Encanto

Somehow I feel like this movie isn't finished. I see a lot of great work, and good ideas. But the story feels unfinished. This is most notible when we have the highpoint of the conflict in the last scene of the 2nd act. And this conflict is resolved the very next scene. And I can't help but feel that this story had so much more to explore. I could have seen this movie surpas coco, with it's more original story, but alas.

7/10: great but had so much more potential.

'Encanto' interested me straightaway and was seen without hesitation. It is a milestone Disney film, its 60th. It had positive word of mouth, online and offline from people with not too dissimilar taste to me. It really interested me seeing an animated film exploring Columbian culture, something not seen by me before in animation (speaking as a long term fan of the medium), having really appreciated seeing Disney and Pixar explore a wider variety of cultures over the years.

Finally seeing it, part of me enjoyed 'Encanto' a lot and there is a huge amount to like about it. Having said that, for a milestone Disney film (which on paper promises greatness) part of me was expecting something more. 'Encanto' was something that could easily have been great, considering how interesting the story sounded on paper, but it was more to me one of those good films with many great elements but not quite enough of the extra magic.

There is certainly a lot that is done right. The best thing about 'Encanto' is the animation, which is nothing short of spectacular. The character designs are some of the best for all the Disney films post-'The Princess and the Frog' and the colours are so gorgeously vibrant. Absolutely loved the Madrigal family home, some very inventive and at its best dazzling animation there. Another major standout is the soundtrack, which is full of exuberant life and very catchy in an infectious way. "We Don't Talk About Bruno" is held in very high regard for good reason, one of the most infectious songs of any film in some time, while "Columbia, Mi Encanto" does such a wonderful job at transporting one to Columbia.

Had no issues either with the voice acting, which had the whole cast voicing with nuance and enthusiasm and doing well at not becoming stereotypical. Stephanie Beatriz and John Leguizamo especially excel. Mirabel is a winning lead character and loved how all the characters had strong individual personalities. The humour amuses, the energy seldom stops and there is a good deal of heart. The family values are relatable and sincere while not being heavy handed, and the cultural element was illuminating and fun and done tastefully.

By all means, 'Encanto' is far from perfect. The story is over familiar and doesn't really break any ground, also did think that the backstory was rushed and could have gone into a lot more depth rather than having the choppy jumping around it had and the ending was indicative of the writers not being sure how to end it so decided to treat everything with the magic after so much tension beforehand as too much of an abrupt shrug and end the film in a convenient and too pat way.

As catchy as the end number was, considering what came before it it was slightly tacked on perhaps. The weakest song though is the bizarre "Surface Pressure", that was the one song that didn't stick in the mind afterwards and felt oddly staged and didn't feel placed easily within the film.

Overall, many enchanting things but could have done with more magic. 7/10.

It was cute. Mostly entertaining but I got bored many times (maybe because I'm an adult and this is geared toward kids). I heard a lot of great things and people told me to watch it but I didn't really love it. I don't see myself watching it again anytime soon. I think I expected too much also because I absolutely loved Coco and it's one of my favorite films.

LIKES:

The Animation: No surprise, Disney is capable of masterpieces, and they continue to push the envelope for making these movies come to life. Encanto is certainly an incredible display of movement, smooth transitions and numbers that take the energy of Disney and amplify it tenfold to unleash on the big screen. It's dynamic, it's fun, and it utilizes so much of the environment that it presents itself as the musical it set out to be. The design explodes out in an amazing color, fantastic designs, and that campy details that bring you the happiness of a close knit Disney family. It's certainly a core element of the feels of the movie, and will easily capture your attention within seconds of starting.

The Culture: Disney has been big on bringing culture to their films and they once again managed to succeed in unleashing the honorable themes that come with it. Encanto is all about family, and the movie works hard to show that essence in the form of meals, helping the community, and trying to dig deeper into the darker corners that we all might hide. It's a beautiful representation of the work family building is, and tries to bring the other important elements of the culture into every scene they can. There is communion over dinner, the integration of the animals and plants made famous in the South American jungles, and the arts of crafting that are effortlessly integrated into the casa. The musical numbers bring the fervor and fire of the dancing, implementing the usual Disney movements, Encanto's numbers try to mix in a little South American dance spice and it works fantastically. Soon the mythos starts to leak into other elements and brings with it a grand display of the values and nuances that my limited studies have suggested they value. The result is a homely, and welcoming film that the young ones and young at heart will like, and potentially motivate families to dive a little more into cultural heritage.

