- Jules
'COCO', a must see movie!
I am getting home and more excited than ever! I feel the child in me jumping of excitement! I have never watched a movie who I identify with so well! They spoke like me, looked like me, customs like me! The continuity of the Latino community was flawless!
'Coco' is about a little boy, Miguel (voice of Anthony Gonzalez) who dreams about becoming a musician. He idolizes famous singer, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt), a character that you'd immediately identify to be like Pedro Infante.
Despite his family’s generations-old ban on music, he is ready to fight for his dreams! Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead, following a mysterious chain of events. He takes his trusty companion, Dante; a Xoloitzcuintli dog, AKA hairless Mexican dog. In the world of the dead, he meets, Hector (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an adventure that ends up revealing real story behind Miguel's family history and the musical ban.
Taking my daughter was only an excuse for me to go and she loves her grandparents so much, that we took her Nana and Tata (my parents). 'Coco' took me on an emotional rollercoaster. I laughed, got sad, happy, rooted for the characters!
This movie not only explained what "Dia de los Muertos" is and signifies in the Mexican community, but it also explained the importance of family. I was raised that family always comes first and is an very important part of life, and like Miguel, the main character in the movie, some times we learn the hard way of how important family truly is.
The Spanglish in the film was so simple, yet impeccable! Anyone can watch the film and understand exactly what is going on and not even notice the back and forth of languages like if they were playing tennis with each other. The key phrases like, "no manches" and "callate" made the audience laugh, but they worked so well.
I can't get over the details used to recreate the culture; the beautiful, colorful alebrijes, the wrath of "la chancla", the flowers, las calaveras, the clothes, traditions, the family business to the family curse! No detail was missed, that regardless of background, you'd identify in one aspect of another. I even feel like it has that novela unexpected dramatic turn of events! Which I won't give away, because you really must see the movie! Plus the characters voices only help with "animated novela" as I am going to describe it. Jaime Camil's voice is unmistakeable, and Benjamin Bratt! Come on!!! It was amazing! Alanna Ubach, Gael Garcia... Anthony Gonzalez who plays little Miguel, the child that all of us were at one point, fighting for a dream. The references to Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo are tasteful.
My favorite character of all, has to be Dante, the dog. The meaning of the Mexican hairless dog in the underworld is an important one and why he is the one to travel with Miguel the entire time. I have attached a link below to read more on the importance of the Xolo dog in the Mexican culture, which I thought was super interesting!
Article Credits: Online Wiley Library
Truth be told, the movie and its characters are so engaging that you forget you are watching a Spanglish children's animated film.
I can go on and on about how great the movie was! But, I do believe that it will quench a thirst that the Latino community has for their need of culture on the big screen.
At the end of the movie, my daughter asks me, "Can we see it again?"
Absolutely!