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Finding something the whole family can watch during the holidays is a perennial challenge. It’s as much a part of tradition as turkey on Thanksgiving and Christmas carols on the radio soon after. This holiday season, Disney is serving up a warm, feel-good family friendly movie called “Encanto,” a Colombian magical realist tale of a family that received special powers after surviving a tragedy. Now, a few generations later, they live together in a magical house and each member develops their own talent, like the ability to control the weather, shapeshift into other people, and talk to animals. Their casita (house) responds to the family’s requests and responds to their moods. Each bedroom is magically tailored to the relative and their magical gift. All except for one, Mirabel ( Stephanie Beatriz ).

“Encanto” follows the “girl with no apparent gift” Mirabel, who tries her best to fit in a family so extraordinary that her judgmental Abuela Alma ( María Cecilia Botero ) offers only her disappointment at every turn. For Mirabel, it’s tough to stand out when her mom, Julieta ( Angie Cepeda ), can heal wounds with her cooking—more specifically, her arepas con queso, her sister Luisa ( Jessica Darrow ) can lift the heaviest of objects with ease, and her sister Isabela ( Diane Guerrero ) can grow the most beautiful flowers without barely thinking about it. Mirabel notices the family’s casita is starting to show cracks, but no one believes her and downplays her worries as something her estranged eccentric uncle Bruno ( John Leguizamo ) would say. It’s up to Mirabel to find out what’s happening to save both her family and her home.

Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard (“ Zootopia ”) and co-director Charise Castro Smith (” Raya and the Last Dragon ”), who bears more than a passing resemblance to the movie’s main character, have created another kind hearted movie about misfits trying to do the right thing. Most notably, there’s no villain in this Disney movie, just a nebulous “unknown” threatening the family and their home. The conflict is minimal at best, which allows for Mirabel to spend more time learning about what she can do despite her lack of powers, but it also leaves the movie feeling a bit meandering. To make up for lost action, the movie shines in its animation and design, really making use of the house with doors to new worlds and musical sequences that allow for a little more abstract artistic freedom.

Speaking of those musical sequences, I think it’s time Lin-Manuel Miranda takes a break. After knocking it out of the park with “In the Heights,” “ Hamilton ” and “ Moana ,” his 2021 offerings have been a little lackluster. For this review, I finally watched the movie “ Vivo ,” in which he voices the title character as well as handles the song writing duties. Those numbers sounded flimsy and forgettable. In one song, he rhymes “drum” with… “drum.” In “Encanto,” the odds are a little better, more songs fare better than others, but there’s still a sense that these musical numbers are the reheated leftovers from other projects. They sound like his work, but don’t offer anything new or exciting to get stuck in our heads. Isabela and Luisa’s disposable pop songs "What Else Can I Do?" and "Surface Pressure" are cloyingly repetitive. “The Family Madrigal” is a less effective version of the opening song from “In the Heights.” Only Carlos Vives’ rendition of Miranda’s song "Colombia, Mi Encanto" sounds like a memorable stand-out.

Unimpressive songs are an unfortunate thing to befall an animated musical like “Encanto.” Thankfully, there are other elements to enjoy like the movie’s boisterous voice cast that includes Carolina Gaitán , Rhenzy Feliz , Ravi Cabot-Conyers , Wilmer Valderrama , Mauro Castillo , and one-name Latin music stars Maluma and Adassa. It’s also impressive to see an animated Disney movie finally include varying skin tones and hair textures in the same family, while also incorporating Colombian fashion like ponchos, flowing embroidered skirts, colorful dresses and guayaberas as part of a character’s details. Beatriz is magnificent as Mirabel, embodying both pain and love in her voice throughout the film, yet never losing a sense of the goofy playfulness that makes her character so likeable. Abuela’s singing voice comes from the one and only Olga Merediz , another “In the Heights” alum.

