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https://nerdist.com/article/onward-review-pixar/
Pixar movies don’t tend to be judged in a vacuum as pieces of art unto themselves. Any given Pixar film is judged against every other film the studio has ever released. As soon as the credits roll, there’s an inclination to rank where the movie lands in Pixar’s Pantheon. It’s not something audiences and critics do with other studios; no one who reviewed The Invisible Man worried about where it belongs on the all-time Universal movies list. But the animation giant’s latest film Onward—a fantasy quest about family, growing up, and dealing with grief—comes with the added weight of covering similar terrain of classics like Up, Coco, and Finding Nemo. Not many films can live up to those expectations, and I’m not sure if Onward does either.
What I do know is that it doesn’t matter. Because Onward still has enough magic to be a wonderful and touching story all on its own.
Pixar
Onward takes place in a world that used to be full of magic. But thanks to technology (which is much easier for everyone to use than magic is), ogres, centaurs, mermaids, and other magical creatures now live in boring suburban comfort. Unicorns aren’t majestic creatures of beauty here. They’re overgrown raccoons who raid garbage cans.
The movie follows two teenage elf brothers, Barley and Ian Lightfoot, voiced by Chris Pratt and Tom Holland. Pratt’s older Barley is a fearless, D&D-loving nerd unaware of how others view him. He’s also obsessed with his world’s magical past and drives a super geeky van he affectionately calls Guinevere. Holland’s Ian is a shy, awkward teenager who’s afraid of everything. All he wants is the chance to meet his dad, who died before Ian was born.
That’s exactly the opportunity he’s given on his 16th birthday, after his mother Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) gives the boys a secret gift their dad Wilden left for them. It’s an old wizard’s staff, which, along with a magical jewel, can be used to bring their dad back for 24 hours. Unfortunately, the spell breaks on Ian midway through, and he only brings back his dad’s legs. Before the clock can run out the boys embark on a magical quest to find a second jewel so they can see their late father.
The premise combines a road trip movie with a coming-of-age story, with a dash of Weekend at Bernie’s-style physical comedy mixed in, all set in a fantasy world packaged inside a family story. That might sound like a lot, but the script makes it work, even if the combined effect is that Onward doesn’t feel like the most original story.
As soon as Wilden Lightfoot’s legs take form, the emotional weight of the story picks up. Watching the boys communicate with their father’s feet is more touching than you would imagine. But like all great Pixar movies, Onward is as funny as it is heartbreaking. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and gags in the film. Some of the humor comes from how the movie fully embraces the inherent silliness of two dorky teenagers using magic for the first time. A lot comes from Pratt’s Barley, a big lovable oaf who is naturally funny without trying to be.
Pixar
There are also some genuinely exciting action sequences throughout, including one highway scene that is equal parts thrilling and hilarious. And a subplot featuring Corey the Manticore (voiced by Octavia Spencer) adds just enough to make the world feel fully realized beyond the brothers’ journey.
The strength of Barley and Ian’s story is what makes Onward work. The two brothers are likable, and it’s fun spending time with the pair and rooting for them. Each has his own strengths and weaknesses, and their relationship is loving without being perfect. Sometimes they are ideal complements, while other times they clash. And those issues come to a head when, inevitably, they have to overcome obstacles on their quest. Some problems are out of their control. Others, more personal and painful, are of their own making.
Pixar
But for as fun, touching, and exciting as the movie is for the first hour or so, it’s the last 40 minutes when Onward becomes special, in much the same way Coco did. The story we were invested in wasn’t what was most important, and the characters we were following were more complex than we thought. Everyone puts up their own defenses to deal with grief, but that can’t always shield us from the pain. And it’s always better to have help on any difficult quest, whether it be a magical one or life itself.
Onward also has one of my all-time favorite endings of any film, Pixar or otherwise. It might be a kid’s movie, but it’s challenging and mature in a way I didn’t expect. And it was better for it. The film has something beautiful and hopeful to say about both death and appreciating the love of those you still have. It expresses those ideas with a grace and understanding most stories never achieve. It’s why even though the story takes place in a fantasy world, the characters’ experiences feel real.
