‘Coco’ Review Round-Up: Just The Ladies
Over the weekend, Pixar’s Coco dominated the box office, bringing in an estimated $71 million domestic. Add the international box office, and the tally rises to over $153 million, proving it’s still a bad idea to bet against Pixar. But what of the reviews? After the success of my Justice League round-up that focused on analysis from women and non-binary critics, I’ve decided to make this a regular feature.
After curating dozens of reviews, the consensus is clear: Coco is a visually delightful addition to the Pixar stable. The focus on family and Mexican culture feels authentic and never forced. However, the plot adheres closely to other Pixar fare, making it almost too predictable. The nature of the Land of the Dead was also a little grim for some reviewers. Scroll down to see what they had to say and find your new favorite critic today!
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Title: Amid Pixar Controversy, Coco Is Still A Sweet Tear-Jerker
Author: Arianna Davis
Outlet: Refinery29
Link: http://www.refinery29.com/2017/11/182062/coco-review-latino-cast-about-pixar-movie
Excerpt: [T]his is the first movie with an all-Latino voice cast — ever […] this movie is a treasure. I was skeptical going in to a screening even a few weeks before the Lasseter revelations, simply because I wasn’t impressed by the trailer and I worried that an animated movie set in Mexico and centered on Dia de Los Muertos could exoticize or appropriate Latino culture. I walked out obsessed.
Title: Pixar’s Coco a Pleasantly Colorful Diversion
Author: Sara Michelle Fetters
Outlet: MovieFreak
Link: http://moviefreak.com/coco-2017-movie-review/#.WhxWdBNSwWp
Excerpt: Pixar’s latest animated offering Coco is a pleasant enough diversion, offering colorful visual delights that are as imaginative as they are gorgeous. Director Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3) and co-director Adrian Molina (The Good Dinosaur) go out of their way to be respectful to the Mexican holiday by urging their cadre of writers to craft a coming of age scenario that feels refreshingly authentic.
Title: Coco: Disney-Pixar’s Darkest, Most Beautiful Movie Yet
Author: Melissa Leon
Outlet: The Daily Beast
Link: https://www.thedailybeast.com/coco-disney-pixars-darkest-most-beautiful-movie-yet
Excerpt: There are startlingly frank ideas about death and loss detonating quietly in the midst of Coco’s slapstick, building to an emotional swell that triggers waterworks in that surefire Pixar way. But a bit too much of Coco’s story, in fact, relies on what Pixar is already known for. Certain through lines feel a bit copy-paste, hitting recognizable beats that veer on predictability.
Title: Coco is a vibrant journey of life, death and legacy
Author: Gabrielle Bondi
Outlet: The Young Folks
Link: https://www.theyoungfolks.com/review/113360/movie-review-coco-is-vibrant-journey-of-life-death-and-legacy/
Excerpt: Coco follows a familiar formula, and one that is particular to Pixar. Seeing enough Pixar movies makes these plot contrivances easy to spot from a mile away. What Coco succeeds in is transcending its plot with a message that is so grounded in humanity and astounding in its emotional deftness.
Title: Warm Coco
Author: Rain Joking
Outlet: Mulling Movies
Link: http://www.mullingmovies.com/2017/11/warm-coco.html
Excerpt: The Land of the Dead is one of Pixar’s most enchanting worlds, unabashedly ethnic, filled with details you’ll never be able to catch in a single viewing. Like the Mexican folklore that inspired it, it is vibrantly colored, walking the line between slightly morbid, and comically cute. Though the film is filled with walking and talking skeletons, they’re never scary (the little ones should be fine), and their bony bodies are used to excellent comedic effect.
Title: Pixar’s Coco asks what it really means to ‘seize your moment’
Author: Angie Han
Outlet: Mashable
Link: http://mashable.com/2017/11/22/coco-movie-review/#tPmSBaoshsq1
Excerpt: It may not be especially unusual for a kid-friendly film to center around a young protagonist whose family just doesn’t understand. It was only a year ago that Moana was singing about how far she’d go. What makes Coco rare is that it recognizes that the things that give your life meaning might be in opposition to one another, and asks you to consider what really matters most.
