Disney and Pixar March Onward

While not an outright classic like some of its predecessors, Pixar's newest animated feature still has enough magic to simultaneously entertain children and adults with its antics

There may be fewer things in Hollywood as easily identifiable as Disney and Pixar's film model; introduce child-friendly and commercially viable characters, crack a few jokes, sprinkle in nuggets of real-life wisdom and then reduce the audience to tears. Rinse and repeat. While there are some outliers (the original "Toy Story" and both "Incredibles" films spring to mind), this tried-and-true formula composes the lion's share of their filmography. To their credit, it's worked exceptionally well, spawning several box office hits and a boatload of imitators. "Onward" is another welcome addition, despite some of its cookie-cutter tendencies.

The story follows Ian Lightfoot (Tom Holland), a shy, young elf living in a world that has left magic behind. The mythical creatures of legend still remain, but with the advent of modern technology, wizards and grand quests have fallen by the wayside. That is, until Ian receives a posthumous gift from his father on his 16th birthday. He's left a magical staff with instructions for a spell which will allow his father to be resurrected for one day, but things don't go quite as planned. With help from his brother Barley (Chris Pratt), who serves as a crash course magical instructor due his vast knowledge of a D&D-style game called Quests of Yore, the two embark on a journey and race against the clock to bring their dad back.

"Onward" has a lot of positives working in its favor. The animation looks fantastic and with the likes of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mel Rodriguez, Octavia Spencer, Lena Waithe and Ali Wong, it boasts a stellar voice cast. While the fantasy elements offer some lighthearted gags, it also explores deeper themes like coping with loss. Directed by Clawson native Dan Scanlon (he also helmed "Monsters University"), it operates on a personal level as he, much like Ian and Barley, lost his father at a young age and clung to an audio recording of his voice as to retain a piece of his identity. The movie hits the intended emotional beats, with the customary waterworks commencing toward the climax. As far as criticism goes, the humor is a bit lacking. There are a few grins to be had, but it's rarely laugh-out-loud funny. It takes a while for the picture to get going in lieu of setting up the story and that may be a problem for some. It's currently underperforming financially, which is a shame as it's genuinely charming in spite of its flaws. It has a ton of heart and while its structure is all too familiar, Pixar's mastery of the genre means they can churn out movies like this in their sleep and they'll still be worth watching. B+