Pixar
I don’t know if Onward is as good as Up or Finding Nemo. I’ve seen those movies so many times, and lived with them for so long, that’s it’s not fair to compare any new film to them immediately. What I do know is that by the end I had tears in my eyes and I felt better about the world. And any movie that can do that has the right kind of magic.
4/5
Featured Image: Pixar
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike, and also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.
The post ONWARD’s Humor and Heartbreak Cast a Magical Spell (Review) appeared first on Nerdist.
Pixar movies don’t tend to be judged in a vacuum as pieces of art unto themselves. Any given Pixar film is judged against every other film the studio has ever released. As soon as the credits roll, there’s an inclination to rank where the movie lands in Pixar’s Pantheon. It’s not something audiences and critics do with other studios; no one who reviewed The Invisible Man worried about where it belongs on the all-time Universal movies list. But the animation giant’s latest film Onward—a fantasy quest about family, growing up, and dealing with grief—comes with the added weight of covering similar terrain of classics like Up, Coco, and Finding Nemo. Not many films can live up to those expectations, and I’m not sure if Onward does either.
What I do know is that it doesn’t matter. Because Onward still has enough magic to be a wonderful and touching story all on its own.
Pixar
Onward takes place in a world that used to be full of magic. But thanks to technology (which is much easier for everyone to use than magic is), ogres, centaurs, mermaids, and other magical creatures now live in boring suburban comfort. Unicorns aren’t majestic creatures of beauty here. They’re overgrown raccoons who raid garbage cans.
The movie follows two teenage elf brothers, Barley and Ian Lightfoot, voiced by Chris Pratt and Tom Holland. Pratt’s older Barley is a fearless, D&D-loving nerd unaware of how others view him. He’s also obsessed with his world’s magical past and drives a super geeky van he affectionately calls Guinevere. Holland’s Ian is a shy, awkward teenager who’s afraid of everything. All he wants is the chance to meet his dad, who died before Ian was born.
That’s exactly the opportunity he’s given on his 16th birthday, after his mother Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) gives the boys a secret gift their dad Wilden left for them. It’s an old wizard’s staff, which, along with a magical jewel, can be used to bring their dad back for 24 hours. Unfortunately, the spell breaks on Ian midway through, and he only brings back his dad’s legs. Before the clock can run out the boys embark on a magical quest to find a second jewel so they can see their late father.
The premise combines a road trip movie with a coming-of-age story, with a dash of Weekend at Bernie’s-style physical comedy mixed in, all set in a fantasy world packaged inside a family story. That might sound like a lot, but the script makes it work, even if the combined effect is that Onward doesn’t feel like the most original story.
As soon as Wilden Lightfoot’s legs take form, the emotional weight of the story picks up. Watching the boys communicate with their father’s feet is more touching than you would imagine. But like all great Pixar movies, Onward is as funny as it is heartbreaking. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and gags in the film. Some of the humor comes from how the movie fully embraces the inherent silliness of two dorky teenagers using magic for the first time. A lot comes from Pratt’s Barley, a big lovable oaf who is naturally funny without trying to be.
Pixar
There are also some genuinely exciting action sequences throughout, including one highway scene that is equal parts thrilling and hilarious. And a subplot featuring Corey the Manticore (voiced by Octavia Spencer) adds just enough to make the world feel fully realized beyond the brothers’ journey.
The strength of Barley and Ian’s story is what makes Onward work. The two brothers are likable, and it’s fun spending time with the pair and rooting for them. Each has his own strengths and weaknesses, and their relationship is loving without being perfect. Sometimes they are ideal complements, while other times they clash. And those issues come to a head when, inevitably, they have to overcome obstacles on their quest. Some problems are out of their control. Others, more personal and painful, are of their own making.
Pixar
But for as fun, touching, and exciting as the movie is for the first hour or so, it’s the last 40 minutes when Onward becomes special, in much the same way Coco did. The story we were invested in wasn’t what was most important, and the characters we were following were more complex than we thought. Everyone puts up their own defenses to deal with grief, but that can’t always shield us from the pain. And it’s always better to have help on any difficult quest, whether it be a magical one or life itself.
