Coco
2017 · Directed by Lee Unkrich
Original language: English
- family
- animation
- music
- adventure
The story
Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history.
What it’s like
Warm, saturated color carries most of this film: marigold oranges, deep teal shadows, and the luminous cempasúchil petals that drift across the Land of the Dead like lit confetti. Its Mexican villages sit in golden afternoon light, with sun-baked adobe, papel picado strung over crowded streets, and candlelit ofrendas glowing in dim rooms, while the afterlife city rises in tiered, lantern-hung vistas that feel like a dream of home. The camera moves with easy, sweeping confidence through rooftops and plazas, yet it lingers on small domestic gestures, and the score is built on guitar, trumpet and voices, so the music itself becomes the emotional center. The mood is bittersweet and nostalgic, closer to a tender family reunion than to a scare, with a gentle thread of suspense around a mystery that tightens late. Expect a few tense chase moments and one genuinely sad turn, but no gore, and the only real menace is brief and cartoonish. It suits a rainy Sunday with family, a comfort rewatch, or anyone craving something emotionally full and low on cruelty, especially viewers who love music, folk textures and multigenerational stories.
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