Pixar has done it again, and they have yet to do it better than they did here. After nearly a decade of making good (but not entirely brilliant) films, they produced Coco, one of the most endearing and beautiful films Pixar has ever made, and undeniably one of their greatest works to date. It is a film that proves many facts about Pixar and other animation studios in general: impressive and innovative animation is beautiful to look at, but it only becomes something truly memorable with a unique and original story, as well as the most important aspect of any great film: genuine heart and soul, as well as detail in representing the story they wish to convey through the film. I can say without absolutely any enthusiastic hyperbole, that Coco is a film that sky-rockets right to the top of Pixar’s true masterpieces, joining the likes of Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Up by being an emotional, hilarious and ultimately beautiful masterpiece of animation and a truly incredible film overall, and certainly one of the very best films of the year.

I have always admired Pixar and Disney for their attempts to produce unique and original stories in their films when they wish to not be derivative or play off familiar formulae that sometimes works (Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3) and sometimes doesn’t (Finding Dory), and while the idea of personifying inanimate or non-sentient objects such as toys or cars or emotions may be the subject of loving ridicule nowadays, the studios have been able to bring out genuine emotional resonance out of nearly any subject that they choose, even when the finished film isn’t entirely perfect. However, this does not apply to Coco, because this is a truly tremendous film.  Coco does not have much of a neat, tidy “hook” like previous films – and its story may appear slightly less exciting to general audiences who may not be entirely captivated by the storyline before seeing the film, but I can promise you that for what this film lacks in allure of storyline, it more than makes up for in pure, unadulterated enthusiasm and utter beauty. Make no mistake: Coco is a masterpiece, and the fact that it managed to not only be an entertaining film, but also a film that takes an honest and detailed look at a specific culture, representing it beautifully and paying tribute to a tradition that is relatively known, but never explored over such a mainstream platform justifies Coco as being one of Pixar’s most audacious projects.

Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) is a young boy in modern-day Mexico. He is the son of working-class cobblers, who have been making shoes for generations after his great-great-grandfather abandoned his family and set out to make music, and his grandmother subsequently banned all music, which has lasted for generations. However, Miguel adores music and idolizes Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), Mexico’s greatest singer, a folkloric legend who died tragically in 1922. In an attempt to prove his love for music to his family, Miguel sets out to perform at a talent show in his small village of Santa Cecilia on Día de Muertos (also known as “The Day of the Dead”), when the spirits of the dearly-departed are given a day to visit their family, granted they have their photograph displayed on the ofrenda, a shrine, which ensures that the souls of the departed may be allowed to cross-over into the Land of the Living for that special day to reunite with their family. However, a touch of rebellion and a few mishaps later, Miguel finds himself transported into the Land of the Dead, and he discovers a vast amount about his family, and sets off on an adventure with the rapscallion Hector (Gael García Bernal) as Miguel attempts to return to The Land of the Living, albeit having achieved a very specific task which forms the core of the film.

Coco is one of Pixar’s most stunningly-beautiful films, and I marveled at how utterly warm and endearing the animation in this film was. There are not many animated films that make the audience gasp out of pure, unadulterated awe as much as they did here. In no uncertain terms, this is Pixar’s most spectacularly-animated film, and the way in which the animation used visual design and color provided an invaluably beautiful and innovative interplay of creative genius and technologically brilliant. So much intricate, meticulous detail was paid to representing Mexican culture in its colorful, poignant and resplendent beauty, and it paid off terrifically. There are very few films, live-action or animated, that are capable of moving audiences as much as this film did simply through its visuals. Let us assume that even if Coco did not have one of the most unique and emotionally-resonant stories out of Pixar’s impressive canon of films, it would still stand as one of the most utterly magnificent American animated films ever made. I have always thought that despite technological innovation and creative brilliance, Pixar has lacked a spark that foreign animated films, such as those by Studio Ghibli and GKIDS. I can honestly say that with Coco, Pixar found that special spark and created a film just as brilliant and emotionally-resonant as those definitive animated masterpieces.

Coco is a delightful film, and a big part of that is because of its talented cast, which is also oddly void of incredibly well-known performers, but rather populated with wonderful actors, most of which are of Latin American-descent, with such diversity always being very welcome in mainstream filmmaking. There is also something difficult to explain when discussing animated performances, because while they are not in any way inferior to physical performances, there is just something about a great voice-over performance that is impossible to convey properly, because there is such a specific quality needed to provide a great animated performance, and such a quality cannot actually be described, but it is essentially the way in which the actor not only gives voice to a character but uses their voice to create the character and his or her complexities. Pixar and Disney have also given leading roles in many of their films to incredibly talented young performers (one just needs to consider the star-making turn Moana was for Auli’i Cravalho last year). Coco somewhat introduces audiences to Anthony Gonzalez, a young actor who leads this film wonderfully with his nuanced and committed performance. These kinds of roles are thankless because they don’t require much physical performance, and the actors behind the voice do not have much opportunity to showcase their full talents, very often being newcomers and not having the recognizable status to draw audiences to this film. Therefore, I felt it necessary to praise Gonzalez here, because he was very good, and he deserves to be praised for his relentlessly adorable approach to this character. It would also be amiss to not mention Gael García Bernal, one of the most talented actors working today, who lends his unique voice to the major character of Hector, and being able to oscillate between hilariously sarcastic as well as emotionally profound, Bernal clearly adds another kind of performance where he is able to absolutely captivate audiences. In a film as beautiful as Coco, the performances can be overshadowed by the visuals – luckily, the actors are so good, the performances are able to stand as highlights of this wonderful film and heighten its inherent brilliance.

