Coco (2017)

“I have to sing. It’s not just *in* me… It *is* Me.” – Ernesto

Number of Times Seen – 1 (7 Jan 2018)

Brief Synopsis – A young boy who wishes to be a musician ends up in the land of the Dead while trying to find his long lost grandfather.

My Take on it – I have been a fan of Pixar ever since the studio started cranking out feature length animated movies in ’95.

Over the past few years, they have focused too hard on sequels and have lost some of the originality that made them so special for decades.

I’m a HUGE fan of Inside Out (2015) and that is still my favorite film from that year largely due to the fact that they once again hit a high note.

This film is also quite original in its storytelling and if the bar wasn’t so high, it might be perceived as being even better.

As with all Pixar films, the animation is a wonder to look at and even the colors of the Land of the Dead are so vibrant that they seem so alive.

There are even numerous instances where I forgot I was watching an animated film because it looked so realistic.

The story itself is nicely put together despite the fact that it borrows too heavily from the usual Pixar formula.

The songs are superbly done and are extremely memorable.

The fact that the film is accompanied by musical cues of Mexico and Mexican culture helps keep us in the mood and feeling for such a tale.

Remember Me is an amazing song, check it out here:

As with all Pixar films, the voice cast is spectacularly chosen; Gael García Bernal stands out tho as Hector.

The themes of this film are great as we get to see ideas of the importance of family and of remembering those that we have lost.

Some of these themes are quite dark but they handle them quite well and keep things kid friendly while still experessing the importance of it all.

There are many Pixar films that are better than this one, but it is still an extremely enjoyable experience and I am looking forward to seeing it again.

Bottom Line – Not Pixar’s best, but the bar is set quite high. The animation is amazing and in some instances seems so realistic. The story is very original despite following Pixar’s usual storyline formula. The songs are very memorable and are expertly cued by the ethnic Mexican music throughout. The voice cast is spectacular as always. The themes of family and above all remembering those that have gone is done really well throughout. Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – When Miguel is walking down the streets at the beginning of the movie, you can spot piñatas of some Pixar characters: Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Mike Wazowski among others. (From IMDB)

Rating – Globe Worthy

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