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ENCANTO
(2021, Bush & Howard)
A film with a title that starts with the letters E or F



"I wish you could see yourself the way I do. You are perfect just like this. You're just as special as anyone else in this family."

That's the way Julieta (Angie Cepeda) tries to comfort her daughter, Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), and reassure her that she's just as valuable as anyone else in the family. But how can she feel that way when everybody around her is lifting boulders, shape-shifting, talking with animals, or controlling the weather?

Encanto follows the Madrigal, a Colombian family led by matriarch Alma (Marķa Cecilia Botero) and settled in the rural titular town. What sets them apart is that at some point in their lives, each member of the family receives a magical gift in a ritual led by Alma; except for Mirabel. This creates disillusionment and resentment in Alma and low self-esteem in Mirabel, because why shouldn't he receive a gift?

Just like with the Madrigal family, there are a lot of strengths and a lot of weakening flaws in it. The main flaw is that the story is a bit of a mess, and the way everything unfolds, sending Mirabel into a quest to find the problem with the house and the family just doesn't make a lot of sense. But at least it's set to some banging music.

And that's probably the main strength of the film. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, pretty much every song in it is a catchy banger. From the opening beats of "The Family Madrigal" to the mournful sentiment of "Dos Oruguitas", with the song about Bruno in between (shhh!) Anyway, despite the flaws in the story, it's still a fun ride. The voice cast is also pretty solid and the animation is amazing.

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