An Emotional Ride: Blends Familiar Pixar Elements with New Cultural Flare

Rating: 9/10 (28 November 2017)

Before I begin, I will say this: This is worthy of residing in its rightful place in the Pixar library.
The story begins where aspiring 12-year-old Miguel Rivera wants to become a musician. However, his shoemaking family refuses such dreams and instead insists on letting him follow their long-standing work passed down for generations. Things become more complicated when he is cursed and journeys to the Land of the Dead with the help of his deceased relatives to fix the wrongs he has done.
Coco does use a few familiar elements used in past Pixar films that I see them like ingredients used in making this particular movie:

The aspiration of Ratatouille

A hint of Inside Out's concept

The emotional touch of Toy Story 3

When blended with Mexican culture, music, and customs, including traditional beliefs for Mexico's holiday Dia de Los Muertos, it's a story worth telling when seeing it through Miguel's perspective as though we've grasped his inner psyche and are channeling it. And his meetings with various whimsical characters in the Land of the Dead offers an insight to what he's been missing and didn't know he had all along.
Miguel's family felt so relatable that it's reminding me of members of my own family at a young age. Like I can literally see their personalities residing in these characters, especially kindhearted Mama Coco (who reminds me so much of my late grandmother) that it brought a tear to my eye and hushed weeping from some people that night. I'd say this feels relatable no matter who you are or where you're from because while a dream of being something greater is one thing, never forget that family is also equally important. The voice cast did an impressive job, especially newcomer Anthony Gonzalez as Miguel. Not a shred of doubt this flick will be noteworthy during award's season. This is a movie that can apply to any generation.
To director Lee Unkrich and the rest at Pixar. Gracias.
The moral: Cherish family. They may tell one to know their place, but it's not a crime to follow one's own path to something more life-fulfilling than initially given.