Encanto (2021)
Directed by Byron Howard
The tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family—every child except one, Mirabel. But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family's last hope.
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21 films that influenced Encanto
What critics say influenced Encanto
The lineage of Disney castles goes all the way back to Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs — but there’s never been one like La Casa Madrigal in Encanto .
84 years and 59 films since Walt Disney Animation Studios first changed the very landscape of cinema with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , the studio deftly proves the magic is still alive and well in the house that Mickey built.
From Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs to Raya And The Last Dragon , Walt Disney Animation Studios has spent the past eight decades perfecting its signature riff on the classic hero’s journey.
“Encanto,” Walt Disney Animation Studios’ latest computer-generated confection, is the studio’s 60th feature-length production (there’s even a special version of the Steamboat Willie logo that plays in front) and the first since 1945’s post-war package film “The Three Caballeros,” to take its inspiration from the people and culture of South America.
Thank the voice talent I just recited, the sincerity of the Mouse House’s intention, and screenwriter Charise Castro Smith for imbuing Encanto with soft tones of regional folklore or fairytales, much like writer Adrian Molina did for Coco while touching on different themes.
There has been a distressing amount of discourse as of late charging that Disney’s latest animated musical, Encanto , is nothing more than a carbon copy of Pixar’s 2016 offering Coco , as if the mere presentation of cartoon characters with darker complexions amounts to retread.
See Adrian Molina‘s work on Coco.
The animation is a riot of colors wrapped around the graceful sway of South American dancers, some of the most glorious animated dance since Walt Disney’s “Fantasia.”
When muscular Luisa (voiced by Jessica Darrow) sings “Surface Pressure,” a song about carrying hidden burdens, it’s accompanied by a kaleidoscopic, “Fantasia”-like dream sequence.
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Encanto no evita jamás ese folclore y singularidad colombiana aunque pueda parecer que cae en la postal turística de clásicos de la productora de Walt Disney como Saludos Amigos (1942) o Los tres caballeros (1944).
The whole movie has a mercurial, mood-hopping free-form vibe that, at its best, suggests Disney with a touch of “Yellow Submarine.”
Miranda's prolificacy brings to mind Howard Ashman, the Disney lyricist who delivered hit after hit for a trifecta of Disney classics — "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," and "Aladdin" — until his death at the age of 40.
You could, if you wanted, date the age of contemporary girl power back to two Disney films: “The Little Mermaid” (1989), with the self-actualizing retro moxie of its title heroine, and then, the following year, “Pretty Woman,” which put its stamp on the age of hip princess feminism as surely as “Sex and the City” did eight years later.
Manuel's effervescent songs recall his "Hamilton" work, especially a finale that sounds like a sequel to "Satisfied," and they're almost as satisfying.
It’s only appropriate that “Encanto” — fueled by eight original songs by “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda — turns into that most special thing of all: A triumph in every category: art, songs and heart.
Meanwhile, the bilingual songs by “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda aren’t especially memorable, although they showcase a stellar voice cast and provide lyrical heft for some extravagant production numbers.
The "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote and produced eight original songs for "Encanto," with a score from Germaine Franco.
From a big-screen adaptation of his Tony Award-winning musical In The Heights in June to his directorial debut with the stellar triumph Tick, Tick… Boom! in November (plus an Emmy win in September for the Disney+ live recording of Hamilton ), Miranda wraps up 2021 by collaborating with Walt Disney Animation Studios and the Oscar-winning directorial duo behind Zootopia .
The first song, for instance, introduces every single member of the Madrigal family and their powers, personalities, and what Mirabel thinks of them, with an infectiously catchy Latin pop beat and fast-paced lyrics that set the stage much like the opening song of Hamilton .
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The approach also allows for some of the most distinctive and imaginatively conceived animated sequences since 1997’s Hercules .
Their large, colorful home, lovingly called La Casita, feels as if it operates according to the same charming magic that enchanted the objects in 1991's "Beauty and the Beast."