The folks at Disney are at it again and still creating unique adventures, this time in a foreign land that will allow your imagination to run wild. But that’s just the teaser.
The originators of the Magic Kingdom have just kicked off their 60th animated film called “Encanto,” and it’s a masterpiece of vibrant colors, memorable characters and a tale that will trigger your emotions. The movie also, like the 2017 hit flick Coco, is staged in a Latino country and presents a slice of culture seldom exposed in everyday life.
Encanto centers around the fictional Madrigal family who live in a very special casita high in the Colombian mountains. Blessed by a single magical candle, each family member is granted a single special power, from Luisa and her supernatural strength to little Antonio who has the ability to talk with animals. Only 15 year old Maribel does not possess a gift, and the beauty, joy, and extraordinary acts that surround her on a daily basis makes Maribel’s reality all the more crushing. But the teen would later discover cracks in the magical house’s foundation that could lead to it’s demise. That prompted Maribel to investigate what happened to a mysterious uncle that the family had always kept secret. That’s when the plot thickens.
This production will make you laugh, cry and everything in between. And it is enhanced by eight new songs written exclusively for the film by Lin-Manuel Miranda , a legend on Broadway who sent his father to Colombia ahead of time to get a feel for Colombia and its culture. The film’s directors, Jared Bush, Byron Howard and Charise Castro-Smith also went the extra mile to insure the film’s authenticity, recruiting colleagues Juan Rendon and Natalie Osma, Both describe Colombia as the “melting pot of Latino culture, music, dance, art and food, with some of the greatest biodiversity on the planet.”
Possibly more important than anything else, Encanto is all about family and extended family, a cornerstone in Hispanic values for centuries. That’s why this film is so special for everyone, young and old. What the viewer achieves from this movie however, depends on their overall perception and how they relate to those closest to them in their own lives.
“What our film is trying to say is that you’re only getting this sliver of understanding of the people closest to you,” explains director Bush. “You have to ask those questions. And at the same time, when asked those questions, you have to be vulnerable enough to answer them.”
Encanto will be released in theaters on November 24th, just prior to your Thanksgiving feast. That’s a perfect time to check it out.
