Coco
(2017)Newcomer Anthony Gonzales and Gael García Bernal (The Motorcycle Diaries) star in this Oscar-winning Disney-Pixar animated adventure about Dia de los Muertos, co-directed by Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3).... More
Coco follows the secret musical ambitions of 12-year-old Miguel (Gonzalez) who comes from a family of shoemakers that may be his town’s only music-hating household. But Miguel harbours a secret desire to seize his musical moment, inspired by his favourite singer of all time, the late Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). When Miguel discovers an amazing link between himself and De la Cruz, he takes action to emulate the famous singer and, in doing so, accidentally enters the Land of the Dead.
There, it's not long before Miguel encounters the souls of his own family - generations' worth of Rivera ancestors. Still, given the opportunity to roam around the Land of the Dead, Miguel decides to track down De la Cruz himself. He teams up with another friendly spirit - a trickster named Hector, (Garcia Bernal) - to find De la Cruz, earn his family’s blessing to perform, and return to the Land of the Living before time runs out.Hide
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Best Animated Film & Original Song ('Remember Me'), Academy Awards 2018; Best Animated Film, Golden Globes 2018
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Directed by Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina (feature debut)
Starring Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Edward James Olmos, Alfonso Arau, Jaime Camil, Renée Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguía
Written by Adrian Molina
Studio Disney-Pixar
Out Now (On-Demand,
DVD or Blu-Ray)
On Demand, DVD & Blu-Ray
Available from 5 providers
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Coco
BY lionspaw lister
I love Pixar, most of the time, and this is the best one so far if you count the terrific and enthralling story, constant humor and emotional exploration that carries you through the film. I’m sure Del toro’s film is wonderful with its on graces but for pure pleasure and tons of integrity this film stands on its own. If you are a human don’t miss it!
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The Press Reviews
A richly woven tapestry of comprehensively researched storytelling, fully dimensional characters, clever touches... and vivid, beautifully textured visuals. Full Review
A rousing, affecting, fun and much-needed return to form after underwhelming Finding Nemo and Cars sequels and will help to ensure that Pixar’s legacy remains intact. Full Review
Being dead has never looked as fun as it does in Pixar’s latest adventure, bursting with skeletons, magical spells and Mexico’s annual Day of the Dead. Full Review
Though the movie drags in places, and features a few too many childish gags...the story’s sincere emotional resolution earns the sobs it’s sure to inspire. Full Review
If "Coco" doesn't quite reach the highest level of Pixar masterpieces, it plays a time-tested tune with captivating originality and flair, and with roving, playful pop-culture erudition. Full Review
The script's ghoulish touches and mordant flashes of wit turn out to be its most disarming qualities. Full Review
Pixar's Day-of-the-Dead gem pays loving tribute to Mexican culture with animation that brims over with visual pleasures, comic energy and emotional wallop. Full Review
The plot, arguably, comes packed with more complications and psychedelic spirit-critters than it really needs. But you can't blame Pixar's animators for having a field day with the film's imagery... Full Review
Lush, vibrant, teeming with life and altogether delightful. Full Review
BY Liam Maguren Flicks Writer
Guillermo del Toro’s The Book of Life may have beaten Pixar to imagining Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) as an animated family feature, but its drab love story and spine-cringing cover songs made it very forgettable. Coco is not that film. With Pixar legend Lee Unkrich (Finding Nemo, Toy Story 3) and debutant Adrian Molina at the directing wheel, the studio puts most of its muscle into telling a unique story about music and whakapapa. As a result, they’ve created something unforgettable.... More
Young Miguel has to hide his love of guitar from his song-hating family, a grudge they’ve held onto since his great great grandfather presumably ditched them for music glory. When Miguel unwittingly ends up with his deceased relatives in the land of the dead, he goes looking for the only family member that could relate to his musical passion.
Putting a refreshing focus on a larger family, Coco finds nuggets of joy in seeing Miguel bonding with the whānau he doesn’t know, surrounded by a dizzyingly epic depiction of the afterlife. It’s so good, in fact, that it doubles as a distraction from certain plot details that Pixar casually moves into place like pieces on a chessboard. When the heart-swooning conclusion hits, kids are going to look up at some soggy-eyed parents.
Coco is a great family film and an even greater film about family, though a few things hold it back from being one of Pixar’s greatest. Miguel is on a race against the clock to get back home, which doesn’t give the audience much time to savour this gorgeous world. The humour isn’t up there with the studio’s best knee-slappers either – if you’ve seen ANY cartoon with an animated skeleton, you’ve seen most of these jokes before.
Make no mistake though – this is still one of the best films of the year. If the Toy Story series could get kids and adults to dig through their attic for a toy they adored, Coco could do the same with a photo album and a loved one. The latter is more important.Hide
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