Onward also has one of my all-time favorite endings of any film, Pixar or otherwise. It might be a kid’s movie, but it’s challenging and mature in a way I didn’t expect. And it was better for it. The film has something beautiful and hopeful to say about both death and appreciating the love of those you still have. It expresses those ideas with a grace and understanding most stories never achieve. It’s why even though the story takes place in a fantasy world, the characters’ experiences feel real.
Pixar
I don’t know if Onward is as good as Up or Finding Nemo. I’ve seen those movies so many times, and lived with them for so long, that’s it’s not fair to compare any new film to them immediately. What I do know is that by the end I had tears in my eyes and I felt better about the world. And any movie that can do that has the right kind of magic.
4/5
Featured Image: Pixar
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike, and also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.
The post ONWARD’s Humor and Heartbreak Cast a Magical Spell (Review) appeared first on Nerdist.
In Oprah we trust — everyone else is simply irrelevant.
Which is why every year, we look forward to the release of Oprah’s Favorite Things, a holiday gift list personally curated by the widely-celebrated talk show host. From soft bamboo pajamas to bizarre food like hot truffle sauce, the list is usually filled with quirky items Oprah swears will change your life. But not every item is affordable, leading them to remain in our wish lists and not in our possession — until now.
MadameNoire’s deal of the day features the blendSMART2® Metallic Motorized Brush Tool + Cosmetic Bag, which our queen Oprah vouched for in last year’s Favorite Things.
It’s a rotating makeup brush that perfectly mimics the motions of professional artists when applying, blending, and buffing foundation, resulting in natural-looking airbrush looks. It has a motorized handle that distributes less product and delivers a smooth, even finish, along with brush heads with rotating fibers that stimulate and massage the skin.
Check it out in action:
Whether you’re using a liquid, powder, or créme makeup, this seemingly magical brush will apply it on your skin like a pro, sans the lines and streaks. With this deal, not only do you get to snag the brush, but you’ll also get a bonus cosmetic bag to boot.
Get the bundle on sale for only $68. That’s a 29 percent discount from the usual cost of $96.
blendSMART2® Metallic Motorized Brush Tool + Cosmetic Bag – $68
MadameNoire has teamed up with StackCommerce to bring you the best deals on the web. We may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.
You may witness more fist-bumps instead of the customary high-fives that NBA players usually give their fans at games. According to the Associated Press, the National Basketball Association (NBA) is advising players to avoid high-fiving their fans due to the current coronavirus outbreak.
In wake of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, NBA officials have advised players to restrict physical contact with fans to limit potential exposure to coronavirus, according to a league memo sent to the players. The NBA has also advised their players to limit signing autographs as well. There are currently 102 cases of the novel coronavirus nationwide, according to federal and state health officials.
“The coronavirus remains a situation with the potential to change rapidly—the NBA and the Players Association will continue to work with leading experts and team physicians to provide up-to-date information and recommended practices that should be followed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” the league said in the memo.
The NBA and National Basketball Players Association have been consulting with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and infectious-disease experts, including a renowned researcher at Columbia University, the memo said.
“We are also in regular communication with each other, NBA teams including team physicians and athletic trainers, other professional sports leagues, and of course, many of you,” the league also wrote in its memo to teams, their physicians and athletic training staffs.
Portland guard CJ McCollum has already taken the advice.
The Corona Virus has officially hit Oregon. More specifically Lake Oswego…Make sure y’all washing y’all hands with soap for 20 or more seconds & covering ya mouths when you cough. I am officially taking a break from signing autographs until further notice.
Sincerely,
CJ
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) February 29, 2020
“You just have to be careful,” McCollum said Monday night in Orlando. “Obviously it’s affecting people, especially people who are displaying weaker immune systems and people over 60. You’ve got to check yourself and wash your hands, try to reduce contact with outsiders and outside germs.”
Season: 4 / Episode: 20
Given that everyone in Class 1-A has had to deal with at least villain attacks (some certainly more often than others) and have done so with a fair degree of confidence and levelheadedness, it’s easy to forget that they are still just a bunch of teenagers. “Gold Tips Imperial” continues the School Festival by reminding us of this simple fact: that despite the maturity they have constantly shown in life-threatening situations, they’re still kids.
