Review of Coco (2017) by Jack K — 03 Apr 2018

Coco Montrese, in the challenge we were raised from the dead, but on the runway your Latino blood was muy caliente. You're safe.

COCO.

Seldom does a movie inspire me and propel me to what's best in filmmaking. Coco is one of those rare films you watch that become an instant classic. And yes, the lustful visuals and the upbeat and melodic songs are a great part of the experience but what makes this movie great, is its emotional sincerity, expertly complemented by Giacchino'a score. It's clear that this movie was based around a simple premise and a love for telling stories. And when that happens, everything else is so much easier. What Coco does fantastically and what so many movies fail to do is building a connective tissue that amounts to something greater than the movie itself, as if the fibres collide to do movie magic. When we reach the climax, it feels so earned because it's simple and because it's based on sincerity. Yes, the driving force of Coco comes from the beautifully apparent simplicity in its storytelling. It's a movie that is both a stunning visual spectacle and a touching piece of art. Also, in a time when racial segregation repeats its cycle of power, it's unusually brave to have an American studio make such a radiant homage to that culture, taking the pre-emptive measures for it to be an honour, not a steal. It comes as a surprise to nobody when I say that this film will leave you emotional (granted you belong to the human race). It's uncontrollable, it's within you to be moved when you have accompanied a character and watch the climax unfold and feel like you have earned the right to cry. And normally climaxes are huge and loud but Coco keeps it simple and quiet as moments that really strike a chord often are. What's also not so common is the movie's thematic lines, as you can't help to find incredibly brave that betrayal, murder and death are topics that the movie delves in profusely (yet never tackily). In the year in which Inside Out was release, that was, hands down, my favourite movie of the year. And, damn you Pixar, it will probably be again this year. At the end of the day, you sometimes go to the movies expecting a certain familiarity, something that you can rely on. Coco feels just like coming back to a loving home, it has the sweet scent of your grandmother's cake, it's as cosy as your childhood bedroom and it reminds us of the reason we keep coming back to these movies: to feel the warmth of the purest form of cinema.