A young girl from a magical family must come to terms with
​being the only member of her family without special powers.

FAMILY/FANTASY/MUSICAL

Encanto (2021)

Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard

Written by Charise Castro Smith and Jared Bush

Starring Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Jessica Darrow, Diane Guerrero, Mauro Castillo, Angie Cepeda, Wilmer Valderrama, Rhenzy Feliz, Ravi Cabot-Conyers

Oscar Wins - Best Animated Film

Oscar Nominations - Best Original Score (Germaine Franco), ​
​Best Original Song (Dos Oruguitas)

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Connor Eyzaguirre

November 27, 2021

8/10

A brief title card before Encanto states that the film is Walt Disney Studios' 60th animated motion picture (not counting Pixar). It's a testament to their animation department that sixty films in, they're fresher than ever. Encanto is a joyous celebration of familial strength and acceptance, with Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hispanic flair serving as the musical backbone. It's gorgeous animation and relatable story yet again shows the adaptability of Disney in regards to their increasing willingness for representation of various cultures and identities in their films.

In a small Colombian village, the family Madrigal has been revered and protective of the townsfolk for generations. Thanks to a miraculous candle that guided them there, the Madrigals have all been blessed with unique powers. For example, Luisa (Darrow) has super strength and Isabela (Guerrero) can create flowers. But Mirabel (Beatriz), for some reason, has no gift. On the day she was supposed to get hers, the magic faded. Mirabel is sort of cast aside by her family as the black sheep. Her abuela (Botero) quietly sees her as the family joke. But Mirabel soon learns that her family's magic is fading, and she's the only one who can do something about it. There are many moments of heartbreak in this film, from scenes that deal with family drama I'm sure many of us have faced at least once. But they are followed by some truly touching moments of reconciliation.

Encanto is yet another touching story from Disney that teaches important lessons about judgment, humility, and love while also showing people a bit of Colombian culture they otherwise might have missed. Definitely a good one to take your kids to right now, especially if you want them to learn something.