Ria Ellaine C.

Lachica August 2, 2019

Grade 11-Galileo Mr. Mon Ferdinand M. Prado

Coco: Movie Review

Coco, the movie, is a 2017 3D animated family/fantasy film, immersing the

Mexican, Latino, Hispanic cultures. It was released in Mexico, the weekend before the

celebration of the Day of the Dead, and in the United States on November 22, 2017 by

Walt Disney Pictures and produced by Pixar Animation Studio. Directed by Lee Unkrich

and co-directed by a Mexican-American Adrian Molina. Scripted by Molina and

Matthew Aldrich. Based on an original story of Jason Katz, Unkrich, Aldrich, and

Molina. The movie was praised for its emotional story, voice acting, animation, and

music. Coco was chosen by the National Board of Review as the Best Animated Film of

2017.

The story is an emotionally powerful family/fantasy adventure of a 12-year-old

boy named Miguel who aspires to be a musician like his personal hero named Ernesto de

la Cruz, who grew up in Santa Cecilia. He secretly teaches himself to play guitar from

Ernesto’s old movies. He accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead, where he

seeks the help of his deceased musician great-great-grandfather named Hector to return

him to his family among the living and reverse his family’s ban on music. The movie,

Coco, was an effervescent film between life and death. It explores themes steeped in

Mexican tradition, culture, artists, foods, and Mayan Culture, especially the Mexican

holiday, Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead, which is the basis of the concept of
the movie. Familial responsibilities and loss with a musical numbers and self-imposed

comedy.

Dia de los Muertos shows the Mexican belief about death that we all can die

three deaths. The first one being when we’re no longer living because our heart stops.

The second being when we cremated or buried, and nobody can see us anymore. And the

third being and final death when there’s nobody left among the living who knew or

remember us. It seems like Dia de los Muertos or the celebration of the death is very

different from the usual celebration in the Philippines. It is much very appealing not like

in our country that it is very frightening.

Latin beliefs about animals also seen in the movie. They believed in

Zoloitzcuintli or Zolo, a breed of a Mexican dog, has a supernatural skills. It is portrayed

by our protagonist best friend in life named Dante. They believed that this breed are able

to see spirits and help to guide their owners in their journey to the underworld as Dante

did in the movie.

Unkrich (2017) stated in his interview that the movie was filled with Spanish

and English language. There are some turns of phrase that I think an English-speaking

audience won’t find particularly amusing, but get a big laughs from Spanish speakers.

There are also some colloquial terms that is used in the movie. And some of us will

understand it by the way it was performed, or the inflection made it make sense. We, did
our work and went an extra mile to try to move beyond stereotypes or clichés, and try to

do something real.

Miguel comes to believe that his great-great-grandfather was his idol, only when

Dante bitten the cover of their Ofrenda and accidentally broke the glass of the picture

frame where he sees the picture of his Mama Imelda with her daughter and discovers a

hidden section of the photo showing of a man with his guitar, the same guitar that

Ernesto used in his movies and recordings. Therefore, Miguel assume that it is Ernesto de

la Cruz because the face of the man in the photo is slit. His assumption gives him a

direction to pursue his dream to be like his great-great-grandfather and prove to his

family that he will be a great musician someday without their blessings. Miguel ignores

his family objections and left to participate the talent show. Sometimes, we made

decisions that is against to our family. And yet, we regret it because our family is correct.

There he comes to Ernesto’s mausoleum to borrow his guitar and accidentally transported

to the land of the Dead where the skeletons are speaking, he must seek blessings from his

family to return home before sunrise, or stay as skeleton forever. Upon meeting the souls

of his ancestors, he saw Mama Imelda, Papa Hector, Tia Rosita, Papa Julio, Tia Victoria,

Tio Oscar and Tio Felipe who helped him to return home.

Some of us may ask why “Coco” is the title of the movie who is the character of the

great-grandmother of Miguel and not Miguel itself who is the Protagonist. It is because

she suits the main theme of the movie, the celebration of Dia de los Muertos, that shows
the importance of saving memories and remembering things from past though Coco has

trouble in remembering things. This demonstrate the tradition we have in the Philippines,

the same with the tradition of Mexico. The Elderly tells a story about what happened in

the past, holding the memories of our ancestors and not let their memories die, like

Miguel’s family does every year on the Day of the Dead. Coco is afflicted by dementia,

but Science shown that music stays with people who have the illness longer than other

memories, and by the absence of music in their house, she forgotten his Father. Also, she

represents the gradual oblivion of the mellenials in the world heritage, because of the

modernization. Youth almost forget about culture and tradition that is why the director

made a young character who seeks to discover his Heritage, shows us to follow the steps

of that young man and pay attribution to those in the past who made our present

beautiful.

At the first part of the film, the great-great-grandparents of the lead actor had a

conflict after his great-great-grandfather, Hector, left his family behind just to pursue his

dream to be a great musician and never returned. But Miguel’s family didn’t have a

chance to know the real reason why his Papa Hector left and never returned. That

scenario can seen and happen in any family. I can see the life of an OFW who worked

hard abroad, neglecting his distance from his family just to pay his family’s debt and give

financial assistance but his family only knows that he is doing that for his own good.