Similar to how Pixar’s “ Coco ” paid tribute to Mexican culture, “Encanto” holds many nods to its Colombian roots, from the use of flowers and animals specific to the regions to crafting songs that incorporated their respective countries’ musical palette. In both stories, the matriarchal abuelas have to also go through an emotional journey just as much (if not more) than the younger protagonists in the movie. It’s an interesting development to see both Pixar and Disney Animation move into the world tour phase of their storytelling, but I hope they avoid repeating each other in thematic and narrative elements.

One difference is that “Encanto” explores the Madrigals’ backstory beyond their household, showing the Madrigal grandparents fleeing their homeland for safety and Abuelo’s ultimate sacrifice in an artistic flashback. The story of a homeland lost and the family who rebuilt in a new land is not an uncommon one for many immigrant families, and by sensitively including it as part of a charming Disney movie, perhaps will give a new generation a better sense of belonging or at least the comfort that others have shared their experience. It may help kids who didn’t grow up with those stories of a “paradise lost” to understand those that did. Maybe that’s an optimistic view for a movie many will flock to in a post-turkey coma, but despite a few missteps, “Encanto” is one of the more charming animated movies to hit theaters this year.

Exclusively in theaters today.

Monica Castillo

Monica Castillo is a critic, journalist, programmer, and curator based in New York City. She is the Senior Film Programmer at the Jacob Burns Film Center and a contributor to RogerEbert.com .

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Encanto (2021)

Rated PG for some thematic elements and mild peril.

Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel Madrigal (voice)

John Leguizamo as Bruno Madrigal (voice)

María Cecilia Botero as Abuela Alma Madrigal (voice)

Wilmer Valderrama as Agustín Madrigal (voice)

Diane Guerrero as Isabela Madrigal (voice)

Jessica Darrow as Luisa Madrigal (voice)

Angie Cepeda as Julieta Madrigal (voice)

Adassa as Dolores Madrigal (voice)

Mauro Castillo as Félix Madrigal (voice)

Rhenzy Feliz as Camilo Madrigal (voice)

Carolina Gaitán as Pepa Madrigal (voice)

Ravi Cabot-Conyers as Antonio Madrigal (voice)

Maluma as Mariano (voice)

Alan Tudyk as Pico (voice)

Byron Howard

Co-director

Charise Castro Smith

Writer (story by)

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Cinematographer

Alessandro Jacomini
Daniel Rice
Nathan Detroit Warner
Jeremy Milton

Composer (original score composed by)

Germaine Franco

Composer (original songs by)

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‘Encanto’ Review: In This House, We Make Magic

Disney’s new film, about a gifted family in Colombia, has stunning animation, a beautifully composed story and spellbinding songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

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By Maya Phillips

For better or worse, Disney has always been in the business of making magic. We all know the worst: the unimpressive secondhand sorcery of formulaic plots, flavorless songs and lifeless animation. But the best — well, that’s the kind of magic that gets passed on for generations.

So it’s not unlike the magic of Casita, the living house of the Madrigal family in Disney’s brilliant new animated film “Encanto.” Forget Alexa — Casita’s a smart home like no other. She speaks in a language of clapped tiles and flapping window shutters, and helps keep things in order.

And she has her traditions: When each young Madrigal comes of age, she grants them a gift and a door to a new bedroom, an impossibly large and elaborately designed chamber themed around a special ability. It all started years ago, when the Madrigal matriarch, Abuela Alma (María Cecilia Botero), and her family fled the violence of their village. After a tragic loss, however, a miracle appeared in the form of a candle that granted the kids their powers. There’s a shape-shifter, a prophet, a healer and more — and then there’s Mirabel (a perfectly cast Stephanie Beatriz), the muggle of the clan.

When Mirabel finds herself in the middle of a mystery about the future of her family’s magic, she goes on a mission to figure out how she can stop the worst from happening. It’s a surprisingly small-scale story: Instead of on a journey, the action unfolds in and around the Madrigal home. But that’s because “Encanto” is most interested in the love and struggles of family, without silly side characters or romantic leads.

