When the spell goes awry part way through, leaving Dad materialized only up to his waist, the boys must set out on a quest to find another magical crystal so they can complete the spell before the day is over.

The odd-couple nature of the brothers is the engine that drives the story. Ian is quiet and timid. He has no idea of what magic is or how to make it work. Barley has no fear (even when he should). But he is a veteran Dungeons and Dragons player who believes that the game reflects the real history of the world. He knows spells, but he must encourage Ian to use them when needed. As they try to complete the quest, the brothers learn about each other and themselves. They find a way through their common grief. They also begin to show that the world is full of magic, if only the world will connect with it.

As I look back at previous Pixar films, I think of films that rely on stories that touch the viewers. Onward touches us, but not to the same extent of other Pixar films. That may be due to the frenetic pace of the brothers’ journey. It feels more like an action movie than some of the more thoughtful nature of past films. Because of the pace, there is little time to appreciate the comedy involved. There are some funny spots, but they blow by way too fast.

In the end, we may see this as a film about faith. Barley is a man who believes and trusts in the magic of the world. Even though others don’t see that magic, for Barley it is waiting to be rediscovered. Through the brothers’ journey, that forgotten nature of the world becomes visible yet again, changing not only Ian and Barley, but everyone who sees what they have done—and come to believe as well.

Onward casts its spell in theatres on Friday, March 6th, 2020.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Chris Pratt, Disney, fantasy, grief, Julia Louis Dreyfuss, magic, Onward, Pixar, tom holland

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