The House: Encanto's main setting is this central house that the magic family lives in. You might think a house is not the most impressive Disney setting, but you'd be surprised at how well they utilized this enchanted villa into the story. The first is just the setting itself, a massive display of cultural architecture that we mentioned earlier to give symbolic nods to the Columbian architecture. Expanding on that, the rooms that the Familia have contain the magic that Disney can make, and opens the door for lots of new avenues to exploit in the future. Two of the rooms we see are the things of dreams, with the imagination oozing out in the extensive, physics defying, displays they have become as jungles and fields erupt into one magical room. Soon, the house turns into the obstacle course to find the clues to saving the magic as the dark parts of the house emerge. And then, the house becomes an actual character, an anthropomorphized obstacle that has its own means of adding to the story as it protects and pulls the family into its moving embrace. In a comical manner, the house bobs and weaves its own dance, having a lot of fun character though it never speaks a word to the characters it helps on a daily basis. The house was a fantastic piece to connect everything, and one of the biggest Disney elements of the movie for me.

The Music: You've got the Hamilton head manning the wheel on the original songs and he accomplishes things super well with his ingenuity. I found Encanto's work to be a lot more diverse than some of his previous work, but still holding the same quality and fluidity that he has mastered for so long. The opening number is fast and exhilarating, the mixture of stage show with the Latino spin I expected of him. Soon, the other numbers follow, always having that Broadway feel, but being curtailed to the movie to help hold the emotions of the movie moment and still be fun to sing. And he manages to add more genres to his repertoire in this film, and I loved the chorography they instill in the movies helping elevate the words in the quirky mixture of comedy and dance. Helping diversify the mixture of music, comes the nonmusical works, a score that again blends the festive nature of Latin culture and guides it towards serious sequence moments and festive parties. I actually preferred these moments to the big numbers and I absolutely loved how they brought the energy without being too extravagant.

The Heart: Encanto is a very relevant film to me, and like Disney does, has some great lessons that don't cross the political lines for me. Mirabel and her family have a lot of dynamics that are realistic, and within the walls of Casita, holds levels of storytelling that dug deep and made me feel attachment to my own family. I loved the big lessons of Mirabel not being a superhero, but was able to still work towards the mystery, which I think is important to note in the world of celebrities we idolize today. Other areas still run deep too, and that very core can impact a lot of people both young and old who watch this film. I loved the message being integrated well into the film, and not going too preachy as sometimes happens with messages in the film.

DISLIKES:

Character/Power Usage: Character usage is not the worst in the movie, but I can't lie that after the opening of the film, I had hoped for more character usage and balance than what I got in this film. Encanto's powers are not the most unique, but they offered some potential to collaborate in this mission to save the magic and discover the secrets in the house. Yet, the powers were sort of wonky, with some of the characters only doing their powers to the extent of what you saw in the trailers. The magic of the rooms and that imagination we get in the opening numbers, sort of fades to the background and I would have loved more of that magic to come in to the story instead of just the songs.

Music Over Full Plot: Much like Frozen, Disney seemed to have put the songs before the story with this piece. I had fun with the numbers, but they became the center stage of the film where everything was about those numbers. The story's predictability was in part due to the budget going to these songs alongside the power struggles mentioned above, was because of all the focus on the soundtrack The movie has a great respect for the character motifs, and those elements of the story are strong, but I can't lie that it still did not have all the elements that Tangled, Zootopia, and Wreck it Ralph have made famous in their lineage. Throw in that the characters who were built up to be important are sort of haphazardly used, with only two really getting the primary integration I expect of these movies. Perhaps that will occur with Disney+ making another special a few years down the line, and their rooms, that magic, and their adventures will be in the next spin off that the House Of Mouse is making common.

The Lack Of Suspense/Worthy Antagonist: My least favorite part of the movie has to be the antagonist and the adventure elements missing in this film. Encanto, much like Soul, is more so a dive into the battlefield of human emotions and hardships of life. As great as this is, it still is missing the adventure theme that I've seen in other Animation Studios, lacking those mind bending creatures and myths for our heroine to conquer. The mystery was actually not that deep or complicated, and the struggles to find the answers came a little easier and quicker than what I kind of expected from the trailers. Again, a super powered household would expect to have bigger challenges, but it was sort of swept under the rug making it lack the same bite and suspense that again other films do so well. Even the antagonist was not the usual level of creativity that they've done, which though it fits into the story, still could have used a little more adversity to drive the bus.