The computer animation, some of the best from any major studio in the last several years, presents a dazzling confabulation of hues and a meticulous weaving of precious details — like the embroidery on skirts, the golden-brown crust of a cheese arepa and the selection of native Colombian flora.

In “Encanto” there’s a robust engagement with, and respect for, Latino culture in all of its dimensions. The Madrigal family members’ skin tones range from lighter to darker, their hair textures from straight to kinky-curly. And the grand pooh-bah of the contemporary musical movie score, Lin-Manuel Miranda , provides a spellbinding soundtrack of songs combining salsa, bachata and hip-hop played with traditional folk instruments from Colombia.

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Encanto Reviews

One of Disney's most magical animated movies yet

Full Review | Jul 26, 2023

A heartfelt watch that families will undoubtedly latch onto.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 25, 2023

To cap it all off, the story by Jared Bush, Bryon Howard, and Charise Castro Smith focuses on empathy perfectly. It’s a wonderful watch for the whole family.

Full Review | Feb 10, 2023

What makes this particular instalment of Disney dream-weaving a little bit different is texture. Pulling from a colourful Central American tradition that features brilliant cotton and woollen embroidery, we can almost feel the threads of every garment...

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 5, 2022

By exploring the traditional and non-traditional nature of family, their most common modern go-to theme, they keep connected to their familiar and beloved roots while taking audiences on unfamiliar journeys.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Nov 26, 2022

It is in its overall focus that Encanto grasps at richer themes about how the family's magic is only part of what defines them.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 23, 2022

Absolutely a must if you’re into this sort of thing, and it’s a very easy, engaging sit even if you aren’t.

Full Review | Aug 20, 2022

The screenplay has dark undertones, as all good magic realism does, but this is rooted in the troubled social history of Columbia.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 16, 2022

Encanto is one of the most aesthetically arresting and epically emotional animated features of the year, complete with a cast of colorful and captivating characters who are sure to become new fan favorites.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Jul 14, 2022

Vibrant, rich, tender, sincere and lively.

Full Review | Jul 8, 2022

A fun and dazzling musical adventure that celebrates the power of familia.

Full Review | Jun 23, 2022

At its best when it's intimate and warm, Encanto's fast-paced adventure sequences and rampant physical comedy can be hit or miss. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Jun 22, 2022

An impactful view of generational trauma told through impeccable songs, beautiful animation, and a moving story.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Apr 4, 2022

ENCANTO is a visually stunning animated film with wonderful songs and score, a deep, resonating emotional core and just a very positive, charming vibe to it.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Mar 15, 2022

Love the music and the cultural urgency and accuracy of Encanto. The richness, poetry, [and] resiliance of the Colombian culture... makes Encanto such a refreshing thrill.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 4, 2022

Encanto is a Disney film that delights without smashing expectations. Its easy to forget that the target audience for this genre are simply interested in fun and wonder, something that this movie delivers in spades.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 3, 2022

Gorgeously animated, relatable narrative, and admirable themes!

Full Review | Original Score: B | Feb 27, 2022

"A spirit of communal celebration persists even after a first-act ceremony takes a turn for the ominous, and fleeting moments of chisme between cousins provide the movies breakneck pacing with instantly relatable doses of Latino-family bonding."

Full Review | Feb 21, 2022

Surface Pressure unlocked the movie for me and made it more compelling than what I thought it would be - the inevitable discovery of Mirabel's gift... it's a discovery borne out of a family's denial.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Feb 18, 2022

Disney deserves some credit for abandoning its typical formula with Encanto. You wont see a princess sing songs about personal actualization. The film celebrates community and doesnt even have a villain.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Feb 17, 2022

Review: Disney’s animated musical ‘Encanto’ delivers an empathetic brand of charm

A girl carrying a stack of plates in the animated movie 'Encanto.'

