Encanto

[stayathomer]

Yesterday we watched Encanto on Disney +. Three out of four loved it, the other hated it. Personally I thought it was one of the weakest Disney movies I've seen (althoughI didn'tsay it and faked well!!)- the storyline was weak, the music sounded that little bit off and the ending wasn't great. I don't know, I think I'm just annoyed that because something is advertised/pushed and trending we always jump for it. Family movie time is so limited and we could have been watching something 10 times better! Has anyone else seen it? Do I just have really bad taste?

We saw it at the cinema and enjoyed it, but I sometimes wonder if I’m just so happy to do ‘normal’ things again they are a bit rose tinted. It wasn’t another Moana though I love that film.

My 4 year old keeps watching on Disney + and when one of the other DC does something wrong he sings ‘we don’t talk about Bruno’. Which is quite cute and he must have understood it more than I thought he did.

@MaryAndHerNet

Fantastic film. Solid 8/10 with music on par with most other Disney films.

The change up of the Disney formula and switching from Princess Vs Villain on a grand quest made it even more special. they focussed on the way the elders treat the younger and pressure felt by those younger ones to live up to expectations etc. Speaks to a lot of younger people in bigger families.
The way Abuela turns her back on Mirabel, how Mirabel helps Luisa to realise she needs to let go of some of her burden etc.
Bruno being ousted by Abuela and the family as the black sheep and the causer of doom when in reality he only saw what could come. Mirabelle being Abuella replacement and the themes of elders being replaced and the fear the elder may feel from that. Etc
And that before even getting into the sub story of of the grandmother and the beautiful Dos Oruguitas section.
Astounding really. Most Disney films are puddle deep, Encanto is an ocean.

Agree. The story arc wasn't neat and tidy, but my teenage daughter and I kept finding more and more to analyse in it, which hasn't happened with any other Disney films we've seen.

@MaryAndHerNet, that's the kind of analysis my daughter and I have really enjoyed re. Encanto!

[quote SignOnTheWindow]@MaryAndHerNet, that's the kind of analysis my daughter and I have really enjoyed re. Encanto!

[/quote]
Yep. Us too.
It's deeper than it appears at first view and I like that, it sets it apart from the typical Hero / Villain / animal Sidekick / Comic relief / love interest

Dd wanted to know why the donkeys couldn't just roam free.

I thought the decision to put the murder in was quite interesting. Again, right over dd's head, but put in mind of Allende and the de Bernieres trilogy. Same as the little boy and the jaguar he can talk to.

Did wonder how abuela knew she was having triplets though.

We watched it and it wasn't great. The buzz for it to be released on Christmas Eve had such a big hype but was pretty disappointed.

Ron's Gone Wrong was really good - another new Disney film but wasn't advertised! Highly recommend!

@moleeye

Thought it was rubbish, and the 7 year old wasn't impressed either.

Poor storyline and the songs were too fast.

I don't get the Lin Manuel hype, it's all samey samey.

Totally agree re:LMM, you can spot it a mile off its that samey!

Thought I'd missed something in the plot, was absolutely baffled by it but nope, turns out there wasn't a storyline in the first place. It looked absolutely beautiful but that's the only good thing I could say about it. We couldn't hear the dialogue or the lyrics a lot of the time and I lived in Spain for a bit so it wasn't down to the Hispanic accents for me, I don't think, I can normally understand no problem.

I know people criticise Coco too but I thought that was much better, at least it had a beginning, middle and end, oh and a predictable twist!

It was... pretty. Despite all the symbols and hidden meanings they relied to much on the pretty to make it flow and gloss over things . In the end it was rushed and covered up with pretty again.

The "fix it" part of the story was ridiculously short ,rushed and lacked substance. Years of upset and trauma, years of holding on so tightly, a child being rejected and shunned all disappeared with the wave of a magic wand (or a song and more pretty). Which is why it fell so flat.

This kind of theme has been explored before in movies like Brave and Moana. There was a real story arc there, there was growth , acceptance ,change and understanding on both sides. Instead there's nothing, just a climax that comes out of nowhere and isn't justified.

They relied on the pretty and it shows.

I loved the story I just dont see why they tried to shoehorn a musical into it. I love musicals but the songs were mostly very week and didnt really add anything, the film though I loved.

@MaryAndHerNet

Fantastic film. Solid 8/10 with music on par with most other Disney films.

