Photo courtesy of Pixar Animation Studios
Onward (2020)
This week in theaters: ‘Onward’ and ‘The Way Back.’
Onward (Rated PG)
Shaping up as one of Pixar's less original offerings, this animated movie nevertheless features likable characters. Tom Holland and Chris Pratt lend their voices to elf brothers whose father died when they were young. As teens—rapidly growing apart—the discovery of dad's magical staff unites them because, with the right spell, it can bring him back for 24 hours. Unfamiliar with magic long ago discarded in favor of video games and other technology, the boys only partially bring back their dad. With one day to fix the spell before he is gone forever, they embark on a road trip replete with the usual tropes and obstacles. Julia Louis-Dreyfus vocalizes their mom, while Octavia Spencer intones a strange woman possessing knowledge that can help them complete their quest.
The Way Back (Rated R)
A high school basketball phenom, Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck) inexplicably walked away from the game after securing a basketball college scholarship. Having thrown his future away, the now 40-something, divorced alcoholic begins the day drinking beer in the shower, the can precariously balanced on the soap dish. Jack spends off hours in a lowlife bar and spiraling downward. When asked to coach his high school basketball team, Jack is surprised to find himself accepting the difficult task of fixing a broken group of players. Addressing these malfunctions sends Jack into a drinking funk but also inspires him to get help. In some ways, it’s an autobiographical film for Affleck, who has experience with rehab.
