Disney+: Is Encanto Disney’s Best Animated Movie In Years?
Disney has put out a steady stream of content for years now. There’s never a shortage of movies, shows, or documentaries to bring the family together for wholesome family viewing. Between owning the rights to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars there’ve had their hands full pumping out new and exciting things to watch for some time now. Despite all their success, they’re getting more into live-action remakes and sequels instead of new ideas. Luckily for the 2020’s so far, they’ve had better luck. Their most recent movie Encanto is all anyone seems to be talking (and singing) about, right now to which we have to ask, is it their best animated feature in recent memory?
From IMDb.com/Walt Disney Animated Studios
Encanto tells 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 with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal-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
Encanto is more classic Disney than new-age Disney. The newer productions have the sights and fun of a Disney movie, but it seems like more often than not they’ve gone away from the traditional sing-along movies that people fell in love with in favor of more modern storytelling. Movies like Raya And The Last Dragon, Soul, Luca, and Onward might have good soundtracks, but they’re not the same as Moana, Frozen, or Encanto. Since 2010, they’ve released about 15 animated movies and only 4 of them followed their older model. Two of them were Frozen and Frozen II.
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While it’s completely fine that they’ve mixed it up with newer styles of storytelling, movies like Encanto give long-time fans that sense of nostalgia for not just great storytelling, but the sights and sounds of a typical Disney magic. There’s something fun and amazing about a traditional Disney film that you just can’t help but sing along with. However, that’s not what makes Encanto so special. Yes, there are a lot of catchy sing-songy bops to belt out with the kids on the way to work or cleaning the house. This time the movie stands out for so much more.
While we love a good music-based Disney movie, there’s so much more in the story. Encanto is one of the more relatable movies in the Disney library. It’s about a girl who sees so much great in her family but struggles to find greatness in herself. For that very reason, she feels like she doesn’t fit in with the magic of the people around her. Each member of her family has their own unique gift and personality that audiences can relate to. Each character in Mirabel’s life can easily mirror the audience’s real-life family members. By seeing themselves in the same position as Mirabel, and seeing certain aspects of their lives, aside from the magic, Encanto is able to deliver home that heartfelt moral by the end, everyone is unique in their own way and fits in no matter their gift.
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Now that’s not exactly a new idea for a Disney movie. However, it’s easy to roll out the fun of dragons, lions, and magic lamps. While there is magic or “gifts” in Encanto, the story is driven more by the family and their struggles to live up to their name than just the magic themselves.
But then you get to add in the magic and an absolutely fun and upbeat soundtrack and this movie hit a home run. Despite the love for everything Disney, most movies have felt like a one-and-done as of late. Encanto is the first movie in a long while that feels like you’d enjoy it just as much the second time around.
Rick ODonnell aka Caveman Rick has many years covering the Miami Dolphins, Sports, and all sorts of movies and television.
