Pixar Month - Coco (2017)

       Hey guys, Chuck here. Well, we're inching closer and closer to the end of Pixar Month, so today, we're going to be taking a look at Pixar's 2017 film Coco. 

         The movie introduces Miguel, who comes from a family in Mexico that specializes in shoemaking, going as far back as his great-great-grandmother, Mama Imelda, who began the family business after her musician husband left her and their daughter, Coco, behind to focus on music. Miguel, however, is less interested in shoemaking and more interested in music, especially the guitar, much to the detriment of his grandmother, who is the daughter of Coco, now known as Mama Coco. 

         On the night of Dios de los Muertos, Miguel accidentally falls into the mausoleum of Mexican music legend Ernesto de la Cruz, whom Miguel believes is his great-great-grandfather based on an incomplete picture of Mama Imelda and an infant Mama Coco, with Imelda's husband's face torn off and the rest of him folded behind the picture. Miguel grabs what is believed to be Ernesto's guitar, and is transported to the land of the dead. Miguel also has with him the picture of Mama Imelda that he took from the family ofrenda, which means Mama Imelda can't cross a bridge to see the family. It is here that we also meet a scam artist named Hector, who wants to cross the bridge and see his daughter again, but his picture isn't on any ofrenda, and so he can't. 

         Mama Imelda, along with the rest of the family in the Land of the Dead, try to send Miguel back, but continuously put forth a provision that Miguel cna never touch a guitar again. Miguel refuses and runs off, making a deal with Hector to get his help in meeting Ernesto, whom Hector had a past with. So a series of adventures through the Land of the Dead ensue, and we learn that, when a spirit is forgotten in the mortal world, is disappear from the Land of the Dead forever, which is something Hector is in danger of having happen to himself. We also learn that Mama Imelda never stopped loving music, but needed to focus on family, which was more important. 

       So, Miguel finally meets Ernesto, and we learn that Ernesto isn't really Miguel great-great-grandfather, and he didn't really write his biggest music hits. No, that distinction goes to Hector, who was Mama Imelda's husband, this making Mama Coco the daughter he wanted to see again. It turns out that Hector wanted to return to his family and reveal the truth, but Ernesto wouldn't have it, and killed him. So the race is on to reveal the truth about Ernesto, get Miguel back to the mortal world, and restore the pictures of Hector and Mama Imelda to the family ofrenda. A lot of things happen, and we see Ernesto's disgrace and defeat, and Miguel is sent back, with no provisions against music.

       Back in the mortal world, Miguel tries to get a dying Mama Coco to remember Hector, and he succeeds in this by singing the song "Remember Me," which Hector wrote for Coco. Coco then tells the family the story of Hector, even revealing the torn corner of the picture from the ofrenda, allowing Miguel to restore it. One year later, the truth is revealed, and Ernesto's image is destroyed, with Hector being immortalized for writing the music. Hector and Imelda are reconciled, and both are reunited with Coco. Miguel tells his infant sister the family story, and performs a song for the family, both living family and spirit family.

           Coco  is a Pixar film that is very touching and very sweet. While I have no real familiarity with Mexico or the Dios de los Muertos celebration, I read that Pixar really did their research into the historical and cultural aspects of the holiday, and all of the traditions that come with it. Beyond that, however, the story is engaging, the voice cast incredible, and the music memorable. This movie is the definition of a modern Pixar classic. It's no wonder that a lot of people cosplay as the character is the movie. In fact, a cosplayer I have met on multiple occasions has cosplayed as Mama Imelda, and her cosplay looks fantastic. Overall a great film, I highly recommend checking in out. I'm going to give Coco a rating of 5/5. 

       Tomorrow for Pixar Month, I'll be giving quick reviews of any Pixar films that I didn't review yet, and it will all culminate in my review of Pixar's latest release: Soul starring Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, which I'll be posting on Sunday. See you guys then.