A young Colombian girl has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers.
I have always been attracted to movies, whether live-action or animated, that deal with the topic of family and friendship. My mother raised my sister and me from the time we were kids and we are a very close family unit. I have also made many friends over the years here in America, with Hispanic families and realized both the Irish and Mexican cultures are very similar, especially when it comes to the importance of family.
“Encanto” reminds us of just how vital it is to have family and friends who support and encourage us, and it also incorporates the symbolic representation of magic, demonstrating that both can be used for good, and both be taken advantage of.
We are introduced to the Madrigal family, who live in an enchanting village in the mountains of Colombia called “the Encanto.” For decades, each family member has inherited a unique gift from a magic candle that was given to them generations ago. On each family member’s fifth birthday, a door appears and when opened by the individual, they are brought to an enchanted space where their new power is bestowed upon them, one that allows them to help their family and serve the local community.
Each family member’s gift is unique from each other, Luisa (Jessica Darrow) inherited super strength, which allows her to move buildings or re-route a river, Isabela (Diane Guerrero) has the ability to make plants grow and flowers bloom, while the youngest, Antonio (Ravi-Cabot Conyers), can speak to animals. Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), on the other hand, is the only member of the family who never received a gift on her fifth birthday and since that fateful day, she has tried her best to come to terms with it.
After Antonio’s special day, Mirabel begins having dreams of cracks in her home’s foundation, with visions of the magic candle growing dimmer until it completely goes out, erasing all the magic from her home. When she brings this to the attention of her family, in particular, the family’s matriarch, her grandmother, Abuela (María Cecilia Botero), she informs Mirabel that Antonio’s day was understandably upsetting for her as it reminded her of her fifth birthday when she received no gift of her own.
Initially, Mirabel accepts Abuela’s answer, realizing that the day was indeed heart-wrenching for her but as her dreams persist in frequency, she decides that she must formulate a plan and visit a side of the house that has been restricted for years, an area where her uncle Bruno (John Leguizamo), who had the ability to see the future, vanished many years ago. Supposedly, he had a vision of the future that included Mirabel but before the family had the chance to question him about it, he mysteriously disappeared. Now Mirabel must find out exactly what happened and try and understand what was in his vision, before it’s too late.
Disney has always excelled with its films that embrace family and friendship and “Encanto” is no exception. The animation is majestic, and the screen is filled with spectacular colors and memorable tunes that will have the audience tapping their feet in unison. Naturally, by the film’s end, Mirabel and her family learn, the hard way, that while family doesn’t always get along, in the end, they will always be there for each other. The movie brought me back to the Disney of yore, when animated films were events and the whole family could just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. “Encanto” is magical, thrilling, emotional, and a visual delight for everyone.
In Theaters Wednesday, November 24th
