Unexpected.

Rating: 8/10 (9 December 2017)

This Movie wasn't even on my radar. I had dismissed it as a book of life copycat.
Well it does deal with Dios dela muertos however the story, tone and visuals are completely different.
Miguel (voiced by the lively Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming a musician like his ideal. His family however disapproves... strongly disapproves and wants him to follow in the family business of shoe making.
In an act of rebellion he finds himself in the land of the dead and needs his family's blessing to get home. Thing is even his dead ancestors disapprove of his dream and want him to give it up.
The graphics are stunning and the amount of detail given to everything is staggering, one of the characters. A scruffy skeleton by the name of Hector looked like he had a little scratch on his cheek but later in the movie when the lighting is better and his face is angled just right you notice that no, it's not a scratch. it's part of an interact design similar to the one on sugar skulls. He's just so scruffy that the design is really subtle and only shows when the the light hits him just right.
The comedy is cut, the characters heart warming and it has some very down to earth characters (a granny that hits you with her shoe? reminds me of someone I actually know) To top it off all the skeletons and having a kid be in danger, real danger. had the kids in the audience's attention without scaring them. My theater was full of jumpy children but once the movie started not one left his seat or said anything but the occasion "ohhh.." "haha" while a lot of adults reached for their napkins to hide the tears.
A beautiful movie and well worth sitting through the 20 minute frozen merchandise commercial that came before it. (please pick up the new Elsa dress for your five year old once you leave the theater!)