Coco (2017)

Directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina

Screenplay written by Adrian Molina and Matthew Aldrich

Original story by Lee Unkrich, Jason Katz, Matthew Aldrich and Adrian Molina 

Starring the voices of Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt and Alanna Ubach 

When this movie first came out I didn't jump to go and see it in theaters and I highly regret that decision-- because as amazing as Coco was on a small laptop screen from Netflix, it had to have been even better on the big screen. Coco is maybe my new favorite movie from Disney Pixar. 

It follows the story of the young boy, Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez) in his small Mexican village. Miguel wants to follow in the footsteps of the beloved late Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), and become a famous musician. While music is his passion, it is strictly forbidden in his family of shoemakers, and they will not allow anything to do with it. Miguel will stop at nothing to achieve his dreams though, and on Día de los Muertos, he finds himself in the Land of the Dead, teaming up with a down-on-his-luck skeleton Hector (Gael García Bernal) to find his great-great-grandfather. 

Coco tells a story that has been done many times before in animated films that family is important, but it does it in such a engaging and unique way it feels like an entirely new story. This movie is incredibly charming and has many impactful messages about death, the importance of family, memories, following your passion and how love conquers all. The journey in this movie is so exciting and full of twists that adults and children alike can enjoy it.  

The musical numbers in this movie blends perfectly with the dialogue and embodies the spirit of Mexican music, really beautifully. I legitimately enjoyed many of the songs in this movie, especially "Remember Me"-- which Miguel does a great cover of for the movie as well. 

The characters in this movie are all so fun and eccentric in their own ways. There is a lot of character development, especially from the main character; Miguel. Hector, the gangly skeleton who starts out as the goofy sidekick becomes so much more by the ending, and his character was probably my favorite to watch. Even the supporting characters were so interesting and play an important role, like Miguel's relatives he meets in the Land of the Dead. The screenwriter's decision to have a blend of English and Spanish, was the icing on the cake of this film. You don't have to speak Spanish to know what is going on, it just adds to the authenticity of the movie-- which revolves heavily around Mexican culture and Día de los Muertos very accurately. 

Animation isn't always something I noice the quality of. A film is either animated or not. However, Coco has the most beautiful and detailed animation I've ever seen. From the vibrant colors of the Land of the Dead to the strands of hair on Miguels head, it is incredible. 

Fair warning, you will ugly cry by the end of this movie. 

9/10