Coco: A Movie To Watch As A Family – Being Parents

Coco  is a film that touched a lot of people in Mexico. The cinemas filled up to enjoy its magnificent villages, its culture and its traditions, such as the Feast of the Dead. It is a deeply touching story. The cartoon is excellent, with great songs and great teaching.

The plot of the film

Pixar  Animation Studios released their  animated film  ,  Coco,  in 3D in October 2017.  Inspired by the Day of the Dead – a celebration in Mexico –  it tells the story of Miguel, a child from a village called Santa Cecilia where he lives with his family.

He has a dream: to become a great musician  like De la Cruz, his idol, who is also from this village.

However, this child is facing a big problem, his family has forbidden the use of any kind of music for generations. She thinks they are cursed because their great-great-grandfather left them to become a singer.

After a strange event,  Miguel ends up traveling to the world of the dead, where his fantastic adventure begins  with Héctor, a skeleton who will help him make his dream come true.

“Live your moment of glory”

-Ernesto De la Cruz-

Coco’s characters 

Some of the main characters in Coco  movie  are:

• Miguel Rivera:  He’s a child who wants to be a singer, but he has to fight against the ban imposed by his  family. However, when he magically reaches the land of the dead, he seeks his idol to help him return to the land of the living.
• Mama Coco:  She’s Miguel’s great-grandmother, she’s quite old but that doesn’t prevent Miguel from loving her and sharing his adventures with her.
• La Abuelita:  She’s Miguel’s grandmother, she’s the one who forbids all kinds of music within the Rivera family. When she gets angry, she pulls out her sandal to defend her family.

• Dad:  He’s Miguel’s dad, a very kind and understanding man who owns a family shoe business and expects his son to take over the job.
• The mother:  She is the one who very kindly encourages Miguel to stick to the traditions of the family.
• Héctor:  A friendly crook or charlatan from the world of the dead who wants to go to the land of the living.
• Ernesto De la Cruz:  He’s the most famous musician in Mexico and he’s Miguel’s idol.
• Chicharron:  It is Héctor’s friend who was forgotten in the land of the dead.
• Mama Imelda:  She’s the founder of the family’s shoe factory.

7 lessons for the family

This film contains many positive messages, both for young and old. In addition,  children can learn the value of perseverance in making dreams come true. It emphasizes  sincerity,  honesty and loyalty.

• Keep moving forward without giving up until a dream comes true. Although Miguel is a 12-year-old boy, he faces challenges without getting discouraged. He dreams of being a musician and wants to be supported by his family.
• Family must come first. They are the ones who can be relied on unconditionally. Everyone must take care of each other and ensure the well-being of each in times of need and problems. We all have to learn this lesson.
• The film captures the essence of the Mexican family and its values. Even though the story takes place in small villages in Mexico, Mexican traditions and customs are represented in a great way.

• It shows the beauty of Mexico. Its culture, the beauty of its villages and its festivals, deeply rooted in the whole population.
• It is filled with colors, music and light. This attracts the little ones who will love the characters.
• This animation brings  various opinions on death:  For example, that everything does not end with it although there is a period of mourning, and that it is better to enjoy life. It also highlights that forgetting a loved one is real death, and that love goes far beyond this inevitable event.
• A lot of people don’t show what they really are. Famous people may seem like they have a perfect life at first glance, but they don’t.

Definitely,  Coco  seeks to save the Mexican identity and ideology around its tradition. The famous celebration of the Day of the Dead pays homage to its culture and art.

This film seeks to help Mexico rediscover its roots and family ties as in the past through a wonderful children’s story full of values, distractions and drama.