The change up of the Disney formula and switching from Princess Vs Villain on a grand quest made it even more special. they focussed on the way the elders treat the younger and pressure felt by those younger ones to live up to expectations etc. Speaks to a lot of younger people in bigger families.
The way Abuela turns her back on Mirabel, how Mirabel helps Luisa to realise she needs to let go of some of her burden etc.
Bruno being ousted by Abuela and the family as the black sheep and the causer of doom when in reality he only saw what could come. Mirabelle being Abuella replacement and the themes of elders being replaced and the fear the elder may feel from that. Etc
And that before even getting into the sub story of of the grandmother and the beautiful Dos Oruguitas section.
Astounding really. Most Disney films are puddle deep, Encanto is an ocean.

I agree with this and actually felt tearful during Mirabel and Luisa's songs about trying not to care that you don't live up to family expectations and worry that one day you will crack under the burden of their expectations. It really resonated with me. We also now have 'we don't talk about Bruno no no' as a family catchphrase.

My youngest three went to it in the cinema with DH then watched it again on Disney plus. They really liked it. I wasn’t that keen but I’m not exactly the target audience 😂 to be honest I think most Disney movies are hugely over rated and there are loads of better quality animations with really good storylines that are overlooked for another Disney movie that is more or less indistinguishable from the last five.

Loved it. Luisa was a character I could relate to, as the eldest of many siblings. Some of the lyrics were really spot on during "pressure" and "we don't talk about Bruno" and the themes of estrangement, sacrifice, fear of the unknown, long suppressed grief had me fairly gripped.

Agree with a PP in that these films have so many layers to them. Many of us have felt like Luisa who has to stay strong and serve at the behest of those around her. The other sister with the flowers turned out to be hiding a real fear of not being perfect and letting people down to the extent that she'd been wearing a spot of mask the entire time. I could also understand Abuela to an extent because she was so scared of losing the miracle and being reduced to the state she'd been in when escaping with the triplets. Mirabel is a great character as well.

Loved it. Its was visually stunning, heartwarming and truly emotional in places.

I really liked it. I found the music really catchy and the animation was gorgeous. I like that it broke various tropes e.g. the "strongman" character is female, the seer isn't evil etc.

But I generally don't like Disney. I couldn't sit through Pocahontas, Cinderella or most of the dreary old films, so maybe there is a divide there between classic Disney fans and new Disney fans. I also really liked Luca and Moana.

I’m amazed at all the people who liked it. It got a resounding thumbs down from my family (two adults, a 9 and 6 year old).

Didn’t think the songs were catchy at all, storyline was weak, confusing and generally full of holes, ending unsatisfactory. Probably the worst Disney film we’ve watched.

Moana was the last new one (not counting sequels) we really thought was good.

I liked Moana. I really liled Brave as well!

@HoliHormonalTigerlilly just watching Elves now with dh and I’m scared. Will not be letting the kids (14 and 16!) watch it!

There's so much nostalgia about Disney films of the past when actually if you analyse them the stories aren't great either. Little Mermaid?
My kids loved it (5&6). We're part South American so it's nice to see the variety of skin tones and ethnic backgrounds in Colombia. In the older representations everyone was just the same colour and had the same hair texture.

@NervousNoelle interesting to hear your perspective. From what I've read, Encanto has overall had a very positive response in Colombia itself. I can see that if people are after the big memorable songs and simplistic characterisation it might not appeal, but I think it has a lot more depth than most previous Disney animations

@GattoFantastico I'm not Colombian so don't know about the reaction there but there's a cultural aspect which I don't know if British audiences will fully get. The magic realism, the community aspect, the overbearing abuela, I imagine that if any of the poor daughter in laws of some abuelas came on MN it would be all 'Go NC' 'grey rock!'

I imagine that if any of the poor daughter in laws of some abuelas came on MN it would be all 'Go NC' 'grey rock!'

I want Luisa to come on MN and make an AIBU thread..
She'd have to some ranting to do..

Also FWIW I loved Luca, Inside Out, Coco and Moana! So maybe I'm just easily pleased.

@MaryAndHerNet maybe we could do a AIBU Disney edition!

Ah, I thought it was a lovely film. My husband was a bit bored though.

Luisa: "my family expect me to do all the heavy lifting. AIBU to want to drop some of the weight?"
Yanbu.

Moana: "my dad is demanding I take over the family business when I don't want to. AIBU to do what I want?"
Yanbu

Scar: "my brother is Mr perfect and always picks on me for being weaker. AIBU to throw him to his death?"
YABU..