Encanto

I interpreted "Encanto" to mean that one's strength is not determined by traditions or other people's understanding of strength. Strength is about knowing the ethical thing to do, even if it challenges tradition.

And of course, it's good to see the depiction of a woman who isn't defined by her relationship to a man. Impressive movie.

Encanto is another Incredible Disney animated movie that continues their winning streak with a fun, extremely vibrant and emotional film that also has great messages and mature themes, even if the narrative is predictable.

Stephanie Beatriz gives an incredible lead performance and María Cecilia Botero, Diane Guerrero, Jessica Darrow and John Leguizamo all give great supporting performances.

The direction by Jared Bush, Bryon Howard and Charise Castro Smith is superb, it's constantly visually inventive and extremely well paced. The animation is reliably perfect, ridiculously colourful and consistently visually stunning. The songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda are excellent.

I absolutely loved all the characters, the songs, the animation, the concept, literally EVERYTHING was perfect.

BUT and this is a really big but, it felt so rushed since the moment the house breaks down, it just feels like they run out of ideas for the ending or something, which really sucks because it just left me with the feeling of, "this is a great movie, but this is also a very bad movie"

'Encanto' interested me straightaway and was seen without hesitation. It is a milestone Disney film, its 60th. It had positive word of mouth, online and offline from people with not too dissimilar taste to me. It really interested me seeing an animated film exploring Columbian culture, something not seen by me before in animation (speaking as a long term fan of the medium), having really appreciated seeing Disney and Pixar explore a wider variety of cultures over the years.

Finally seeing it, part of me enjoyed 'Encanto' a lot and there is a huge amount to like about it. Having said that, for a milestone Disney film (which on paper promises greatness) part of me was expecting something more. 'Encanto' was something that could easily have been great, considering how interesting the story sounded on paper, but it was more to me one of those good films with many great elements but not quite enough of the extra magic.

There is certainly a lot that is done right. The best thing about 'Encanto' is the animation, which is nothing short of spectacular. The character designs are some of the best for all the Disney films post-'The Princess and the Frog' and the colours are so gorgeously vibrant. Absolutely loved the Madrigal family home, some very inventive and at its best dazzling animation there. Another major standout is the soundtrack, which is full of exuberant life and very catchy in an infectious way. "We Don't Talk About Bruno" is held in very high regard for good reason, one of the most infectious songs of any film in some time, while "Columbia, Mi Encanto" does such a wonderful job at transporting one to Columbia.

Had no issues either with the voice acting, which had the whole cast voicing with nuance and enthusiasm and doing well at not becoming stereotypical. Stephanie Beatriz and John Leguizamo especially excel. Mirabel is a winning lead character and loved how all the characters had strong individual personalities. The humour amuses, the energy seldom stops and there is a good deal of heart. The family values are relatable and sincere while not being heavy handed, and the cultural element was illuminating and fun and done tastefully.

By all means, 'Encanto' is far from perfect. The story is over familiar and doesn't really break any ground, also did think that the backstory was rushed and could have gone into a lot more depth rather than having the choppy jumping around it had and the ending was indicative of the writers not being sure how to end it so decided to treat everything with the magic after so much tension beforehand as too much of an abrupt shrug and end the film in a convenient and too pat way.

As catchy as the end number was, considering what came before it it was slightly tacked on perhaps. The weakest song though is the bizarre "Surface Pressure", that was the one song that didn't stick in the mind afterwards and felt oddly staged and didn't feel placed easily within the film.

Overall, many enchanting things but could have done with more magic. 7/10.

Extraordinary abilities are part and parcel of the amazing Madrigal family, but one of their own members is quite ordinary-Mirabel. Amid her family marked with blessings, young Mirabel believes she has no defining trait. She's a bit of an outlier who is desperate to feel a sense of belonging in her superpowered family. It seems like everyone is special, and she's just...not. However, not all is as perfect as it seems in the casa Madrigal. Behind the shining façade, this family is starting to come apart. Their house is cracking, and the future isn't looking good. As the sole person in her family who is "un-gifted", Mirabel has unique insight into the Madrigal legacy. Can she help restore life to her home and family?

At the start of the story, the pressure to "make the family proud", in the words of Abuela, is a throbbing pulse within the household, to the point that several members of the family are overworking themselves and even being ostracized for not using their gifts "correctly". The song "Surface Pressure" highlights one of the sister's struggles to juggle more than her share of the work: "Give it to your sister, your sister's stronger / See if she can hang on a little longer / Who am I if I can't carry it all?" I myself have struggled with finding my identity completely in my talents or strengths, so I found the honest portrayal of this outlook very relatable. There is a lot of pressure in social circles, online, and in the media to discover your talent and utilize it as effectively and quickly as possible, even if that means experiencing incredible stress in the process. It's good to find joy or satisfaction in your skills, but basing your self-worth completely in your abilities or forcing yourself to unattainable perfection is not a healthy perspective. Eventually, after noticing the widespread tension to perform, Mirabel encourages her family to realize that each of them is "more than just their gift." Each person's inherent dignity is not found in what they can do, but who they are. As human beings, we are not made to achieve constant productivity or complete perfection, but we are made to love. Encanto displays and celebrates this truth well.

Additionally, I found Encanto's final representation of generational appreciation very compelling and inspirational. At first glance, it seems that Abuela Madrigal is more concerned with protecting her home than truly listening to and caring for the needs of her family. Later, however, we learn that she suffered much in her younger years, and that the great miracle, from whence the family gifts came, is a result of that suffering. I really enjoyed this willingness to learn and listen to both generations: Mirabel helps her abuela see that she has forgotten the true mission of their family: to care for and bless others as they have been blessed. Abuela, in turn, helps Mirabel to see that that you must go through pain to experience true joy. People of all ages and stages should be aware of the attitude with which they approach other generations and be willing to learn from each other.

Described in a word, Encanto is vibrant. The lush, animated landscapes and bright colors, the representation of Hispanic culture, and the merry music are all fantastic, making this film fun and engaging. However, for all its excellence in the areas of music, culture, and animation, parts of the story felt a bit rushed. Particularly in the last half of the film, it seemed like all the familial conflicts which had been carefully developed in the first half of the story were quickly and neatly solved, almost unrealistically. While I think it's wonderful thing that the Madrigals were able to "forgive and forget" so quickly in the final resolution, I think adding even 30 minutes of run-time would've given more opportunity for resolving the clan's conflicts and the space for a more balanced, realistic ending for this magical family.