Disney/Pixar's "Coco": Film Review
Image by Disney/Pixar ©
Today was the release day of the much anticipated animated film, Coco. And as a big fan of animated Disney movies, I of course had to go see Coco on its release date – dragging my friends along with me! First and foremost, I had high hopes for the film as it is the first Disney/Pixar animated film with all Latinx characters (No, Elena of Avalor doesn't count!). As Disney isn't very well known for its "diversity" of characters in animated films (almost all of the Disney princesses are white, except three: Mulan, Jasmine, and Tiana), I was both shocked and excited when I saw the first trailer for Coco. As a Latinx woman, I was especially excited for this film. I was not disappointed with what I saw today – Coco gets 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾 (5 thumbs up!) from me. Finally, Disney/Pixar does it right! Here's just a few things Disney/Pixar got right about this film (I'm a proud mama if you can't tell!):
The movie is not about a man or love interest (there is absolutely no romance in this movie involving the main character!)
The main character is of color – in fact all of the characters are Latinx (yay for diversity!)
The movie is culturally accurate (as far as I know)
Talking about diversity, not only are all the animated characters Latinx, but all of the characters are voiced by Latinx identifying people, and wait for it…the movie is co-directed by Latinx director, Adrian Molina! I could cry, not only because of all this brown people magic, but also ‘cause Coco is such a beautiful movie and I'll admit, I did tear up a couple of times during the film.
Movie Summary:
*SPOILERS ALERT*
Image by Disney/Pixar ©
Coco tells the story of Miguel, a young boy in Mexico who dreams of becoming a musician. However, Miguel's family hates music and forbids Miguel from playing music due to a bad history involving his great-great-grandfather leaving his great-great-grandmother and young great-grandmother to pursue a career in music. This leaves his great-great-grandmother to learn to fend for herself and raise a daughter alone, which leads her to learn a trade which will later become the family trade and business: shoe-making. When a Día de los Muertos talent show comes along, Miguel takes this as an opportunity to "seize the moment" as his favorite artist and "great-great-grandfather" (I put this in quotes because later in the film you find out that Ernesto is not in fact Miguel's great-great-grandfather in the biggest plot twist of the century!), Ernesto de la Cruz, always says. However, when Miguel is caught sneaking out of the house to play at the talent show and his grandmother breaks his guitar in anger as a result, Miguel is forced to go to his "great-great-grandfather's" grave and steal "his" guitar in order to play the show and fulfill his dream! Miguel's action leads him to enter the Land of the Dead where he meets his ancestors, and has to go on an adventurous and wild journey in order to get back to the living world.
*SPOILERS OVER*
Image by Disney/Pixar ©
In conclusion, Coco is a beautiful film about the importance of family, taking risks, and doing whatever it takes to fulfill one's dreams. If you can take any key lessons from Coco, these are them:
Don't take your family for granted, they are there for you when no one else is and they will be there for you through thick and thin.
Family > Fame and Greed (always!)
Spend time with your parents and elders because one day they'll be gone, and you don't want to regret not spending as much time with them as you should have.
Follow your dreams! Seize the moment! (Ernesto may have been an a-hole, but his motto was the real deal!)
Image by Disney/Pixar ©
For this, Coco is my Movie of the Year.
Xo, Naydeline