Most people have noticed the decline of original Disney movies in the past 10 years or so. Ever since the release of “Frozen,” it has seemed that Disney has decided to focus on revamping past films with sequels and remakes rather than make new movies, much to the disdain of major Disney fans. Well Disney fans, aka myself, what we were waiting for has finally arrived. “Encanto” has brought a new, fresh, and inclusive movie to our screens. With a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, “Encanto” is a fun musical (written by the acclaimed Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton, mind you) the entire family can enjoy.
While “Encanto” was released in theaters on Nov. 24, 2021, it had a slightly disappointing opening weekend. Things turned around, however, after the movie became wildly popular on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” a popular song from the film, is officially the most popular Disney song on Billboard charts since 1995, beating “Let It Go.” The popularity of this song has strongly contributed to the success of “Encanto,” TikTok working as Disney’s own personal free advertising agency.
While “Encanto” was enchanting, it also had its downsides. The Madrigal family, made up of members with different talents and powers, could be confusing to follow at times, even with the “family round-up” song included in the film. Nonetheless, the film’s few faults were nothing compared to its positives.
The film follows Mirabel Madrigal as she tries to find her place as the only non-magical member of her family. The film uses the traditional “hero’s journey,” as is commonplace with most Disney films, but the entire quest took place in the same location, “La Casa Madrigal,” fondly referred to throughout the film by Mirabel as “Casita.” Since the Madrigal family lives in Colombia, there are various songs and features honoring the country throughout the film, including the extremely catchy song “Colombia, mi encanto” sung by Carlos Vives.
There are many recognizable voices throughout the film including Stephanie Beatriz, who gained popularity through “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” voicing Mirabel, Maluma, a famous Colombian singer voicing Mariano Guzman, and John Leguizamo voicing Bruno, most recognizable to young viewers as the voice of Sid the Sloth from the “Ice Age” films.
Another popular song from the film, “Surface Pressure” has been heralded by eldest children around the world who finally feel that the amount of pressure they are put under has been brought to attention. I can’t exactly speak from experience as the underachieving middle child, but from what I’ve seen online I can tell that this attention has been long overdue, or so the oldest children feel. I personally still think middle children have it worse, but maybe I’m prejudiced.
Overall, I’d say “Encanto” is an A+ grade for Disney. With catchy tunes, an engaging story, and cultural representation it’s nice to see Disney making good movies again. Now I’m going to go watch “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” for the fiftieth time and enjoy seeing a good Disney film again.