Coco Review: A Festive and Delightful Animated Feature

At this festive time of the year the world of cinema is filled with films commemorating the holiday season. Many a year have the likes of Christmas played a role on the big screen and it tends to go well with moviegoers. Yet of all the holidays to be depicted this year it is surprise to see the likes of Dia de los Muertos, aka Day of the Dead, to make a cinematic appearance. The Mexican holiday where families pay respect to past relatives can lead to some interesting ideas for(especially when implementing the supernatural aspect of the day) and this is evident in the latest film from Pixar: Coco. Helmed by directors Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina, Coco centers on the ideas behind the Dia De Los Muertos in a fashion that is accustomed to Pixar. The end result to this new animated feature was an experience that was rich with festivity as well as creativity.

The story of Coco centers on Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) a young boy who is eager to become a musician. One Dia de los Muertos Miguel's life is turned upside down when he transported to the Land of the Dead. There Miguel meets his relatives, searches for his great-great-grandfather and befriends Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal): a sly spirit who is desperate to visit the Living World. The plot to Coco was one that relied on simplicity and adventure. This direction was to be expected as it is something that Pixar movies are known for. When it comes to its narrative Coco held few surprises, but it is in the plot's moments and twist is where this movie finds its voice. The turns that the story takes were remarkable as it gave this adventurous tale dimensions in its narrative and themes. To top things off Coco's story created a world rich with imagination and while this is nothing new to the likes of Pixar the film manages to use this plot element to the best of its ability.

The Jungle Book and the Disney Film that Can't be Remade

This Friday Disney brings another one of their classic to life. This time moviegoers will be heading into the wild in The Jungle Book. Directed by Jon Favreau The Jungle Book is a retelling of the classic 1967 film; not to mention the story in which it is based on. The trend of classic animated films getting a live action take does not stop here. This summer moviegoers will head back to Wonderland in Alice Through the Looking Glass (the sequel to the 2010 adaption); and next year one of Disney's most cherished films, Beauty and the Beast, will be joining this trend. Things only continue from there as there is take of bringing series such as Aladdin and 101 Dalmatians back to the silver screen with new interpretations. It seems that Disney is determined to reimagine their animated classic and give them new films for fans to enjoy. Yet as I ponder on these new set of films, I feel that are some movies from the Disney Vault that simply cannot be brought back in this format. Among these forbidden films is the one that solidified and the Disney Renaissance and is recognized as the studio's most cherished feature. I speak of course of none other than The Lion King.