Title: Pixar’s Coco is a vibrant musical swirl of color and culture
Author: Leah Greenblatt
Outlet: Entertainment Weekly
Link: http://ew.com/movies/2017/11/21/pixar-coco-review/
Excerpt: There’s an undeniable charm to [Coco], and more than a few moments of pure Pixar inspiration (a droll battle of the bands, lovable ding-dong Dante). But the vividness of the narrative never quite matches the riotous swirl of color and culture on screen — and neither do the songs, sadly, for how central they are to the story.
Title: Coco Sends Pixar On A Colorful Trip South Of The Border
Author: Amy Nicholson
Outlet: Uproxx
Link: http://uproxx.com/movies/coco-review-pixar/
Excerpt: It’s great to watch Pixar stretch beyond Silicon Valley suburbs, even if it’s in part their smart, but overdue recognition of the power of the Spanish-speaking box office. Still, audiences already familiar with the culture could feel like the screenwriters spread out a stack of lotería cards and checked off every box, the way I imagine Austrians might get annoyed by The Sound of Music‘s fetish for cuckoo clocks and lederhosen.
Title: Coco puts a fresh face on the dependable Pixar formula
Author: Stephanie Merry
Outlet: Washington Post
Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/coco-puts-a-fresh-face-on-the-dependable-pixar-formula/2017/11/21/e82739ea-ca4a-11e7-8321-481fd63f174d_story.html?utm_term=.9fc591ff1b0b
Excerpt: In recent years, Pixar has started embracing the sequel-mania that’s taken over Hollywood, even as audiences are getting franchise fatigue. “Coco” floats into theaters like some much-needed fresh air. Not only is it a wholly original story, but it also honors a culture that’s so often overlooked by the movie industry.
Title: Coco review
Author: Sherilyn Connelly
Outlet: SF Weekly
Link: http://www.sfweekly.com/film/film-film/coco/
Excerpt: Being Pixar, the picture looks wonderful — lighting cinematographer Danielle Fienberg has outshone herself — but in the end, the derivative Coco lacks the spark of life found in The Book of Life.
Title: Coco Is ‘Most Delightful Family Film of the Season’
Author: Mara Reinstein
Outlet: US Weekly
Link: https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/coco-review-new-pixar-movie-is-most-delightful-family-film-of-the-season/
Excerpt: Miguel’s journey is a visual wonder […] Maybe the images in the land of the dead will distract young moviegoers from the rather-gloomy and stark message — the more you’re remembered post-death, the richer and happier you are.
Title: Magical Coco inspires love for family, culture
Author: Katie Walsh
Outlet: Tucson News
Link: http://tucson.com/entertainment/movies/movie-review-coco-is-another-home-run-for-pixar-disney/article_a5c5fc65-7be7-593b-8e7e-c3bc22c64ee1.html
Excerpt: Coco is a backstage musical, where all of the songs are presented in a theatrical setting, as part of the plot — characters aren’t bursting into song without provocation. Each song has a meaning, as Miguel summons his courage, conquers his stage fright and learns that songs can be the connection, the memory that connects the living and the dead.
Title: Pixar’s Coco is sweet, visually stunning, and much too predictable
Author: Alissa Wilkinson
Outlet: Vox
Link: https://www.vox.com/2017/11/21/16679186/coco-review-pixar
Excerpt: [I]t’s hard to shake the feeling that Pixar is falling into the kind of rut it once so deftly avoided. And so while Coco is undoubtedly one of 2017’s best family-oriented animated films, and a heartwarming and beautiful one as well, it’s unfortunate that the movie’s biggest insight is that Pixar’s golden age of storytelling may be behind it.
Title: Coco: Pixar’s Latest Has Wit, Style, and a Very Good Dog
Author: Hillary Busis
Outlet: Vanity Fair
Link: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/11/coco-movie-review-pixar-day-of-the-dead
Excerpt: Most importantly, Coco is overflowing with sincere empathy for its characters and respect for its Mexican setting, a reverence that is never forced and only occasionally feels pedantic. It’s not a subtle movie, but it’s an uncommonly affecting one — a film that, like Pixar’s best, manages to be whimsical and bone-deep, all at once.
Title: Coco: A Sweet Family Tale That Joins the Ranks of Pixar’s Best
Author: Tomris Laffly
Outlet: Film School Rejects
Link: https://filmschoolrejects.com/coco-review/
Excerpt: Easily among the most visually complex productions the studio has ever taken on (along with Wall-E and Inside Out), Coco tastefully renders echoes of live-action wonders like The Fifth Element, Minority Report, and Moulin Rouge. Within regards to its slightly over-plotted story, don’t be surprised if you end up thinking about Back to the Future Parts I & II frequently.
