Coco (2017)

Rating: 8/10 (8 January 2018)

I am not a huge fan of animated films. I can count on one hand the number of animated films that I truly enjoy. However, there's something about Pixar, where they do have the best quality animated features. I really liked Inside Out (which surprised the hell out of me) and do like the Toy Story trilogy. I didn't think a whole lot of Coco from the trailers I saw but had to give it a fair chance. I really liked this film, it was entertaining, creative, emotional, and wonderful to look at.
The film is about a young boy named Miguel who lives with his family in a household that is strictly against any form of music. This stems from his great grandmother being abandoned by her father who was a musician. One day on Día de Muertos, Miguel attempts to borrow the guitar of a famous deceased musician and finds himself transported (and stuck in) the realm of the dead. The only way to get back is to get a blessing from a family member before sunrise. Along the way, Miguel tries to find out who is musician ancestor is.
I enjoyed this film the whole way through. Once again the content of the film was creative and had a lot of heart as is regularly the case with a Pixar film. I think the film does a great job of portraying an interesting look into Mexican culture, through the depiction of the Day of the Dead, the music, and the family values. The film carries the same amount of depth as something like Inside Out. It also carries a similar amount of fun, silliness and charm. i was pleasantly surprised with how much of it I was enjoying. Parts of the film do drag, sure, but its carried by enough strong moments.
The voice acting is great, and visually the film is quite stunning. Its rich and eye popping color give it such a vibrant and alluring feel. The music and score is good. It'll be enjoyable for all ages. Children will be distracted by the animation and the colors and quick action, adults will be enthralled with the deeper themes and tones that really carry this film and make it the best animated film of the year by far.
8/10