Tropic Sprockets / Coco

By Ian Brockway

“Coco,” the latest animated film from Walt Disney and Pixar is a marvel from start to finish. Directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina, it is nothing less than a kaleidoscope for the eyes. The film, to its great credit, puts Mexican culture front and center and does so with affection, verve, reverence and joy.

Miguel (Anthony Gonzales) is a young boy. All he wants to do is play guitar. But because his great-great grandfather was an irresponsible husband as well as a master musician, the Rivera family has been forbidden to interact with music on any intimate level. Instead, the family makes shoes.

Miguel has an obsession with the late superstar Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt) a kind of Elvis. Seeing a photo in his house of Ernesto’s famous skull guitar, the boy is convinced that the crooner is his great-great grandfather and that he was born to play. During a Day of the Dead celebration, Miguel sneaks into Ernesto’s crypt and takes the guitar, putting the boy in limbo: half in life and half in death. Miguel resolves to journey to the land of the dead and seek out Ernesto, affirming his musical calling.

The film wonderfully informs us about The Day of the Dead, telling us exactly what the holiday and belief is, especially for young audiences. The two day holiday is nothing to be afraid of, but rather a way to love our passed on family and friends with love and respect. In Mexico, death is part of life and vice versa. There is no separation. The story handles this holistic concept beautifully with precise style, humor and eye-popping color.

Miguel is put on an orange sunflower road. Bright sky polyps of aqua blue and lime green confront him. Before he can blink an eye, lively skeletons of every shape and size shake and gambol in front of him. Soon he meets the quirky and glib Hector skeleton (Gael Garcia Bernal), a struggling musician, his only friend.

The film has many entertaining moments. Chief among these are the segments in tribute to the iconic painter Frida Kahlo, (voiced by Natalia Cordova-Buckley) which features the creator in all her skeletal glory, complete with a gigantic open papaya, numerous skulls and a monkey. Central to the story is the spirit and desire of the title character great grandmother Mama Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguía) who only wants to see her father and his music again.

Throughout the film, there is the repeated theme of love, recognition and memory and the great joy of being remembered by those we love. This is equal to a dramatic film, affecting and poignant, refreshingly not the usual fare. Instead this is a full, rollicking, exuberant and thoughtful repast. Its bold color and spirit will hit upon your eyes like music and as a film, it is impossible to look at it and not be delighted. By entertaining and informing without fear, “Coco” is easily the best Disney animated feature in ten years.

Write Ian at [email protected]

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