It’s Saturday at UA, and Jiro is leading the Band Team, the effects teams are expanding their vision for the performance, and Ashido is trying to get the dance team to pop and lock. Of course, nothing ever goes according to plan because there are some unexpected guests.
Mirio and Eri!
Yeah, out of list of images I imagined seeing in My Hero Academia, Mirio posturing while presenting a school girl Eri certainly was not one of them. Unexpected bodily representations of fruit aside, it turns out that Principle Nezuku has approved Eri’s visitation to the school, but he wants to get her acclimated to the place before the full sensory overload of the School Festival. All of the work study students are ecstatic to see Eri out and about, and the rest of Class 1-A welcomes her with open arms. Everyone decides to take five so Deku and Mirio can show Eri around the school.
Mirio explains the festival and dorm system to Eri, while also getting stopped by some of his former classmates who see Eri and immediately ask if she’s his daughter (a question Mirio awkwardly does not answer). Seeing all of the students prep for the festival brings back [insert adjective of your choice] memories of high school, with all the construction and planning. Our touring trio runs into Class 1-B who are also putting on a show: Romeo and Juliet and the Prisoner of Azakaban: The Return of the King.
There is something very appropriate about the hero’s whose quirk is copying other quirks straight up throwing three different stories into a blender and calling it completely original.
Up next is a visit to fellow Big Three Member, Nejire Hado, who is currently preparing for the Beauty Pageant that Aizawa did not inform Class 1-A about. Nejire Hado was last year’s runner up, and she’s looking to take the title her senior year. Both Midoriya and Eri are impressed for drastically different reasons. Tamaki’s also there for emotional support and some self-deprecating comedy.
Next up is the Development Studio with the Support Class and our favorite inventor, Mei Hatsume. She is very much working on so many different projects and said projects are also still prone to unexpected, inexplicable explosions
The trio gets lunch and Midoriya learns that Principle Nezuku had to use a lot of their clout to hold the school festival since UA is a high-profile villain target and Japan is without its Number 1 Hero. This only motivates Midoriya even more to make sure Eri has a great experience at the festival, and he goes off to meet up with the dance team only to find that he’s been co-opted by the special effects team who need something strong to carry Aoyama. Midoriya’s disappointed at first, but realizes that Eri will still see him dance at the beginning and making sure the show is memorable is the goal of the entire group.
Afterwards, he heads to train with All Might to try and utilize his air blasts more effectively which ends up just mirroring their first interactions with All Might’s intuitive grasp of All for One making him a less than ideal teacher for Midoriya. Still, neither is discouraged. Mei then crashes the party as she’s testing out another one of her babies and lets Midoriya know that she’s also found the time to work on some new equipment. This also unearths some expected news for the fanboy in Midoriya as he discovers that his idol used support items.
Back at the dorms, the students are chilling and when Uraraka’s just trying to bring him some Gold Tips Imperial Black Tea, she sees Midoriya in full goblin mode: on the intensive google search life, trying to find any visual evidence on the fifth page of results.
Of course while he’s doing this, he stumbles upon one of Gentle’s videos, and there is an unease that fills the air. Which is justified as the scene shifts to Gentle and La Brava. See Gentle is a villainous content creator with a penchant for tea, but he’s very much got a plan to infiltrate UA and make sure he has time to partake in the titular Gold Tips Imperials. He knows the path he’s gonna take, the tea shop he’s gonna stop at, the means to bypass security. And that’s gonna be a problem since if there’s even a hint of trouble the school festival’s gonna get canceled and after everyone’s hard work, that’d just crush morale and Eri’s heart, and we can’t have that…
The episodes ends in proper by giving us a little bit of insight into the back of Gentle and La Brava. They are certainly an odd couple, but you can tell they have their convictions and if nothing else, that makes them a different type of dangerous than anything we’ve seen in the My Hero Academia universe thus far.
Watching My Hero Academia? Check out BNP’s other reviews of the series here.
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The post My Hero Academia Recap: Gold Tips Imperial appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.