COCO is in theaters now!
We are a Disney Partner. We were invited to experience Coco and hosted our trip to Pixar. Opinions are our own.
Pixar Disney never skimps when it comes to research. Their latest venture, COCO, is a testament to their extensive film making process and basically setting the example of how to do it right! Coco is a cultural adventure, playing homage to our neighboring country, Mexico. We follow the journey of Miguel, a boy who loves music but sadly his family disapproves of his passion. Actually, they have banned music altogether because of the negative impact they believe this art form has caused their family. There’s so much to love about Coco from the rich sound track, to remembering the importance of family values, as well as the embracing the Mexican holiday, De los Muertos. If you are hesitant to see the film because you are unfamiliar with the culture or maybe feel that you can’t relate you won’t go wrong if you give COCO a chance. There is a universal messages to the film that we can all relate to.
Here are my 5 reasons why I think the movie is an animation masterpiece:
1 Ancestors– How much do you know about your great-grandparents or even your parents? Knowing about your ancestry is a wonderful connection to the past plus it’s just fun and it will help you learn more about yourself. Share stories, ask questions and remember the ones who have passed on and paved the way for you. We can gift future generations with our knowledge of where we came from. Coco shows us that there will always be a connection between the dead and the living.
2 Dia de los Muertos – I love learning about new traditions especially when they change the way I look at things. It’s a beautiful holiday that celebrates loved ones who have passed on. It feels good to remember them in a positive light versus heavily mourning them. It’s changed the way I look at the passing of my mom. I heavily mourned her for years but now I try to remember the goodness of my mom, the things she loved and why I loved her. Read more about the tradition here.
3 The music – A thoughtful soundtrack sets the mood of the movie. Coco is driven by music. Pixar excels in selecting songwriters singers, musicians for this project. Coco’s score breathes the wonderful feeling of tradition and the sound of Mexican music. It is playful, emotional and one of the driving forces behind the film.
4 Animation masterpiece- The visual aspect of Land of the Dead are breathtaking! The vibrant colors, the marigold bridges and the Alebrijes really take my breath away. The animators really outdid themselves in creating this magical world. They really pushed the boundaries of technology to create a stunningly beautiful environment with loveable skeletal characters and Dante, the Mexican hairless dog that seems to come to life with his playfulness and loyalty. You will be impressed!
5 The Story – Every family has something unique and special about them. And every family isn’t perfect but at the end of the day, family should be about love, security and respect. I liked seeing these dynamics play out in Miguel’s family and through his fantastical journey Miguel brings together his family through courage and through tradition. Never underestimate the power kids can have to become agents of change. Initially, I thought this story was going to be predictable but there’s a plot twist that I didn’t expect! The story is funny, sensitive, cute and dramatic with wonderful inspirations and morals to take away from it.
A fun tradition to start is creating a photo book to document special occasions. Chatbooks is a cool way to make that happen! I received a code after attending the Pixar Coco event earlier this year. I downloaded the app via Apple store, created an account and started a book! I selected the style of book- I chose one of their designs for the cover of my book and uploaded images from my phone. Viola! It was an easy process and I received the book within two weeks. They would make great gifts or a nice keepsake after an event or vacation! There are plenty of styles to choose from, and tools to create captions plus more! Here’s a code to get your first book started. Annual Chatbooks Holiday Sale.
Use Code: JOLLY