As I alluded to previously, I think it is admirable the extents to which Disney and Pixar often go to represent diversity in their films, and while one may legitimately make an argument that this rise in diversity is only a response to a more socially and culturally-conscious mindset adopted my the entertainment industry in the last few years, it is still truly beautiful to see a story about a specific culture that isn’t given many opportunities to have such a widespread showcase as a mainstream animated film that will be seen at all corners of the globe. Full disclosure: I am not Mexican, but I have been captivated by the culture and traditions of the country for as long as I can remember, and it has proved to be frustrating to see the wonderful cultures of the country subverted in favour of stereotypes that oscillate between being tone-deaf and ignorant, to simply offensive and harmful. Coco (while the pre-production did have some notable cultural snafus, which were promptly cleared up) takes Mexican culture and explores it beautifully, and while I cannot comment on the extent of its complete accuracy, nor can my opinion in this regard (in terms of the cultural relevance of this film) be even vaguely comparable to someone a part of the Mexican community, I can tell you that I know when something resonates with me, and the way in which this film delved deeply into the traditions of the country (never attempting to be the be-all-and-end-all of Mexican cinematic cultural representation, rather focusing on one particular aspect of the culture and the various traditions that exist around it) was deeply moving and original, and as someone who grew up in a very similar culture, it touched me deeply.

This is a film that will resonate with absolutely everyone, and for a number of different reasons – but most importantly, it is a film that represents the Mexican culture in the beautiful and stunning grandeur that it deserves, and pays tribute to their truly mesmerizing and meaningful traditions. Moreover, I found something so poignant about the decision to include a number of Spanish-language jokes and references in this film that, while not being overt or entirely common throughout the film, give a sense of true authenticity, and their inclusion is admirable. These are not entirely vital to understand, but for those that can understand it (likely people who understand Spanish or other related languages), it just heightens the experience of the film and will bring a delightfully gleeful smile to your face. The fact that there clearly was not any intention to “explain” these jokes may appear slightly contradictory to Pixar/Disney belief in providing entertainment that will not alienate any member of the audience, but it added so much authenticity, and whether or not you understand what is said in the very sporadic moments proves an important belief: there are just some things that are said far better in their native language, and the retention of these cultural elements is just wonderful. I may be the only person who adored the fact that some parts of this film remained untranslated, but it just managed to add so much gravitas to an already remarkable film, and multiculturalism is never a bad idea.

Importantly, Coco is a film that knows exactly where it wants to go and what it wants to be, and it serves to be a very straightforward film in terms of storyline. It is not a simple or common story, but rather a story that does not intend to be over-complex, but instead to have a concept that is emphasized by the creative elements and allowed to grow on its own terms without needing to resort to plot twists or complications to capture the attention of audiences and keep them interested. The result is a film that bares it all in terms of emotion, and I will be very proud to state that I was brought to tears while watching this film. The way in which Coco evokes beautifully tender and poignant emotions is not manipulative, but rather the result of a clear intention of representing culture and family in a way that resonates with audiences everywhere – and unfortunately, Coco is a film that has to make some tough choices in terms of plot progression to allow for genuine emotion to flow (as opposed to artificial, saccharine sensations that mainstream filmmaking tends to use from time to time to evoke certain feelings through careful manipulation of audiences, something I am vehemently against when it is done so obviously). However, for every difficult choice Coco made, it resulted in the bittersweet, touching ending that Pixar has made their trademark – while it is likely to leave you with tears in your eyes, it will also bring a smile to the face of even the most unmovable individual, and I guarantee that after seeing this film, you’ll likely be wiping away tears. It really is that moving, and I am not someone who often sheds a tear in films, so considering that this film caused myself and others to weep is just a further testament to its brilliance. While others may conceal this fact out of sheer embarrassment, it is important to note how a film like Coco can move audiences. Film is supposed to be something that invokes some kind of feeling, and Coco does just that.

One further point: the music in Coco is absolutely incredible. Pixar has been known to make some bold and unique choices with some of their music selections, and the result has often been wonderfully idiosyncratic and distinctive uses of music to accelerate and emphasize the story. The songwriting, as well as the score in Coco, is amongst the best Pixar has done to date. One simply needs to look out for the recurring song “Remember Me” (which culminates in a scene towards the end that is absolutely impossible to not be moved by), or lighter fare such as “Un Poco Loco” or “Proud Corazón” (both being songs that include Spanish in addition to the predominant English lyrics) are well-written and memorable, and whether in the contexts in which they are used in the film, or as standalone pieces of music, they are wonderful, endearing and magnificent. Michael Giacchino has revolutionized film scoring with his distinctive and iconoclastic use of music that has defined many modern classics, and Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez are amongst the best contemporary songwriters working today, and they all are given the opportunity to add their unique talents to this film, and the result is aural brilliance from artists providing some of their very best work. One thing you can say about Coco is that everyone involved either in front of the camera or behind the scenes added a true masterpiece to their careers with their work here.

Coco is a masterpiece, and it is certainly one of the very best films of the year. It moved me so much, and judging from others that I’ve spoken to, it has resonated with so many people through its universal themes of family and following the seemingly-impossible dream that helps define us as individuals. I am someone who has been highly critical of Pixar over the past few years, never actively disliking anything they’ve made recently, but not being as enamored with their work as I have been before – and I can definitely confirm that Coco is amongst their very best films and is an absolute highlight of their diverse canon of films. It is very hasty to say so at this point, but I would not be surprised to see Coco become my absolute favorite Pixar film. I don’t make such a statement lightly, but in the end, Coco is just that great. See this film, whoever and wherever you are. The music, the visuals and the themes with most certainly move you in so many ways and you will experience a truly delightful film that is heartfelt, soulful and ultimately just an extraordinary experience. Truly magnificent in every conceivable way.