Film is a must watch for all ages
I do not like spoilers: no trailers, no plots, no outlines, usually not even the cast list.
Because of this, I get an unspoiled perspective of some films, most recently, Disney’s animated musical, Encanto. It is both fantastical and flawed. There will be spoilers ahead.
Encanto is a village protected and led by the magical Madrigal family. The story is about Mirabel trying to find her place by saving the miracle, which gives her family their gifts, after growing up being the only one in her family without a gift.
As Mirabel struggles to find her place and help her family, she discovers she is not the only one trying to fit a mold created by the generations before her. The gifts each person has is not the miracle, but instead the miracle is the relationships they foster between one another: family.
Abuela struggled to keep her family and people safe, worrying so much, she began to see her family members as tools rather than people.
When you have a screwdriver and a power drill to build a home, which are you likely to use? The power drill, and the screwdriver will be moved to the side, sometimes forgotten, every now and then used, but usually ignored. Mirabel, with no gift, was Abuela’s screwdriver while everyone else, with gifts, were her power tools.
When first watching Encanto, I was impressed by the songs “Surface Pressure,” then “What Else Can I Do” began and I wondered why I was hearing the same song.
While they have different musical styles, the meaning behind them is the same: the mask I wear is not me. These moments are when Mirabel learns she is not alone in her loneliness, strengthening the real miracle: family relationships. Did we need the same song twice in two separate songs? Possible flaw, but both events, sung or not, were crucial to the plot. I say, consider it a minimal flaw.
If you are not paying close attention at the start of the movie, you might miss which country Encanto is in (Colombia).
It is possible the writers assumed people would look into the location before watching the film, or they felt it did not matter to the story where the Madrigals live.
The latter is false thinking. Knowing where Encanto is helps you to understand the culture. The prejudice against Bruno as a seer is part of the culture.
Many audience viewers have complained about how absurd it is for the villagers to blame Bruno for what happened to them but understanding that is part of some cultures helps one see its realistic nature.
Not clearly telling Encanto’s location is a flaw. Encanto caused me to have strong emotions and I connected with nearly every character on some level.
The music was diverse and the lyrics revealed characters’ feelings. It is a film to watch no matter your age.