The VERDICT: Encanto is a very fun film, with the heart and soul of the Latino culture and the values that many shows/movies have stated they hold. The animation and design are top notch as Disney always does, and I loved the energy imbued into the various scenes of the film. That house was a brilliant, multidimensional tool that accomplished so much and it allowed a lot of things to be integrated in the short span of time. The music of the film is definitely a high point, and floods much of the film to get you dancing in your seat and buying soundtracks later on after the movie gets older. Sadly, the movie has too many characters and too little time to integrate every character in adequate time to be meaningful to the story. Encanto needs more time and adventure elements of the story for a guy like me, blending that heart and proving that fortitude by giving a good opponent to storm. Yet, the puzzles, the mystery, and that usual Walt Disney fervor is a little tamer in this film, and I would have liked a little more of that sauce to break things up and give that punch that I quite enjoy. Still, the movie is worthwhile and fun for a theater visit, especially those who enjoy the musical theater element more than an adventure. And it is definitely a great movie for the family to check out this week if looking for harbor from Black Friday.

My scores are; Animation/Adventure/Comedy: 8.0 Movie Overall: 7.0.

Extraordinary abilities are part and parcel of the amazing Madrigal family, but one of their own members is quite ordinary-Mirabel. Amid her family marked with blessings, young Mirabel believes she has no defining trait. She's a bit of an outlier who is desperate to feel a sense of belonging in her superpowered family. It seems like everyone is special, and she's just...not. However, not all is as perfect as it seems in the casa Madrigal. Behind the shining façade, this family is starting to come apart. Their house is cracking, and the future isn't looking good. As the sole person in her family who is "un-gifted", Mirabel has unique insight into the Madrigal legacy. Can she help restore life to her home and family?

At the start of the story, the pressure to "make the family proud", in the words of Abuela, is a throbbing pulse within the household, to the point that several members of the family are overworking themselves and even being ostracized for not using their gifts "correctly". The song "Surface Pressure" highlights one of the sister's struggles to juggle more than her share of the work: "Give it to your sister, your sister's stronger / See if she can hang on a little longer / Who am I if I can't carry it all?" I myself have struggled with finding my identity completely in my talents or strengths, so I found the honest portrayal of this outlook very relatable. There is a lot of pressure in social circles, online, and in the media to discover your talent and utilize it as effectively and quickly as possible, even if that means experiencing incredible stress in the process. It's good to find joy or satisfaction in your skills, but basing your self-worth completely in your abilities or forcing yourself to unattainable perfection is not a healthy perspective. Eventually, after noticing the widespread tension to perform, Mirabel encourages her family to realize that each of them is "more than just their gift." Each person's inherent dignity is not found in what they can do, but who they are. As human beings, we are not made to achieve constant productivity or complete perfection, but we are made to love. Encanto displays and celebrates this truth well.

Additionally, I found Encanto's final representation of generational appreciation very compelling and inspirational. At first glance, it seems that Abuela Madrigal is more concerned with protecting her home than truly listening to and caring for the needs of her family. Later, however, we learn that she suffered much in her younger years, and that the great miracle, from whence the family gifts came, is a result of that suffering. I really enjoyed this willingness to learn and listen to both generations: Mirabel helps her abuela see that she has forgotten the true mission of their family: to care for and bless others as they have been blessed. Abuela, in turn, helps Mirabel to see that that you must go through pain to experience true joy. People of all ages and stages should be aware of the attitude with which they approach other generations and be willing to learn from each other.

Described in a word, Encanto is vibrant. The lush, animated landscapes and bright colors, the representation of Hispanic culture, and the merry music are all fantastic, making this film fun and engaging. However, for all its excellence in the areas of music, culture, and animation, parts of the story felt a bit rushed. Particularly in the last half of the film, it seemed like all the familial conflicts which had been carefully developed in the first half of the story were quickly and neatly solved, almost unrealistically. While I think it's wonderful thing that the Madrigals were able to "forgive and forget" so quickly in the final resolution, I think adding even 30 minutes of run-time would've given more opportunity for resolving the clan's conflicts and the space for a more balanced, realistic ending for this magical family.