Encanto

In certain respects, this movie is trying way too hard. But beyond that surfeit of effort, it is funny, clever and charming in a most heartfelt way. Unlike many a Disney story, this one is mostly villain-less. That’s because what really lies at the heart of the tale are the challenges of family dynamics and how those can be difficult if not impossible to overcome. That makes this story relatable to practically every viewer, even in the face of its very specific cultural foundation (which the film pushes very hard). Perhaps it is due to that cultural grounding that the animation here is an over the top riot of color and movement; the very nature of the visuals reinforces the perception that this is, despite its somewhat untraditional setting, a fairy tale that lives in a world removed from where most of us reside. The only real complaint comes from that overly energetic telling of its tale, a frenetic presentation that rarely gives the audience a pause to soak in any one character or tableau. We see that in the songs, too; while lively and catchy, they are mostly impossible to catch on first listen (and I doubt they’d be easy to follow along even with the benefit of a singalong’s subtitles). But when taking in the overall effect, you can’t help but enjoy the package as a whole—no particular miracle required.