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They’re gifted and they’re kooky, even a little spooky. It’s not the Addams Family but the Magical Madrigals. “Encanto,” the latest Disney Animation film, sweeps audiences away to a colorful, enchanted world of Colombian magical realism, introducing the Madrigal family, who have all been granted extraordinary gifts except one member, our heroine, Mirabel ( Stefanie Beatriz ), who has yet to discover her own magic.

Jared Bush and Byron Howard, who co-wrote and co-directed the Oscar-winning “Zootopia,” have teamed with Charise Castro Smith for writing and directing duties on “Encanto,” while Jason Hand, Nancy Kruse and Lin-Manuel Miranda contributed to the story. The result is an animated musical that’s typically rousing and compassionate, rooted in the kind of therapy-inspired personal lessons about self-worth that often underpin these movies, soundtracked by Latin pop tunes written by Miranda.

The Madrigal family magic was borne of extreme trauma and pain when matriarch Abuela Alma (María Cecilia Botero) lost her husband while fleeing violence in their village. In desperation, she cried out for protection for herself and her infant triplets, and a magical candle raised mountains around a charmed casita, where she has raised her family since. Each Madrigal receives their gift in a coming-of-age ceremony, with powers rangingfrom super strength, high-powered hearing or talking to animals to spinning flowers out of thin air, shape-shifting, future divining, weather controlling or food healing.

The only exception to the magical rule so far is the sweet, smart Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), who never received her gift and has since felt like the family outcast, bending over backward to earn her place. As she starts to see cracks in the foundation of their beloved casita, Mirabel probes deeper into the family’s magic. She ultimately realizes that all of her family members are caught in the trap of perfectionism, believing that they have to use their gifts in the ways others want them to without remaining authentic to themselves and their desires.

The animation is a vibrantly hued and energetic swirl of almost nonstop motion, and Miranda’s songs skip from genre to genre, from traditional Disney ballads to reggaeton-inspired tunes and even a tribute to Colombia’s own rock goddess, Shakira. The script is fast and furious, packed with jokes and references. There are times where you wish everything would slow down for a moment to allow time to get to know some of the supporting characters better, but the story of “Encanto” is refreshingly, and satisfyingly, swift and contained.

Mirabel’s magic shines through in who she has been all along: a good listener, empathetic and caring. She allows her family members to share their stories and vulnerabilities and creates a safe space for their authenticity. With her diminutive stature, round glasses and curly hair, she’s like a mini super-therapist for her family; indeed, sometimes finding that person who allows you to be yourself, whatever that may be, does feel like the greatest gift of all. It’s a simple but resonant tale, but “Encanto” is a charmed and charming film that just might offer a bit of healing too.

Katie Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

Rated: PG, for some thematic elements and mild peril Running time: 1 hour, 39 minutes Playing: Starts Nov. 24 in general release

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‘Encanto’ Review: Disney’s Lush and Lovely Animated Fairy Tale, Fueled by a Tasty Batch of Lin-Manuel Miranda Songs

Like a follow-up to "Frozen," it's a magical fable of girl power, in this case about the only member of her Colombian family who feels like she doesn't have it.

By Owen Gleiberman

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“ Encanto ” is a lively, lovely, lushly enveloping digitally animated musical fairy tale. It’s the 60th animated feature produced by the Walt Disney company, and to borrow a phrase from the old Disney TV series, it’s set in a wonderful world of color — a rapturously imagined, rainbow-gorgeous village tucked inside the misty green mountains of Colombia, where the members of the Madrigal family lead a magical existence. The ornate designer tiles of La Casa Madrigal, their idyllic mansion, turn into a synchronized army of domestic helpers, and each family member is endowed with his or her own superhuman gift. Actually, one of them has no gift. That would be the heroine, Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz), who is just like us — which means, within her family, that she’s the odd girl out.

