Pixar Delivers with Coco
Pixar finally did it. They made a movie worthy of my culture. I was able to watch the new movie Coco on Wednesday with my sister. We were both pleasantly surprised by how much we loved it. I had seen the trailers and had heard all the hype, but actually watching it made me see how brilliant the movie is.
This could just be because I identify with so much of the movie. Pixar did a great job of showing the Mexican culture in a real and loving way. I jumped from my seat every time I saw something from my childhood come up. Such as the now famous “chancla,” the pink frosted pan dulce (my favorite pan dulce by the way), and seeing familiar faces like Frida Kahlo and Cantinflas. It was these things that made the movie even more special to me.
American family sitting next to me didn’t have their hearts stir at the sight of these things in the movie, as I did. I was glad to see so many families enjoying the movie. It gave me hope that they, but more importantly the kids, would see this movie and open their hearts even more to the Mexican culture and my people. Pixar is known all over the world because they create characters that stand the test of time, and story lines that break our hearts only to have them mended and beating full of love you the end. Coco is no exception. It lives up to the Pixar standard, but also stands on its own.
The movie educates the audience on the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos, and on Mexican culture. It does in a way that isn’t overbearing, nor too factual. It shows how the families celebrate and why this holiday is so important to Mexicans. It also makes families the focus of the story because family is the most valuable thing for us.
Pixar put in a lot of research, and even had a team to help make the movie as authentic as possible. It went above and beyond to get it right. Also, they did right by the characters and casted cultural appropriate actors and actresses. So many big shot Hollywood movies these days get backlash for “whitewashing" their movies, and I’m glad Coco didn’t fall to the same pattern.
I highly recommend you watch this movie if you weren’t already planning on watching it! Get educated a bit and fall in love with a whole new Pixar family!
