Say what will about the corporate overlords at Disney and the decisions that they have made over the past year with the new leadership, nothing can be taken away about the level of quality that is infused in their animated properties. Whether it’s Pixar or Disney Animation, Disney 99.9% of the time strikes gold with their animated tales, particularly the ones that get released around thanksgiving, and strategically its been showing success upon success. Tangled, Moana, Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph and many others were all thanksgiving releases and all stayed in the public eye all throughout the holidays. With the primal focus being on Disney Animation, they’re absolutely brilliant on being experimental with their stories, whether it’s a musical in Frozen or Moana, giving it’s own spin to a classic fairy tale in Tangled or making a coming of age super hero tale with Big Hero 6, Disney Animation is a staple for Disney and really could be looked at as the essential for how Disney became what it is today. Not only are these movies targeted at kids, they typically are accessible for all ages which why these movies can be resonating for entire families and Encanto is no different. While beautiful and authentic, Encanto is a luminous and cultural opening for Disney. With gorgeous animation, inspirational mythology and snappy music, Disney proves that they’re the king of enchanting and mesmerizing animated adventures.
Set in the beautiful and ravishing world of Columbia, their lives a family known as The Madrigals, who reside deep in the mountains in a little town they call Encanto. The magic that bestows in Encanto grants each family member with a unique and special ability that they each obtain at a young age, every family member except Mirabel. However, when the magic starts to loose its strength, Mirabel is the only one who can save Encanto from loosing it’s magic for good.
Each time an animated Disney movie gets released, the one aspect that will continue to praise ad nauseam is the animation. Earlier this year, we got to see a sterling approach in Asian culture with Raya and the Last Dragon and now in Encanto, we are taken into the world of Columbia with all of its richness and exquisite level of culture and not at one point does it disappoint. The animation in Encanto is simply out of this world and it showcases that the animators who create every image of this world is really a god given talent. Seeing the country of Columbia, with all of its traditions, customs and cultivations was a wondrous thing and it magnificently shines a spotlight on much needed representation.
With Encanto being a musical, which is something that Disney usually exceeds at, it delivers on some terrific and heartfelt music that carries the movie’s weight and moves the story in an insightful way with extraordinary mythology. What makes things even better is the songs were written by the wickedly talented Lin-Manuel Miranda. The music immerses you in this world, the characters lifestyles and its themes of finding yourself and the effectiveness of being a family. Every time Lin-Manuel Miranda is attached as a song writer or director, we know we’re in for something special because we know that he not only serves as a consultant but as someone who creatively and artistically brings more life, heart and humanity to the story.
Actors, depending on what movie it is, should not be the selling point for your animated movie because they’re only lending their voices to their characters. Yes, they are playing them but not in a physical sense. With that being the case, each actor in Encanto does a remarkable job of giving their characters personality and each displaying their own distinctive range in the confinements of not being able to physically interact with one another.
Will Encanto have the phenomenal boom that Frozen had eight years ago? Probably not and there’s no telling when that’ll happen again but that is in no way suggesting that Encanto is better than Frozen or vice versa. Nevertheless, Encanto continues the streak of serving more as quality the quantity. It’s heading Disney to even greater heights with by embodying a different taste in an everyday life by focusing on people of Columbia. Gorgeous animation, solid music and heart, Encanto can’t be missed.
My grade for Encanto: A-
Zane's take at the Cinema's 