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It may be ironic, but it’s certainly undeniable that a key force that turned girl power into an engine of popular culture was Walt Disney Studios. You could, if you wanted, date the age of contemporary girl power back to two Disney films: “The Little Mermaid” (1989), with the self-actualizing retro moxie of its title heroine, and then, the following year, “Pretty Woman,” which put its stamp on the age of hip princess feminism as surely as “Sex and the City” did eight years later. The Disney animators kept the girl-power torch burning in everything from “Brave” to “Sofia the First,” but it was in “ Frozen ,” the 2013 global megasmash, that Disney forged a girl-power epiphany. Elsa, the princess who could freeze anything in her orbit, was like a superhero endowed with powers she experienced as too strong; she was a primal metaphor for the doubts a girl can feel about unleashing the fullness of her own being.

“Encanto,” while neither as grand nor as haunting as “Frozen,” is very much a follow-up rhapsody on what it feels like for a girl to reach for abilities that will unleash her true self. Mirabel, with laughing saucer eyes and the vibe of a brainy freshman at Stanford, is kind, spunky, and self-sufficient, and she accepts her place within her family — or, at least, works awfully hard to. But she’s like the only mortal in a clan of X-Men, and for her that’s dispiriting.

Her mother, the doting Julieta (Angie Cepeda), has the ability to heal people’s ailments with her cooking, but Mirabel’s siblings and relatives tend to be self-obsessed superstars of their own imaginations. Like, for instance, her comically hulking, low-voiced sister Luisa (Jessica Darrow), who has super-strength but defines her existence entirely through that attribute, or her Aunt Pepa (Carolina Gaitán), a tempestuous sort who carries a mini rainstorm over her head, or her shape-shifting cousin Camilo (Rhenzy Feliz), who suffers from a weak identity, or, most prominently, her sister Isa (Diane Guerrero), a haughty “perfect” princess who can make flowers bloom anywhere, which means that she never loses an opportunity to flaunt her flowery narcissism.

All these powers and personalities will come into play, and we’ve seen enough fables of superheroism to presume that Mirabel will ultimately locate her own magical destiny. But “Encanto” is subtler than that. The magic of the Madrigals is real, but it’s got a dark backstory (they were refugees whose fate was changed by a miracle and is now sustained by a precarious burning candle). Their magic flows into the town, infusing and protecting the entire community of Encanto. It’s a kind of utopia. Until, quite literally, it starts to come apart at the seams.

When the candle begins to flicker, and the Madrigal house starts breaking into fissures and cracks, Mirabel, now under the suspicious eye of the family matriarch, Abuela (María Cecilia Botero), takes it upon herself to investigate, and the movie turns into a domestic psychological detective story. A key figure is Bruno, Mirabel’s uncle, voiced with winningly insecure aplomb by John Leguizamo. His ability to see the future got him ostracized — because he kept getting blamed for the tiniest bit of bad news. But Bruno holds the key to what turns out to be an emotionally engrossing puzzle.

An important clue, Mirabel is told, lies in her trying to get along with the obnoxious Isa. But why would that solve anything? Their spiky and rousing duet, “What Else Can I Do?,” gives us a rapturous hint. That’s one of eight original songs Miranda wrote for the film, all of them good, several of them gems, like the strong-woman Luisa ripping through the exhilaratingly knotty wordplay of “Surface Pressure” or the ensemble number “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” which has a riff catchy enough to rival Camila Cabello’s “Havana.” The whole movie has a mercurial, mood-hopping free-form vibe that, at its best, suggests Disney with a touch of “Yellow Submarine.” When Isa begins to see the light, instead of beautiful flowers she produces a cactus. Prickly, but at least it’s her. That’s the kind of movie “Encanto” is. Is there a villain? For a while, it sure seems like it. But it turns out that the most dastardly thing in this canny and touching fairy tale is to ignore the love under our noses.

Reviewed at AMC Lincoln Square, Nov. 8, 2021. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 99 MIN.

