19. Onward

Onward is a mostly fine movie saved by a really excellent ending. Chris Pratt and Tom Holland playing the elven brother duo of Barley and Ian is the most 2020-ass casting Pixar could’ve concocted. They basically play themselves as they go on a magical road trip to try and complete a spell that will let them spend a day with their deceased father. Like many of Pixar’s movies, Onward spends a lot of time showcasing its original setting, but it’s a fun enough romp until its incredibly affecting ending in which Holland’s character realizes that he hasn’t been lacking a father figure because his big brother stepped the fuck up. It ends with a poignant moment in which Pratt’s character gets to speak briefly with his revived father before the spell wears off, but the audience is kept at a distance, unable to hear the words exchanged. That moment is for Barley, and Ian is our protagonist, so we’re stuck in his perspective. Onward denies the audience catharsis when it counts and for that, it gets a sizable bump on this list. — KS