Movie Review: Onward

Imagine a world of fantasy, mythical creatures, mgic, and full of adventure... But then technology and life come along and that gets pushed into near extinction. That's the universe Disney and Pixar transport us to in their latest animated film offering "Onward" - which is absolutely fun and a love letter to those who love adventure games and fantasy fiction! It's a treat to see these kinds of films still being made when we're so used to seeing modern day heroes and machinery all but take the spotlight in adventure films, and now we are reminded of the importance of embracing our childhood fantasies and sense of adventure, as well as treasuring the things we have that make us the people who we are today.

Thanks to Disney Philippines, I was able to catch a special advance screening of "Onward" on IMAX a few weekends ago - and it's definitely something you need to take your family and friends to - especially if you love going on a quest and play adventure games like Dungeons & Dragons! This is Pixar's love letter to the latter, and also incorporates the values and lessons we can learn from Disney films - most especially when it comes to family, gaining self-confidence, and realizing what we're looking for is right in front of us in plain sight!

Featuring the voices of Marvelous stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt (and Octavia Spencer as the Manticore!), "Onward" tells the story of two brothers names Ian and Barley Lightfoot - who embark on a quest to restore their Dad after a resurrection spell goes awry and leaves their father literally only half the man he was! As Ian just turned 16, it is a personal mission for him to get to know the father he never met (his Dad passed away before he was born), and Barley (who happens to be an enthusiastic role-playing game fanatic) makes it his goal to help his little brother fulfil that goal while also teaching him the long forgotten history of adventure and how to become a magician. What follows is an adventure set in a world very much like ours that is full of mythical creatures that have adapted to modern society, yet still holds many unique secrets and the potential to bring back the magic and wonder of fantasy that was long thought forgotten.

Disney and Pixar's Onward | Trailer #3
Whether you have played a game like Dungeons & Dragons, watched movies like The Lord of the Rings, or read novels like The Witcher - you will definitely love everything about "Onward" as it plays deep into that fantasy nostalgia while giving us the growing pains and truths of life we embrace and experience everyday. Ian and Barley, as well as the family and friends they interact and encounter in this film, are like the people we meet every day who want to be with the people they love and make something of themselves. It's especially true for Ian - our hero of the story who learns he has the "gift" of being a spellcaster and is determined to meet the father he never knew. Meanwhile Barley is the adventurer who rebels against society's expectations and embraces his interests in magic and fantasy. Although the journey is perilous and full of risks, both brothers get to know each other, and we as the audience experience the emotions and realizations the two siblings have about themselves and one another as they quest to get dear old Dad back together for one day.

Highly recommended and definitely fun to see in a big screen like IMAX, "Onward" starts playing in theaters in the Philippines on March 4! Go see it and be on an adventure with the whole gang!

Rating - 5/5

Movie Review: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

It's been three years since fans returned to the island of Isla Nublar and saw a theme park with dinosaurs realized anew with "Jurassic World" - but like its predecessor "Jurassic Park" two decades ago, something amiss happens that causes any concept of controlling dinosaurs to be overruled and the human made attraction piece destroyed in the process. It took guts to retell Steven Spielberg's in a brand new film series that reignited interest in the franchise, but the 2015 was very successful and sequels were definitely going to happen as a result of that success.

Fast forward to 2018, and Spanish director J.A. Bayona takes over from fellow director Colin Trevorrow in continuing the story with the new follow-up called "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" - set exactly three years after the events of "Jurassic World" and seeing fans revisit the dinosaur inhabited island one last time as it faces the threat of destruction through volcanic eruption. Familiar faces return in Chris Pratt,  Bryce Dallas Howard, and even a cameo by veteran Jurassic Park movie star Jeff Goldblum - who reprises his role as Dr. Ian Malcolm. Naturally, there's more to just saving the dinosaurs and getting them off an island - as those with hidden agendas act on their own interests once again that sets up a formula for chaos and destruction because of man's own hubris and selfishness.

Thanks to UIP Philippines and Columbia Pictures Philippines, I got to see the film in IMAX 3D and it was simply another breathtaking experience to see all the dinosaurs in action - from the Tyrannosaurus Rex to Blue the Velociraptor! Much like its predecessors, Jurassic World falls on the category of giving viewers and dinosaur fans a chance to see these creatures brought to back life in the big screen millions of years after they became extinct. Does it hold up to its promise of bigger and better? Check out the review below!

Movie Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

When you have something good going following a successful blend of action, story, and one awesome soundtrack, it's always best to follow up with a sequel that channels those same energies and unfolds into a continuation that improves on the first movie's merits. In the case of James Gunn and his second outing with Marvel's interstellar bunch of heroes that are the "Guardians of the Galaxy", he stays true to the spirit of the original movie's success by giving us something that feels all too familiar and not much of a departure from the 2014 Marvel Studios film that takes us to the cosmic side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here we have a clear example of what a director has plotted well and wants to convey in straightforward linear fashion a group of unlikely allies and the story that pulls them together to save the galaxy from a great threat - and once again it works so beautifully that this is just another reason why Marvel Movies are so beloved and enjoyed by fans worldwide.

Thanks to Walt Disney Studios Philippines, I got the chance to see the film along with other fans, fellow cosplayers, and press on April 20 - a few days ahead of its local release date on April 26th and weeks before it comes out in the US on May 5th. Suffice to say, I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED and Vol. 2 speaks to the hearts of comic book fans, 80's nostalgia, and those who enjoy a good blend of 70's/ 80's music channeled into a space adventure of AWESOME proportions. Now that it's been a few weeks since it opened up in theaters, here's my review for GOTG Vol. 2!