Saturday, 20 January 2018

Film Review: Coco (2018)

Rating: 9/10
Genre: Fantasy/Animated
Related Titles: The Book of Life, Up, Inside Out, Wall-E
By Leanne Harragan

Miguel loves music and wants nothing more than to be a musician. Living in a family that has banned music for generations, he travels to the Land of the Dead and alongside his new friend Héctor they discover the truth behind his family story. 

Pixar are always ahead of the game - 'Inside Out' is genius and 'Wall-E' is easily out of this world (pun intended!) 'Coco' is no different, while plot-wise it is not a masterpiece it is still an original take on already well received tropes; the true flair of this film comes from the breath-taking visuals. Using bright shades of orange, green, yellows and blues, Pixar have raised the animation game.

Telling the classic tale of the importance of family with a new twist, Miguel accidentally travels to a whole new world and meets the ancestors of his family and along the way learns a lot. While much of the plot was predictable, there were bit plot twists that I didn't see coming. 

I was surprised by how moving this film was, learning about the traditions of Dia de los Muertos was interesting and at times quite emotional. I also think Pixar have done a good job of being culturally sensitive despite a few hiccups along the way. It is also a great step in advancing representation of different nationalities especially in animated films, despite a number of clichés being included*. I think overall Pixar have done a good job in telling the story about Dia de Los Muertos.

Final mention goes to the soundtrack which is incredible, it's moving, original and sounds fantastic. If you are in anyway a fan of animated films, I would definitely recommend getting out there and seeing it. 
*Find out more about the clichés here.

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