‘Onward’ is a wonderful mix of comedy and high fantasy any nerd like me will love

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Onward is Disney/Pixar’s latest film to hit theaters, starring Tom Holland (Spiderman in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) and Chris Pratt (Star Lord in the MCU) as two brothers, Ian and Barley, living in New Mushroomton, a land that once was home to fantastical magic and adventure that has become a hum-drum suburb thanks to modern technology.

On Ian’s 16th birthday, his mother Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) presents the boys with a gift from their late father: a wizard’s staff! Along with it is a visitation spell to bring him back for one day so he can meet the son he never met as he had passed away from a terminal illness prior to his birth.

Ian, not the stoutest of character or fortitude, botches the spell and only is able to bring back his father’s bottom half before using up the Phoenix Stone. Barley, a history fanatic and fan of a table-top fantasy game called Quest of Yore decrees they shall take on the quest to find another Phoenix Stone and bring back the rest of their father before the 24 hours is up.

Barley is a bit of an embarrassment to Ian who thinks his brother spends too much time focusing on the magic-filled past. Ian really wants to meet his father but thinks the majority of Barley’s plans are fool-hearty and doubts him at every turn. After yet another debacle knocks them off course, he finally agrees to trust Barley’s instincts, and it turns out, he’s right on the money!

Meanwhile, Laurel teams up with the Manticore (Octavia Spencer) who gave up her adventuring days to turn her infamous Manticore Tavern into a kitschy family restaurant. After the boys learn where to find another Phoenix Stone from one of her children’s coloring menus, the two brave women set out to find the boys and hopefully keep them from awakening a cursed ancient dragon bound to protect the stone.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Lincoln L. Hayes is an actor and writer in NYC. He is currently submitting his sci-fi television pilot to contests and festivals, a rare perk of self-isolating at home.

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