Plot: What’s it about?
The more Disney/Pixar movies that come out, odds are there’ll eventually be one for you (if there is not one already. And there should be). Like Woody Allen movies or KISS albums (back in the day, that is), these movies come out with the frequency that you can nearly set your watch to. And that’s a good thing as they’re rarely not bad (Cars 2 not withstanding) and always, at the very least, feature a plethora of top notch talent. Disney has “gotten with the times” as of late and has managed to think outside the box when it comes to their stories. Yes, for every Toy Story or The Incredibles, there’s a Moana or Mulan; and I realize that the latter title isn’t Pixar per se, but it’s still a more “ethnic” title, so we’ll stick with it. And so it goes that 2017 brought us Cars 3 and Coco; two Pixar films that were both pretty decent. Admittedly, I wasn’t prepared to like Coco as much as I did, but that’s the thing about judging a book by its cover. And that’s why I chose to watch it.
If you’re a music-lover and/or a lover of films “south of the border” well then…this one is for you. We meet Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez) who simply loves music. Everything about it. But here’s the rub: he’s forbidden by his family to play the guitar. Why, you may ask? His great-grandfather, Ernesto de la Cruz (voiced by Benjamin Bratt) once abandoned his wife and children to pursue his passion for music. A family grudge of sorts now falls on young Miguel, thus he’s not allowed to play. Through what we’ll call “a series of unfortunate events” he winds up in the afterlife. Yep, Miguel finds himself smack dab in the Día de Muertos (the “Day of the Dead” if you will) and has to find his way back, but in true Disney/Pixar fashion – learns a thing or two along the way.
There’s a lot to like about Coco and I think someone like me; who neither has musical talent or even listens to good music, might appreciate it more. As usual, the voice talent is loaded with some very recognizable names, though most are of Latino decent (thank God that JLo is nowhere to be seen). Circling back to what I’d mentioned in the introductory paragraph, there really is a Pixar movie for everyone. Yes, maybe the tear-jerkers like Up or Wall-E aren’t for you, and maybe you’re sick of Woody and Buzz, but that’s what great about these films. As I type this I looked to my right and see a poster for Finding Nemo sitting above my fish tank. Aren’t I clever? Maybe Pixar needs one more writer…then again maybe not.
Video: How’s it look?
I’ll go on the assumption that anyone reading this has seen at least one Pixar movie. Given that, you’ll know what to expect when you put this disc in the player. Pixar movies deliver the goods when it comes to visuals with eye-popping colors, intricate definition and a color palette that uses every single color you know (and several you don’t). Coco is no exception so I won’t prattle on with my standard description. This Blu-ray doesn’t get the “benefit” of HDR that the 4K version has, but it’s ok. I’m willing to bet there’ll be little to complain about when and after watching this.
Audio: How’s it sound?
If you do want to pony up the extra dinero for the 4K version, you’ll get a Dolby Atmos mix (along with the HDR mentioned above). Don’t let that deter you, though as this DTS HD Master Audio 7.1 mix leaves little to the imagination. If ever there was a film that utilizes each and every speaker in your arsenal, this is it. The soundstage is incredibly active and you’ll hear the guitar strum in such vivid definition, it’ll haunt your dreams – into the afterlife!
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Deleted Scenes – Director Lee Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina talk about the deleted scenes and the part they played in the development of Coco. These are all available with an introduction to each.
- Día de los Muertos
- The Way of the Riveras
- Celebrity Tour
- The Bus Escape
- Alebrije Attack
- The Family Fix
- To the Bridge
- The Music of Coco – Collaborating with musicians of Mexico and some unique instrumentation, this documentary explores the beautiful fusion of music essential to the story of Coco.
- Paths to Pixar: Coco – Explore how the film crew’s personal stories resonate with the themes of the movie itself.
- Welcome to the Fiesta – A musical exploration of the skeletons that make the Land of the Dead in “Coco” so wondrous and intriguing.
- How to Draw a Skeleton – Pixar artist Daniel Arriaga gives a lesson on the quick and easy way to draw skeletons using simple shapes.
- A Thousand Pictures a Day – Join the Coco crew on an immersive travelogue through Mexico, visiting families, artisans, cemeteries, and small villages during the Día de los Muertos holiday.
- Mi Familia – Developing the Riveras was a labor of love that took the cast and crew on a deep dive into the meaning of family.
- Land of Our Ancestors – Watch Pixar artists lovingly construct layer upon layer of architecture from many eras of Mexican history, bringing the Land of the Dead to life.
- Fashion Through the Ages – The cast of characters in Coco are from many different eras, making for some magnificent costuming opportunities.
- The Real Guitar – The majestic guitar that spurs Miguel on his journey through the Land of the Dead is a unique creation. Watch as it is initially designed by a Pixar artist and ultimately realized as a real instrument by a master luthier in this poetic ode to craftsmanship.
- Dante – How the crew fell in love with the uniquely Mexican breed of Xoloitzcuintli (or “Xolo”) dogs that inspired Dante.
How to Make Papel Picado – Join Pixar artist Ana Ramírez González as we learn how papel picado is made traditionally, and then try your own approach to this beautiful art form. - Un Poco Coco – A montage of original animated pieces used to promote Coco.
- Theatrical Trailers – Five total.
The Bottom Line
I suppose Disney/Pixar has enough manpower to now churn out two films a year. And it’s even better when they’re both good. Yes, I actually enjoyed Cars 3 and Coco was a definite surprise. As of this writing, it’s nominated for Best Animated film and I’d go so far to say that it’s a lock to win. Stranger things have happened in this category, but they usually go with the lead pony. Looking and sounding good and sporting a plethora of extras – there’s no reason not to add this one to your collection.
