ENCANTO

US, 2021, 12 minutes, Colour.

Stephanie Beatriz, Maria Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Jessica Darrow, Diane Guerrero, Wilmer Valderrama, Alan Tudyk.

Directed by Jared Bush, Byron Howard.

A Disney animation set in Colombia, strong on Hispanic atmosphere, many of the voice cast with Hispanic backgrounds.

Once again, the central character is a young girl, but not really a Princess this time. In fact, something of the opposite. She is Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz), a member of the prominent Madrigal family, presided over by the grandmother, the Abuela, with each of her children and grandchildren having special magical gifts. Except Mirabel. She was about to receive her gift but the vision faded. And, here she is, doing a lot of the menial tasks, clashing with her perfect sister, Isabella, and she wears glasses!

There is some edge in the story. At the opening, the Abuela tells the story of how she and her husband fled their home, pursued by men on horseback. Her husband sacrifices himself and she and her children find refuge, along with a magic candle, which enchcants the place where they find refuge, mountains, woods, and are welcomed by the townspeople. And their mansion, as well as the place, are enchanted, Encanto.

Hispanic. Music and songs. Lin-Manuel Miranda again. With In the Heights, with tick… Tick… Boom!, he has had a busy year – and now he contributes the songs, not so many of them, throughout the film as well as taking on one of the voice roles.

We spend a lot of the film getting to know the various characters in the family – and we probably like the big girl in the family whose special gift is that she is able to carry heavy loads. Needless to say she is, literally, put upon at times. This contrasts with the perfect daughter who is to be betrothed to a young man – and she does not want to be engaged to. Mirabel seems always to get in the mix and causes huge upset at the betrothal dinner, the prospective family walking out.

But the intriguing character is called Bruno. We see his image on a magic door – and there is a song that everybody sings that they don’t want to talk about Bruno-no-no-no! When we eventually meet him, we discover that he is in hiding in the corridors and attics the mansion, more than something of a nerd (voiced by John Leguizamo), who is supposed to see visions of what is to happen to the family.

Of course, it all builds up to quite some adventures, especially with Bruno and Mirabel and some dangers on roofs and falling. But, the solution is to be love and reconciliation, between Mirabel and Isabella (and a nice song with dancing for that to be achieved) but also for Abuela to think back to her past (which we see again), questioning her treatment of Mirabel, and a theme of forgiveness. And, fortunately, this being a magical entertainment, love, reconciliation, and the wonderful rebuilding of the mansion means that we all sing along to a happy ending.

1. Popular ingredients of a Disney animation story? The Latin American setting? Colombia?
2. The American audience, the Latin American presence in the United States?
3. The style of animation, colourful backgrounds, the characters, idiosyncrasies, the Encanto, the mansion, the interiors, the corridors and attics, the town itself, shops, festivities?
4. The musical score, the songs, the lyrics, revealing characters, situations?
5. The background story, Abuela and her memories, with her husband, the three babies, having to flee, the pursuing horsemen? Her husband giving himself up? The river, the enchanted candle, the changing of the countryside, the mountains, protection? Settling in the village? In the retelling of the story at the end?
6. Abuela and her control of the household, the musical name, Madrigal? The different generations, Mirabel and her two sisters? The comedy of the Big Sister and her capacity for carrying loads? The contrast with Isabella, considered perfect, her songs and dancing, the prospective marriage, the meal, Mirabel interrupting, the intended family walking out?
7. Mirabel, awkward, doing the menial jobs, wearing glasses? Not quite the Disney princess? The rest of the family having their own talent, her standing before Bruno’s vision, its fading, her not having a talent? Having to cope, disappointed?
8. Bruno, his reputation, his visions, the magic doors and the visions, his going back behind the doors, living in the corridors, nerdish look, behaviour? Mirabel finding him, his inabilities, her pursuit, the dangers and adventures, falling, saved? The family singing the song about Bruno?
9. The rest of the family, the men, the different generations? Antonio, the ceremony, his age, his receiving his gift, all the animals?
10. The mirror, with the story, shattering in pieces, Mirabel collecting them, the magic effect, disasters?
11. Disaster for the town, the building collapsing, the family upset, blaming Mirabel?
12. Mirabel, dismay, being blamed by Abuela, going to the river, the reliving of the past, change of heart, admiration for Mirabel? The reconciliation?
13. Love, the magical rebuilding of the mansion, the townspeople all joining in? Happy ending?