Coco movie review essay
One of the hallmarks of a lot of recent Disney and Pixar films has been the short films that run before the main attraction. These are little films that explore interesting topics, like exploring the love between volcanoes in Lava that ran before Moana see review , or Lou a story of a lost and found box that comes alive that came before Cars 3 see review which was also nominated for an Oscar. Now while not all of these short films work , they are all really interesting, and today we are going to look at Bao , which was the starting show for Incredibles 2 see review. So to set the scene, one morning a woman is at home making bao, a steamed dumpling, for her and her husband, who has to run off to work. Lamenting being all alone, the woman is shocked when all of a sudden one of the bao becomes alive in her mouth. Spitting the crying bao into a bowl soon it grows legs and arms, and becomes a child for the woman.
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coco response
In my home, these include the viewing of holiday-themed television programs and theater visits to see blockbuster films. The film draws its cultural inspiration from several Mexican variations of this tradition, which also happen to be those most commonly found in the United States. Coco is the story of Miguel, a young boy eager to follow his passion for music in a family that—puzzlingly—has banned music for several generations.
Miguel finds himself transported to the place of the dead just as the dead are making their way to the land of the living to be with their family and friends. Adventures ensue as this living boy tries to navigate the land of the dead, a visually vibrant and whimsically reimagined illustration of this traditional realm.
Viewers have found Coco to be a powerfully communicated story about the importance of family, community, a sense of belonging, tradition and remembrance. So here is the big question: did Disney Pixar get it right? If so, which of the many distinct variations and of which communities? What about the Day of the Dead that merged with Roman Catholic practices after the arrival of Europeans in the Americas? What about the Mexican national celebration?
What about the Day of the Dead tradition introduced to the U. Or maybe the Day of the Dead traditions that are practiced by recently immigrated Indigenous Latino populations in the U. Within Mexico there are many regional and community-specific interpretations of the tradition. The representation in Coco is a composite, but the individual elements would be recognizable to those familiar with the tradition.
The film is rich in Day of the Dead imagery such as decorated cemeteries and ofrendas offerings —temporary memorial spaces devoted to deceased family and friends.
You find celebrities like Frida Kahlo , Lucha Libre wrestlers and mariachi musicians in traditional regalia, as well as an assortment of relatives whom we can all identify.
Some of the characters are neither living humans nor skeleton beings, but they are certainly well-known to most Mexicans. A Xoloitzcuintli dog named Dante accompanies Miguel on his adventures. This hairless, ancient breed is considered to be the national dog of Mexico. Through the course of the film, Dante transforms into a living alebrije — a folk art form of fanciful, elaborately painted creature sculptures.
In the movie, alebrijes are companions to the deceased. Even the depicted spaces are recognizable to viewers. The place of the dead, filled with all sorts of activity and nightlife, is an expansive, colorfully lit urban space built on ancient pyramids. It could have been inspired by the cityscapes of Mexico, D. Interestingly, travel in the film from the land of the dead to the land of the living requires going through a type of afterlife immigration process.
The dead must present themselves to an officer who conducts a computer search for their image. Looks like immigration is tough even in the afterlife. A fundamental truth about culture is that it is complicated. In order for culture to serve its purpose, it must be able to adapt to the needs of the user. Individual elements of a tradition can be discarded and new elements can be incorporated.
New materials can be added if they meet the aesthetic and practical needs of the expression. Rituals from other communities are accepted if they are meaningful for community.
Some aspects of culture can take many years to evolve and yet others can change very quickly. When a cultural expression no longer serves a function, it can simply cease to exist. The traditions have been exposed to so many outside audiences and adapted by non-traditional practitioners.
Even if you are inclined to study the tradition in an effort to present it respectfully, it is difficult to know whose authority to accept. There are countless competing voices claiming authenticity and authoritative knowledge about the tradition.
Day of the Dead is relatively new in the U. We travel to Mexican destinations promoted by government tourism entities to observe or even participate in celebrations.
Hotels and other tourism venues create Day of the Dead activities for national and international guests. The internet has made Day of the Dead available to us on an unprecedented scale. Spend some time on Pinterest and you can learn how to throw a Day of the Dead party, do your skeleton make-up, plan your Day of the Dead—themed wedding, construct ofrendas or design your own sugar skull.
Throughout the U. It is quite clear that in the case of Day of the Dead, the cultural appropriation train has left the station and is moving along at full speed. To be sure, all sorts of aberrations will continue to appear. This recognition, we hope, will help in the preservation of the tradition as it is practiced in its original communities. So what is a folklorist to do when asked if Disney Pixar got it right? Rather than assuming that as a scholar I have a moral or intellectual right to make a single-handed determination, I would pose the question to Mexican traditional practitioners.