Title: Coco Is a Charming If Belabored Adventure Right Out of the Pixar Playbook
Author: Emily Yoshida
Outlet: Vulture
Link: http://www.vulture.com/2017/11/coco-review.html
Excerpt: But dramatically, [Coco’s plot is] a little bit of a head-scratcher — like someone took a plot summary of Ratatouille and hastily replaced every mention of the word “cooking” with “music,” assuming the tried-and-true Pixar formula of self-discovery and individualism would hold strong.
Title: Coco: Pixar’s Gorgeous Celebration of Family & Music
Author: Molly Freeman
Outlet: ScreenRant
Link: https://screenrant.com/coco-movie-reviews/
Excerpt: Though there’s been a debate about whether Pixar should focus more on original ideas over sequels to their beloved films, Coco is proof the Disney-owned animation studio can still come up with new concepts with as much magic and heart as their first string of hits.
Title: Pixar’s Coco Review
Author: Susana Polo
Outlet: Polygon
Link: https://www.polygon.com/2017/11/8/16621900/coco-disney-pixar-review
Excerpt: The Land of the Dead is a lot like Disney World, but with skulls instead of hidden Mickeys. I can already see the Coco renovation of Epcot Mexico, and I’m not even really that upset about it. The creative liberties taken with the bodily physics of a whole city of skeleton people is a consistently surprising delight.
Title: Coco: On family, legacy and the power of music
Author: Shyama Krishna Kumar
Outlet: Gulf News
Link: http://gulfnews.com/leisure/movies/reviews/coco-film-review-on-family-legacy-and-the-power-of-music-1.2128704
Excerpt: [T]he film is filled with Mexican cultural references and folklore, while taking great care in bringing to life the spirit and the emotions related to Dia de los Muertos. From the magical marigold bridge that connects the living world from the dead to the psychedelic-coloured, flying alebrijes (mythical spirit guide animals) and the Ofrendas (ritual altar remembering the dead), there’s a conscious effort to talk about death, loss and grief in a manner that is both simple and evocative.
Title: Coco Review
Author: Sarah Boslaugh
Outlet: The Arts STL
Link: http://theartsstl.com/coco-walt-disney-studios-pg/
Excerpt: Coco is an all-ages animated film, and kids will be delighted with the goofy gags and repetitive humor that may wear more heavily on their adult companions. And while kids may not care so much, it does matter that Pixar tried to get this one right. The end result is a film that should make lots of money for Pixar, delight audiences, and encourage the creation of more adventurous animated feature films in the future.
Title: Coco — Pixar Does It Again
Author: Danielle Solzman
Outlet: Cultured Vultures
Link: https://culturedvultures.com/coco-2017-review-pixar/
Excerpt: While Frozen remains the best film to come from Disney since The Lion King, Coco takes the mantle away from Toy Story 3 for being the most sentimental and Inside Out is up there, too. It’s not only a film for children but also their parents and grandparents–don’t forget the Kleenex as the eyes won’t be dry by the time it ends.
Title: Coco review
Author: Jeanne Kaplan
Outlet: Kaplan vs. Kaplan
Link: https://www.kaplanvskaplan.com/new-releases/coco/
Excerpt: Many times I was struck by the genius of the animators — — not just the magical petals on the bridge, but also by something so simple as Miguel swimming. The artists’ work is so smooth and unfettered that we can easily forget that “Coco” is animated.
Title: Pixar’s Coco Tackles Mortality with Humor and Depth
Author: Jenni Moore
Outlet: The Stranger
Link: http://www.thestranger.com/film/2017/11/22/25581174/pixars-coco-tackles-mortality-with-humor-and-depth
Excerpt: Some funny cultural moments are present throughout, like when Miguel’s abuelita forces additional tamales on the kid when he’s not even that hungry, while Miguel’s family matriarchs are keen to fight off the musically inclined by weaponizing their shoes.