Production: A Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures release of a Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures production. Producers: Yvett Merino, Clark Spencer. Executive producer: Jennifer Lee.
Crew: Directors: Jared Bush, Byron Howard. Co-director: Charise Castro Smith. Screenplay: Charise Castro Smith, Jared Bush. Camera: Alessandro Jacomini, Daniel Rice, Nathan Detroit Warner. Editor: Jeremy Milton. Music: Germaine Franco, Lin-Manuel Miranda.
With: Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, Diane Guerrero, Angie Cepeda, John Leguizamo, Jessica Darrow, Wilmer Valderrama, Carolina Gaitán, Maura Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz.

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Cast & crew
User reviews

Wilmer Valderrama, Angie Cepeda, María Cecilia Botero, Carolina Gaitan, Stephanie Beatriz, Diane Guerrero, Adassa, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Rhenzy Feliz, Jess Darrow, and Mauro Castillo in Encanto (2021)

A Colombian teenage girl has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers. A Colombian teenage girl has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers. A Colombian teenage girl has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers.

Byron Howard
Charise Castro Smith
Stephanie Beatriz
María Cecilia Botero
John Leguizamo
1.2K User reviews
4 Critic reviews
75 Metascore
57 wins & 87 nominations total

Top cast 26

Abuela Alma

(as Jessica Darrow)

(as Carolina Gaitán)

Señora Guzmán
Young Mirabel

Señora Ozma

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Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

Trivia Stephanie Beatriz was originally going to be offered the role of Luisa. However, when the production met with her, they realized that she was not at all like her signature role of Rosa Diaz in Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013) but much more bubbly. So they offered her the part of Mirabel instead.
Goofs When Mirabel and Agustín are talking in the nursery after Mirabel finds Bruno's vision, Dolores overhears their conversation that the magic is in danger. However, with her gift being superhuman hearing and proving that she could hear Luisa's eye twitching all night, she should have heard Alma talking to Pedro that same night and mentioning that the miracle is in danger. Dolores is clearly able to make selective hearing choices as a matter of sanity, as otherwise the entire world of sound would be a big, maddening, constant cacophony to her. The usually unflappable Luisa suddenly exhibiting any sign of stress is a unique enough development to become a focal point on its own.

Mirabel : [climbing the stairs in Bruno's room and getting increasingly exhausted] Welcome to the family Madrigal. There's so many stairs in the casa Madrigal. You think there would be another way to get so high 'cause we're magic, but no. Magical. How many stairs fit in here? Bruno, your room is the worst!

Crazy credits The Disney logo has Casa Madrigal in place of the castle, with a swarm of butterflies making the castle arc.
Connections Featured in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: The Rat of All My Dreams (2020)
Soundtracks The Family Madrigal Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda Performed by Stephanie Beatriz and Olga Merediz

User reviews 1.2K

djurrepower
Dec 25, 2021
How long is Encanto? Powered by Alexa
November 24, 2021 (United States)
United States
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Walt Disney Pictures
See more company credits at IMDbPro
$50,000,000 (estimated)
$96,093,622
$27,206,494
Nov 28, 2021
$256,786,742

Technical specs

Runtime 1 hour 42 minutes
Dolby Digital
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Surround 7.1

More to explore

'Encanto' is the best Disney animated movie in the past 6 years

Warning: There are minor spoilers ahead for "Encanto."
"Encanto," Disney's 60th animated feature, is its best in years.
It uses a relatable story about an extended family, rather than a villain, to draw you in.

" Encanto " is a beautiful and vibrant celebration of a family, filled with the enchanting magic of "Beauty and the Beast" and the heart of Disney and Pixar's "Coco."

Walt Disney Animation's 60th film is the company's best in the past six years since the back-to-back releases of " Zootopia " and " Moana " in 2015. (Coincidentally, two of its codirectors, Byron Howard and Jared Bush, also worked on "Zootopia." There's obviously some magic in that pairing.)

