Synopsis
The 2017 animated film “Coco,” produced by Pixar Animation Studios and published by Walt Disney Pictures, captures the spirit of Mexican culture and explores the significance of family, dreams, and the power of music. The protagonist, Miguel Rivera, has dreams of becoming a musician, but unlike any other musician, his family has a longstanding ban on music, making Miguel’s dreams very difficult to pursue.
In the fictional town of Santa Cecilia, Mexico, Miguel’s family owns a generational shoemaking business. Although Miguel remembers his family has no history of music, he does not know that his family history includes a ban on music due to a melodious family story. Abandoning his family to pursue a music career, Miguel’s great-great-grandfather never returned to his wife, Imelda, and his two children. In turn, Imelda, who was very proficient at shoemaking, devised a family legacy of hard work and tradition by.
Miguel’s family does not allow him to listen to any songs by the crooner Ernesto de La Cruz, one of the most well known musicians from Mexico to date. They say he died and suffocated out of his own stories. Miguel used to play the guitar secretly and had the dreams of perhaps even becoming a famous singer and musician one day which probably made him the most passionate out of all people. This most probably made him the most passionate out of all people. This most probably comes him to the Day of the Dead celebration which is held to remember family and friends who have passed on.
During his attempt to showcase his skills, Miguel ended up in the Land of the Dead, filled with eerie but colorful wonders. This is the realm of the Dead, which is a world filled with dead bones where souls come to live in memory and celebration. Miguel meets with the skeleton called Hector. Hector is a backbone new and prim to Miguel. He becomes his executor and companions. He believes that Ernesto is the great great grandfather of Miguel. Oscar Hector is always there to help Miguel seek out Ernesto de La Cruz.
In his search for his ancestor, Miguel learns shocking things about his family history. Much to his surprise, Ernesto was not the man Miguel thought he was. Instead, the great-great-grandfather who wrote all the songs for which Ernesto became famous was none other than Hector. Ernesto’s betrayal to Hector in the name of fame was the truth that went missing throughout the years. Miguel’s mission, from that point forward, was not just self-discovery; it was about mending the loose ties in his family. With the help of Hector, and his ancestor spirits, Miguel was able to come back to the living, and in the process, he was able to help his great-grandmother, Coco, recall his father, Hector, by singing one of his songs, “Remember Me.” This powerful sequence enables Hector, who resides in the Land of the Dead, to regain his memory and abandon the confines of his spirit. With the song, he is able to reunite with his family. Miguel succeeds in uniting the past and the present of his family with one action. The prohibition against music was finally lifted by his relatives, allowing Miguel to pursue his passion with the support of his family.
Cast & Crew
‘Coco’ is also notable for its almost wholly Latin American voice cast, which certainly added authenticity to, and properly honored, the cultural context of the setting.
Anthony Gonzalez: a ‘Miguel Rivera’. A music enthusiastic young boy and the main character of the story.
Gael García Bernal: a ‘Hector’. A Miguel’s companion’s lively and funny skeleton, who has his own bittersweet motivations to go back to the world of the living.
Benjamin Bratt: a ‘Ernesto de la Cruz’. A musician and actor who is deeply adored by Miguel, but carries a terrible secret.
Alanna Ubach: a ‘Mama Imelda’. The matriarch of the family who also is Miguel’s great-great-grandmother, and very determined.
Renee Victor: a ‘Abuelita’. Miguel’s grandmother who is very caring, but also exercises the deepest rules of the family, mostly their prohibition of music.
Ana Ofelia Murguía: a ‘Mama Coco’. The very old greatgranny, and the gentle keeper of the memories of Hector, who is related to her by great-grandmotherhood.
Directors and Writers
Lee Unkrich is the director of the film, who has also worked for Pixar on other successful projects, including Toy Story 3.
Adrian Molina was also the co director and worked on the script.
The script was crafted by Unkrich, Jason Katz, Matthew Aldrich, and Adrian Molina.
To assure and validate the respect concerning the representation of family life and the holiday of Día de los Muertos devotion, the filmmakers worked diligently with Mexican artists, musicians and cultural specialists.
The heart of the movie, Coco, revolves around Michael Giacchino’s original score, having worked on multiple Pixar movies. Other original pieces composed for the movie include “Remember Me,” the Academy Award-winning piece by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.
Coco, with favorable and positive reception, is deftly reflected through the IMDb rating of 8.4/10. Critics, along with the audience, were captured by the stunning story and art while also appreciating the efforts put towards Mexico’s culture. Additionally, critics focused and appreciated the universal themes of family, love and remembrance along with emotional poignancy.
Coco has also been appreciated for having the most technologically advanced animation with a diverse color palette, specifically the Land of the Dead. Furthermore, the original songs along with the score were noted and appreciated for elevating the overall narrative.
The film earned multiple awards and other honors, including:
The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
The Academy Award for Best Original Song (“Remember Me”)
The Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film
The BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film
Coco became a global cultural sensation and was particularly praised in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries for its warm and positive representation of cultural traditions and family.
Conclusion
Coco is not simply a children’s animated movie. It is a beautiful animated film that explores family, memory and legacy in a sensitive manner. Coco’s emotional narrative, rich cultural inspiration and brilliant songs work in unison to entertain, educate and inspire. It urges people to reflect on those that came before us, and the ties that span across generations, to help them to understand the value of family.
Coco is a film that beautifully captures the love, memory and family, and is rich in culture, astounding art and narrative. It is regarded as one of Pixar’s greatest works. It is likely to touch and inspire audiences of all ages.
Watch Free Movies on Kisscartoon