Title: Coco review
Author: Allison Shoemaker
Outlet: Consequence of Sound
Link: https://consequenceofsound.net/2017/11/film-review-coco/
Excerpt: It’s delightful stuff, made no less delightful by the darkness, most of which is handled so frankly that one simply grows accustomed to it. People die all the time, sometimes peacefully and sometimes not. Trauma lingers, and it can be passed down from generation to generation. That’s just life, and life is also beautiful.
Title: Coco is a compelling story about family, ancestry and remembrance
Author: Kate Taylor
Outlet: The Globe And Mail
Link: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/film-reviews/review-coco-is-a-compelling-story-about-family-ancestry-and-remembrance/article37029899/
Excerpt: None of Coco’s few flaws can fatally undermine the film because it is, most of all, a smart and enduring piece of storytelling with a satisfyingly twisting narrative and richly complex theme.
Title: Coco celebrates color, culture and cross-generational bonds
Author: Courtney Howard
Outlet: Fresh Fiction
Link: http://freshfiction.tv/movie-review-cococelebrates-color-culture-and-cross-generational-bonds/
Excerpt: Screenwriters Molina and Matthew Aldrich, who work from a story they wrote with Unkrich and Jason Katz, have carved an impassioned, indelible and moving tribute to the Mexican culture and their resplendent musical identity. Of course there’s a multitude of universalities that cross over into the mainstream (it even teaches the audience about the loving sentiments and traditions behind Dia de Muertos), but it’s the specificities that are most impactful.
Title: Pixar’s Coco: Cute and hella creepy
Author: Sarah
Outlet: Lainey Gossip
Link: http://www.laineygossip.com/pixars-coco-movie-review/48492
Excerpt: Coco is perfectly enjoyable. It’s lovely to look at, Miguel is adorable, the music is great, and if the story is a little contrived, the (intended) message works. And it’s nice to see a movie like this aimed at a culture that isn’t white Middle America (although it does trend dangerously close to exoticism at times). But it does not seem like anyone thought through the implication of the “rules” of the Land of the Dead, because holy f*ck is that some stark sh*t for little kids.
Title: Coco review
Author: Nell Minow
Outlet: Movie Mom
Link: http://moviemom.maxlazebnik.com/coco/
Excerpt: It is good to see Mexican culture portrayed in such a straightforward manner, not exotica-sized or othered. There are some exciting adventures and some very funny moments along the way, involving Miguel’s sidekick, a Xolo street dog named Dante.
Title: Coco is a vivid tale of following dreams and finding roots
Author: Jodi Mitori
Outlet: STL Today
Link: http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/movies/reviews/pixar-s-coco-is-a-vivid-tale-of-following-dreams/article_5da9a2e4-9481-586c-93f8-27c677093457.html
Excerpt: Like Dorothy’s trip to Oz, “Coco” gains momentum when Miguel arrives in the Land of the Dead. The towering, glowing place, filled with images of skulls, is a stunning sight.
Title: Coco Isn’t Just a Movie- It’s A Love Letter
Author: Yolanda Machado
Outlet: Sassy Mama
Link: http://sassymamainla.com/2017/11/review-coco-isnt-just-movie-love-letter/.html
Excerpt: My friends know this about me, but I don’t cry at movies. I can feel them, but I don’t cry. I have now seen Coco three times, and I weeped each time. The first, was just in awe…and the realization of how powerful it was to see my people, mi raza, in such a beautiful story.
Title: Coco honors Dia de los Muertos and Mexican culture
Author: Mara Cirezaru
Outlet: Substream Magazine
Link: https://substreammagazine.com/2017/11/coco-review/
Excerpt: What makes that formula especially endearing in Coco is the care that Disney and Pixar took in following authentic Mexican Dia de los Muertos traditions […] It’s this attention to detail that indicates that the studio spent time researching specific cultural traditions and norms and keeps the movie from being cheesy or relying on cultural appropriation.
Title: Coco review
Author: Kayla Marie
Outlet: Black Girl Nerds
Link: https://blackgirlnerds.com/bgn-film-review-pixar-coco/
Excerpt: This was a bold subject matter for Pixar to take on. Speaking from my experience as a Mexican-American, I was hesitant when the first blurbs about the movie were being released. Dia de Muertos is a sacred day to many families, and the last thing you want to feel as a film attendee is offended. [Y]ou can see the care [Pixar] put into making sure they were accurate in their portrayal and storytelling.
Looking for more reviews of Coco by Latinx writers? Head over to Remezcla for their round-up!