The story follows the Madrigal family, who've been blessed with magic after tragedy. Their large, colorful home, lovingly called La Casita, feels as if it operates according to the same charming magic that enchanted the objects in 1991's " Beauty and the Beast ." The shutters wave, the tiles dance, and items move magically around the kitchen.

In addition to the magical house, all the Madrigal children gain a magical gift when they turn 5, such as super strength or the ability to heal. In turn, those gifts are used to help strengthen and serve their community.

Every Madrigal has a role to play, except the teenage Maribel (Stephanie Beatriz), who never received a magical gift when she came of age.

Though Maribel's family constantly tells her she's just as special as everyone else, it's pretty tough to believe when you're surrounded by a family of people who are constantly admired and respected for all of their amazing contributions to their village.

It also doesn't help that Maribel feels at odds with her "perfect sister" Isabela (played beautifully by Diane Guerrero), who looks like a perfect Disney princess right down to her dress and can create flowers at will.

As Maribel tries to come to terms with accepting herself, a mysterious force threatens to take away the family's magic. Maribel takes it upon herself to find the root of the problem and save the family's magic before it disappears.

'Encanto' has no real villain. That's one of its strengths.

One of the most impressive things about "Encanto" is that it doesn't have a tangible villain, a rarity in a Disney film.

At its core, "Encanto," from Howard, Bush, and the codirector Charise Castro Smith, focuses on the pressures of living up to unrealistic expectations and family ideals. What happens when those expectations are too high? What happens when you don't speak up and you cave under the weight of the pressure?

Though the Madrigal family seems idyllic to villagers from the outside, once the layers are pulled back, you slowly realize there are cracks in the foundation of what's holding the magical family together. This ranges from a black sheep in the family named Bruno, whom the family refuses to acknowledge (Disney really has it out for characters named Bruno this year ) to other family members who feel under constant pressure to be perfect.

By the film's end, you may feel inspired to seek out and make amends with any family members you haven't talked to in a while.

Yeah, "Encanto" gets deep (bring some tissues), but don't worry. It's not too deep for kids. Most of that stuff will probably go over their heads, as they'll be too busy immersed in the catchy musical numbers.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's music is top-notch. He's quickly becoming the Mouse's secret weapon.

The "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote and produced eight original songs for "Encanto," with a score from Germaine Franco.

Highlights include an infectious opener, "The Family Madrigal," which introduces the extended family; the movie's titular theme, "Colombia, Mi Encanto," which seamlessly weaves Spanish into its lyrics; and Maribel's song, "Waiting on a Miracle," which gives "Let It Go"-from-"Frozen" vibes.

When you hear, "Dos Oruguitas," which is the first song Miranda ever wrote in Spanish, you may get a bit emotional as it comes during a pivotal moment. Fans of Miranda will notice his rap stamp on the movie's final song, "All of You."

Miranda is easily becoming one of the studio's go-to secret weapons for its musicals. He also contributed music to 2016's " Moana ," earning him a Grammy and Oscar nomination. Next, he's working on music for Disney's live-action "The Little Mermaid."

Miranda's prolificacy brings to mind Howard Ashman, the Disney lyricist who delivered hit after hit for a trifecta of Disney classics — " The Little Mermaid ," " Beauty and the Beast ," and " Aladdin " — until his death at the age of 40.

The level of detail in the film's animation is impressive

Disney, once again, has stepped it up a notch when it comes to the attention to detail in its animation.

Rats are shown during a few moments in "Encanto." Whenever the camera focuses on their small faces, it feels as if you're looking at the real thing. If rats were cute, that is.

When Maribel finds herself covered in sand and is removing small grains from her hair, you're convinced you're looking at the real deal.

That's a testament to Disney (and Pixar's) work on perfecting and testing sand in some of its shorts over the years, from 2016's "Piper" to this year's "Far From the Tree," a delightful short featuring a raccoon family that plays in front of "Encanto."

We may be entering a new golden age of Disney classics

One of the best things "Encanto" does is deliver a Latino family that authentically embodies that lived experience.