They, after all, are the owners and ultimate authorities of that tradition. By many accounts the film is enjoying tremendous acceptance in Mexico, and it is generating an abundance of positive internet chatter. It depicts a gathering in Oaxaca of abuelitos grandparents viewing the film with smiling approval. Oaxaca is a place in Mexico where the Day of the Dead tradition is particularly rich. She has conducted research in the U. She has followed the evolution of day of the dead traditions for more than 25 years.
Theatergoers will find Coco to be a powerfully communicated story about the importance of family, community, a sense of belonging, tradition and remembrance. Disney Pixar. Post a Comment.
Review: ‘Encanto’
However, as an avid fan of all things animated, I was very happy with this movie when it came out in as The Book of Life , produced by Guillermo del Toro and directed by Jorge Gutierrez. But the similarities have made a lot of people wonder. The Book of Life was a good and quirky film. Plus: it was great to see an animated film with an Hispanic director and producer get a big budget and a major studio behind it. In the end, it became more of a home video hit.
Coco (2017)
Animation , Film Analysis. Unkrich takes a unique perspective when showing us his vision of life after death; which involves the themes of family, determination, and culture. Death has always been surrounded by mystery. This movie shares an interesting idea of what happens after death, adding another piece of fantasy to our other fantasies. Instead of just showing and creating another way of the afterlife, Unkrich also shows the family love that is so sacred, it heals us whenever we are together with our family. Identity helps us to identify who we are, and our goals on the face of the earth. Coco teaches me that no matter what others say, do not take it personally, and keep on pursuing the dream that would one day change our lives. Essay due?
Did Disney Pixar Get Day of the Dead Celebrations Right in Its Film ‘Coco’?
From the arresting, luminous city of the dead to the nonstop music and those eye-popping, mystical alebrijes, Coco is packed to the gills with visual and auditory delights. What follows is a journey into the afterlife that sees Miguel risking almost everything to follow this one simple dream. So Molina went, literally, back to the drawing board, eventually coming up with the moment in which Miguel, tucked away in a secret hideout and surrounded by de la Cruz mementos, watches old videos of his idol while practicing on a makeshift guitar. But while Coco features three original songs, several new arrangements from renowned Latino musicians, and at least one full-blown musical number, Pixar is very careful not to call it a musical. Though the studio Pixar is owned by Disney, Pixar has never made a musical.
“Coco” Movie Review
Premise : A diligent man crosses paths with a woman living a double-life in Dubai. While it struggles until the end to come up with a well-woven narrative, Love or Money has some beautiful merits to rely on, including the brilliant performances of its leads who remained in their element to make their thinly-written characters work. He juggles a number of jobs just so he could earn enough money to send back to his family, in the Philippines. He crosses paths with Angel Angelica Panganiban one night, in a serendipitous moment that ultimately leads them to fall in love with each other. With the picturesque Dubai as a majestic backdrop, Love or Money is seemingly groomed with a glamorous cover.
“Coco,” a Story About Borders and Love, Is a Definitive Movie for This Moment
It is rare to see a genuine portrayal of Mexican communities. Being Mexican myself, it is frustrating to see such negative and two-dimensional stereotypes unfold in mainstream American media. Latino men are typically violent antagonists and Latina women are largely sexualized. Not to mention most forms of media fail to show the diversity of Latinx communities — opting to use only Latinx actors with dark features and thick accents. For once, Mexico was not presented as a drug-ridden land or a place for wild partying, but a culturally rich country with plenty of things to be proud of. As of recently there have been a few attempts to truly capture the beauty of Mexican culture. The film focuses on, Miguel, a young boy who dreams of becoming a big musician, despite his families generational ban on music.
The Prospector
As expected from a Pixar film, Coco had plenty of its attendees in tears and struck a major chord with me as a few scenes reminded me of my late grandfather. This also touches upon the fact that you should never fight with those who are close to you, which plays into my next lesson. Family Is Everything : Friends will come and go, but a family will be there forever, so you should treat them with respect, prioritize them, and most importantly: never forget them.
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After Inside Out , Pixar dips again into the metaphysical with a trip into the afterlife. Powell and Pressburger would cheer. Coco is also one of the most impressively animated films ever. From the glow of candles to the magic shine of. Our hero is a young boy called Miguel Rodriguez — a real talent who longs to sing and play guitar just like his movie-star hero, Ernesto De La Cruz Bratt. Miguel discovers he is unable to get home unless he finds a deceased member of his family to give him a blessing — he then teams up with deadbeat dead man Hector Bernal to find his missing ancestor and get home.
Here, he encounters many of his deceased relatives, as well as the charming trickster Hector, voiced by Gael Garcia Bernal. What follows is a beautiful story of remembrance, betrayal and reflection on the true bond of family. Although the movie is meant for a younger audience, it provides comedy for children while delivering clever jokes and dry humor appealing to older viewers. The focus on family highlights both the tension and fierce love present in family dynamics.
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In it something is. Many thanks for an explanation, now I will know.