They do not understand the reason why he left his family and his sacrifices because they

are close-minded. Hector left not just for him but for his family. He worked with his

friend, Ernesto de la Cruz,but his friend betrays him. Only because Ernesto becomes
greed when Hector decided to give up on reaching his dream because he got homesick,

Ernesto poisoned Hector and take all the songs of Hector that made him famous and

didn’t give any credit to Hector. There are people that comes to our lives, we don’t know

wo to trust, who will truly support us or betray us. All we need to do is to be careful in

accommodating people.

In the other hand, I saw an empowerment of women by the thoughts and

characteristics of his great-great-grandmother, Mama Imelda. She personify all single

parents who provide for her family alone disregarding her gender. She found a way to

provide for her daughter by making shoes and as her family grew, so did the business.

Miguel’s abuelita or grandmother continue what their Mama Imelda started. Rivera

Family ( family of Miguel) become an oriented family because of Mama Imelda, as they

eat together and sharing thoughts when there’s a free time. Also, believes the same

tradition and do the same business.

The concept when Miguel sucked into the Land of the dead and he can get

back only by his family’s blessings is inspired by the story of the co-director of this

movie, Adrian Molina. He brought an idea of his personal life that he always get his

family’s blessings before he do anything.. It implies the tradition of Mexico, since he is

an American-Mexican. It shows respect to the elderly, because they have more

experiences than the young ones and they know what’s best for us, all we need to do is to

trust them. This practice of Mexicans can be seen in our Country. Asking for blessings

when we are going somewhere, when getting married,

 The voice acting is extremely good. The actor behind Miguel was Anthony

Gonzales who is very charming as Miguel. He is not like other kid. Slightly whinny and

very devoted to music, with a believable sense of adherence and mischief that suits to his

character.

There are lots of tear-jerking moments that is necessary to the movie. Coco’s

music is heartfelting that is very essential to the plot. The song “Un Poco Loco” balance

with traditional heartstring-tuggers like “ La Llorona”, and it becomes important and

clear with the repeated uses of the soundtrack “Remember Me” which changes meaning

throughout the film, depending on who is singing it. Ernesto sung the song and made

everyone falls in love with him. Miguel sung it differently,he sung it like his Papa Hector

which makes us cry. As Coco hears the song, she regains her memories and gets the

strength to tell her story. The family begins to understand everything and finally accept

music in their life again.

“Remember me, though I have to say goodbye. Remember me, Don’t let it

make you cry.” These are the first 2 stanza of the song “Remember Me” which entails the

message of Hector to his family especially to his Daughter, Coco. And now, I concluded

why Mama Imelda didn’t cry when his husband left them. “ For even if I’m far away, I

hold you in my heart. I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart. Remember me,

though I have to travel far. Remember me, each time you hear a sad guitar”. This was a

message of Hector before leaving his family. Even though, his Coco has trouble in

remembering things. This music makes her remember the memories of her Papa.
 I used to watch animated movies, but Coco is a special movie for me,

especially it talks about loving and supporting your family, and remembering those

you’ve lost. I am very attached to my family being the youngest member of it, like him. I

compared myself to Miguel. There are times that we have misunderstanding between

family members, like when they didn’t support us in what we do eventhough sometimes

we know that it is good for us, as seen in the movie when the family of Miguel forbids

him to be involved in Music because of their family history. This is a huge moment in the

movie as he decided to run away and says his claim that he did not want to be in his

family anymore. His anger and emotions leads him to do what he want, disregarding his

family’s decision. I feel sad because he has not been taught about the importance of

family. But as his journey to the Land of the Dead continuous ,when he and his family

faced a life or death situation, his family reunites .Although the importance of family

didn’t emphasize at the very beginning of the story but through the obstacles and

challenges they faced, Miguel learned how important his family. I think, the writers want

us to learn it too.The message of this movie is significant. I felt a rollercoaster ride

feeling when I watched it. It makes me cry and laugh. The emotions and thoughts from

the movie is stunning. I really enjoyed it.

The movie teaches us various lessons in life. I observed by watching the movie

was that we can relate to Miguel’s struggles in pursuing his dream, even though he has a

non-supportive family. It teaches us that “the best way to prove a point is by doing it”.

We can pursue what we want without the support of anyone. What matter is, you support
and believe yourself that you can do it. Throughout the movie, Miguel portrays a flat

characteristic of a rebel teenager who just want to be understood. His close-minded

family symbolizes those people around us who misleads our path. But then, It doesn’t

stop him in doing what he want. I also learned from Hector. Sometimes ,we need to

disconnect from the ones that we care about in a period of time to pursue our aspirations.

But we have the options, we don’t necessarily need to lose to gain better.

Telling our stories, and those before us to the younger generations would be very

traditional. It is essential to inform the youth about what happened in the past for them to

learn but do not forbids them in what they want to do. History repeats itself if we believe

on it. But in my perception it will not repeat if we chose not to repeat it. It is just a matter

of beliefs. But I also believe in the concept of Karma, which happened to Ernesto de la

Cruz when he crushed again by a giant bell. His selfish and murderous mistake cannot be

made right by doing it again. Lastly, the animation portrays that family matters. Our

tradition in Philippines, when eating together is a good bonding that we have with our

family. It is the time when we speak out our everyday stories to inform them how great or

bad our day. In this bonding, we can get closer to our family members. This shows the

importance of having a family bonding to minimize misunderstandings and to have a

better relationships with them. Giving respect to the elders was emphasize in the movie.

This Hispanic and Latino tradition can also be seen in our country. As “pagiging

magalang” term in Filipino. I observed in the movie that Mexico and Philippines share

some tradition and culture in their country.