Onward(2020)

I had been wanting to watch this one for a while but had just not found the time. My husband and I sat down to give it a chance yesterday and I'm so glad we did.

Both of us have had childhoods with absentee or deadbeat fathers respectively. I don't think I've cried so hard since I watched Coco and I've never seen my husband cry like this save when we watched What Dreams May Come.

This movie drove straight at the heart of growing up feeling awkward and insecure. It gave you the awesome mom who moved forward despite how hard that must have been. The brother who masked his emotions with fantasy and bravado. It gave you the real world, devoid of magic, but still teeming with unknown possibilities. Rarely have I seen a piece of film that so perfectly captured the essence of loss and the need to move forward and push on despite it.

The worldbuilding was fun and full of life. The landscapes were beautiful and the characters were fleshed out and interesting. This was a real piece of cinema, not just a 'kids movie'. I was genuinely thrilled when they succeeded, cried when things didn't go their way and on the edge of my seat when trouble was brewing. The casual representations of disability, the difficulties of being a step parent and being gay were well woven into the story and didn't feel forced.

I am always a huge fan of children's media that goes above and beyond to embed a story and moral but this one took the cake. It was beautiful and real and I felt better as a person having had watched it. I know that sounds dramatic but it hit notes that I didn't know could be played. I think exploring themes of loss is so important for children who often don't understand such things. This movie has heart and beauty and the references to DnD were just icing on the cake.

I just wanted to share some love for such an excellent piece of film and hope you can get something from watching it as well.

Submitted July 19, 2021 at 07:25PM by HobGobblers https://ift.tt/3hOLDh5