Coco Screening Reflection
About two weeks ago, I was afforded the opportunity to attend an advanced screening for the new Pixar film, Coco, approximately a month before its release in theaters. I walked into the film with pretty high expectations, having attended the event in White Hall that featured one of the supervising animators and simply knowing past Pixar films as well. I also went into the screening knowing the basis of the film, that being Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos, which is a holiday during which families create shrines and visit graveyards to honor their ancestors. It is believed that the spirits of these deceased relatives travel back over into the world of the living on this holiday to visit their families.
Aesthetically, the film was absolutely stunning. The colors were incredibly brilliant, the animation was completely seamless, and the characters teemed with personality through their vastly different looks. Each character had its own distinct walk and gestural patterns, creating a seemingly living cast, although the entire film was animated. It was evident that the animators had thoroughly studied all ages of people and animals to create as realistic characters as possible.
The animators created not only one, but two completely different yet equally beautiful worlds for this film – the land of the living and that of the dead. These were connected by a glowing bridge of marigold flower petals, which so happened to be Miguel, the protagonist’s method of travel between both worlds. Once he arrived in the land of the dead, he is only able to return to the world of the living via his family’s blessing, delivered through one of these flower petals, which then transports him back to his living family.
The storyline itself was extremely effective in describing the holiday accurately. This film will allow people of all ages and backgrounds to understand a culture that they may or may not have ever experienced. Overall, I give this film a glowing recommendation. I predict that people of every age will enjoy this film and leave hopefully as thrilled as I was.
