Encanto- A Disney Studios Treasure?

Over the years, my love and passion for cartoons and animated movies has diminished exponentially. Although I have occasionally tried to convince myself to re-watch some of them for the sake of nostalgia, it just did not seem to click. I still enjoyed the music, scenery, and naïve feel of those movies, albeit they gave me this unsettling feeling as soon as the closing credits rolled on. One of the most controversial animation studios, Disney, unsurprisingly came out with another artistic work to rave about, only this time their latest movie Encanto actually made its way through the piercing eyes of movie critics unscathed.

Taking place in a small village in Columbia, Encanto tells a tale of the vibrant Madrigal family and their magical gifts. The family members work together in sharing the benefits of their powers with the local villagers- all except for Mirabel. Mirabel, who was not granted any gift the night of her gift-receiving ceremony when she was only five years old. The movie illustrates her struggles as she attempts to live up to her abuela's unrealistic expectations and tries to fit in with her "special" family members.

In our darkest moment we were given a miracle.

Furthermore, this movie takes you on an emotional rollercoaster as Mirabel uncovers the shocking truth about her tio Bruno who has been viewed in a misleading image for years by Abuela and the others. The song "We Don't Talk About Bruno" magically captures the essence of what it feels like to be misunderstood and misshapen by society, Simultaneously, the family is threatened by their dimming powers and the weakening foundation of their magical home. In addition to its intriguing plot, the sprightly colours and the captivating scenery and architecture in this movie capture Colombian beauty and finally provide rightful cultural representation- unlike Disney's infamous failed attempts such as the 1992 adaptation of Aladdin.

Unlike many Disney characters, the characters in Encanto have distinguished personalities, each correlating to their gifts. They seem very picturable, like people you would meet at school or on a supermarket run. It is very refreshing to see such diversity in one movie-one family even.

This movie/musical reflects realistic familial issues, one of which is generational trauma. Abuela herself is not unlike many traditional grandmothers who expect everyone in their families to be ideal. All in all, Encanto is a melting pot of emotions and a just example of how representation and inclusivity in children's movies should be executed. Alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda's enchanting lively songs sprinkled out throughout the movie, Encanto is the perfect family movie to catch on a nice evening out.

Pepa, you have a cloud!