Coco

I have been anticipating the movie Coco for a very long time because the trailers looked so magical.  I wanted to take my niece and nephew (we have a tradition of seeing a movie together over the Thanksgiving break) but Sean goes to a charter school and he had classes yesterday so, even though I extremely anxious to see it, we waited for him (which was really hard) and saw it in the evening.  I was really surprised that the theater was practically empty which is such a shame because this movie is an absolute treat!  All three of us loved it so much!  It is a heartwarming story about the importance of family as a twelve year old boy named Miguel travels to the Land of the Dead on Dia de Meurtos to uncover a mystery about his ancestors.  I found the story to be incredibly moving and I was reduced to a puddle of tears when Mama Coco sang "Remember Me" with Miguel near the end of the movie.  I really loved the way that death is portrayed and how the importance of remembering those who are gone is emphasized.  Such a great message!  Miguel is an endearing character and the ancestors he encounters in the Land of the Dead made me laugh out loud as did the border guards on the way in and out.  The animation is visually stunning with all of the vibrant colors in the Land of the Dead.  I loved all of the scenes involving marigold petals and it was interesting to learn that the petals are what guide the dead back to their family members.  The bridges of marigold petals took my breath away.  I also really loved the use of the beautiful papel picado as exposition at the beginning of the movie.  This movie is absolutely wonderful and both Sean and Tashena loved it just as much as I did!  This is the perfect movie to see with your family over the Thanksgiving holiday!

Note:  I had so much fun with Sean and Tashena!  I am glad that I get to spend so much time with them!