Although the Pixar film Coco was released last year, I didn’t watch it until yesterday. I like to watch movies on Wednesdays since I’m off work and I had heard great things aboutCoco, so I decided to check it out. Boy am I glad I did.
The film is set in Mexico and follows a boy named Miguel as he dreams of being a musician. His dreams are crushed by his family who, for generations, has prohibited any and all family members from listening to or making music. Miguel runs away shortly after Day of the Dead festivities begin and soon learns much more about the holiday once he runs into some of his deceased relatives. He goes with them into the Land of the Dead, where the majority of the film takes place, and has his eyes opened to revelations about his family and rethinks his priorities in life.
I love Pixar films and the sheer amount of research, effort, and heart everyone involved puts into them. I may still be riding the emotional high I got from this film, but I think thatCoco is Pixar at its best. Everything about this film, the colors, the styles, the animation, the acting, and especially the music, is incredible. I wish I had seen this in theatres and can only imagine what a treat that would have been. Watching it at home still gave me a wonderful experience that I don’t remember getting from any other film I’ve seen. Aside from the technical aspects, this film contains more heart than possibly any other Pixar film I’ve seen. Themes about following your passions and the power of family, as well as the lengths to which family members will go to support each other, abound. These themes and the way they’re delivered are so powerful that they moved me to tears in several places. I’ve only cried as hard as I did during Coco in a couple of films, so this is a truly moving film. It also has some of the best comedy I’ve seen in any Pixar film. It’s not bursting with jokes but it has plenty of lighthearted moments, and most of them do the job of providing levity to offset the heavy emotional and dramatic elements. If you enjoy Pixar films or quality films in general and haven’t seen Coco yet, then I highly recommend checking it out. This is one of their best and may even be their best. You’ll be glad you gave it a watch.