Coco follow the story of Miguel, a young boy in a family of shoe makers who has banned music in their family due to his great great grandfather leaving the family forever to get involved in the music business. The Great Great Grandfather in question is no other than Mexcian musical superstar Ernesto De La Cruz, a legend to Mexican music culture who got his BELL RUNG when he was crushed to death by a huge bell while on stage performing. With his passion to be a musician, and his anger to towards his family for denying him his dream Miguel runs away from home to take part in a talent show in town. Without a guitar the boy decides to break into De La Cruz's burial chamber and borrow his famous guitar, only to be transported to the other side. Now Miguel is one of the dead as he meets the dead relatives him and his family pay their respects to ever year.
Miguel and his family of the dead head to the land of the dead, a vibrant city where the fallen reside. He is told he must get the blessing of his family to go back to the human world or he will never be able to leave, but his family want him to stop with his music which lead Miguel to run away in search of hi great great grandfather. On his escape he bumps into Hector, a down and out trying to make his way across the bridge to see his family. But no one has put up his picture, which means he can not leave. Miguel promises to put up Hectors picture up in the human world on the condition he helps him get to De La Cruz. This leads to a journey of heartache, music and friendship in the way Pixar does best, even including a lovable dog in the form of Dante, who I LOVED!
The Music is beautiful and fun, the colors are as vibrant as a day of the dead skull but what Coco does well here is discussing the theme of death and being forgotten (the scenes with Hector and his past will bring a tear to your eye I promise you) and the want and the urge to be remembered by your loved ones. Most of us have lost someone we love, and we all know how important memories are and Coco shows the importance of passing down those stories and memories of those who have left us. Remember Me is a beautiful song, and when Miguel sings this in the films final act it is heartbreaking and yet beautiful all in one moment.
This does for the idea of death what Inside Out did for the feelings of growing up. It is a life lesson on what is important in life and there for how important our memories are. Will Coco be remembered as well as Inside Out? I'm not sure it will and I blame this more on when this was released other than the film itself. If you was to release Coco during the summer blockbuster season and instead release Incredibles 2 in this slot then I would honestly say Coco would destroy all of this years animated films.
You need to see this film, if you see nothing else this month see this!