![]() ![]() Train stations, transit points and buildings look like underworld versions of the Mexico one sees in the golden age films of Pedro Infante, Silvia Pinal and Cantinflas. The Land of the Dead as imagined by directors Adrian Molina and Lee Unkrich is a brilliant, baroque vision of an afterlife set in a place that looks like a revival of 1950s Mexico City. “Coco” is both a fun time and a sumptuous celebration of culture. With the help of a mischievous skeleton named Hector ( Gael Garcia Bernal ), Miguel is determined to find De La Cruz and get his blessing to pursue his dreams. ![]() He immediately finds relatives, including his great-grandmother Mama Imelda ( Alanna Ubach ), who refuses to give him her blessing to be a musician. Through a supernatural occurrence, Miguel finds himself transported to the Land of the Dead, a bustling city of souls seeking to revisit for just one night their living relatives who keep their memories alive through “ofrendas” (offerings). Miguel finds reasons to suspect he might be related to De La Cruz, and as the town prepares to celebrate El Dia de los Muertos, Miguel runs off and finds himself in the crypt containing the singer’s remains. The last, surviving link to this history is Miguel’s beloved great-grandmother, Mama Coco ( Ana Ofelia Murguía ), who sits in her chair serenely as the days go by. His great-great grandfather also had dreams of making music and left his great-great grandmother behind in Santa Cecilia, never to return. The animosity stems from the family history revolving around Miguel’s great-great grandparents. But Miguel’s cobbler family has banned music under the watchful eye of his stern Abuelita ( Renee Victor ). Miguel’s great idol is the town legend, Ernesto de la Cruz ( Benjamin Bratt ), who left town to become a famous artist who met his end under a crashing bell during a final performance. The story is set in the rural Mexican town of Santa Cecilia where we meet Miguel ( Anthony Gonzalez ), a young boy who dreams of being a musician as he gets into trouble with his faithful dog Dante. It dives into Mexican culture with much gusto and joyous music, but its story has a universal power. ![]() But this is a warm-hearted movie that probes deeper into the meaning of family and independence. The kind of romance associated with Latin folk culture is beautifully celebrated with dramatic energy. The iconography of Mexico’s Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is used with elegance and fun, capturing the tradition’s unique mixture of remembrance and celebration. Disney and Pixar have scored yet another wonderful visual achievement here, but this one is particularly notable for the way it uses Latin American culture to explore themes of death and remembrance. “ Coco“ is that kind of family film that manages to tackle a tricky subject with heart and sensibility. ‘Coco’ Celebrates Día de los Muertos With Visual Delights and Touching Laughs ![]()
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