Every family member isn't one shade of brown. The Madrigal family is filled with Latinos of all shades, including darker-skinned Latinos, and every shade in between accurately reflects what an extended Latino household may look like today.

It's important to note that "Encanto" takes the time to tell a story not only about an individual but a multigenerational family as well. If "Encanto" were made 10 or 20 years ago, Isabela, the "perfect" daughter longing to be seen as something more, most likely would've been the de facto lead and main storyline. She fits the obvious Disney Princess archetype, a necessary ingredient for most of Disney's past hits.

In recent years, Disney has pushed away from stereotypical princess narratives to focus on stories and characters that are more reflective of the world around us. And they're just as good, if not better than, some of the older princess tales.

Much of that surely has to do with the changing of the guard at Disney in recent years. Ever since Jennifer Lee directed 2013's hit " Frozen " and was later named chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation in June 2018 , viewers have watched a different type of Disney lead, one who puts family and friends ahead of a love interest ("Frozen") and who has deeper communities ties (" Frozen II ," " Raya and the Last Dragon "). They don't look pencil-thin. They're quirky, spunky, and relatable. Maribel follows that trend.

After Disney's triumph in this year's "Raya" and, now, "Encanto," we may be at the dawn of a new era of Disney classics. We're certainly in a new era of what a Disney princess heroine looks like.

"Encanto," also featuring the voice talents of María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Wilmer Valderrama, Angie Cepeda, Jessica Darrow, and (Disney's lucky charm) Alan Tudyk, is in theaters November 24.

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Vibrant visuals, catchy songs, moving messages.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Includes many aspects of Colombian culture, like t

Lots of positive messages about value of empathy a

The Madrigals are helpful, strong, loyal. They lov

Depicts multigenerational, multiracial Madrigal fa

Flashbacks to a confrontation with armed men who k

A married couple is affectionate: kisses, embraces

Mirabel calls her sister "stupid perfect."

Nothing on camera, but off camera, the movie has t

A kid drinks coffee even after being told it's for

Educational Value

Includes many aspects of Colombian culture, like traditional dress, dancing, music, even cuisine (arepas, a national food, are made and eaten several times).

Positive Messages

Lots of positive messages about value of empathy and teamwork, importance of honesty and acceptance in families, the need to acknowledge various talents and character strengths of people you love.

Positive Role Models

The Madrigals are helpful, strong, loyal. They love one another and want to protect and defend their family, house, town. The family exhibits the pride of serving their community, learns to accept help later in the movie. Mirabel is selfless and wants to solve problems even as she's occasionally overlooked because of her lack of superpowers.

Diverse Representations

Depicts multigenerational, multiracial Madrigal family, as well as Encanto village that's full of residents who are Black, Brown, White. Women are strong, men are supportive (in this family, husbands don't have magical abilities, but their wives and children do), and a matriarch (Abuela) leads the family and village. Colombian culture is well portrayed in form of music, costumes, dance sequences, even food, but filmmaking team, including songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda , isn't of Colombian heritage.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Flashbacks to a confrontation with armed men who kill Mirabel's abuelo with their swords while her abuela watches, holding newborn triplets. The family's home begins to crumble, and a nearby mountain splits in two, posing a danger to the family and entire village. Bruno is frightening at first sight but is just lonely. A character dangles from the edge of a cliff, and it looks like they're plunging to injury, but they end up fine. The house eventually falls, and it's occasionally scary to see all the family members fail in their attempts to save the house and their magic candle.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A married couple is affectionate: kisses, embraces, and partner dances in flashbacks to their wedding and other occasions.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Nothing on camera, but off camera, the movie has tie-ins to apparel, toys, figurines, even instruments.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

A kid drinks coffee even after being told it's for adults. Family toasts with an unspecified drink (presumably water) at a meal/event.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Encanto is an animated Disney musical set in Colombia and featuring Mirabel Madrigal (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz ), the youngest granddaughter in a family that protects their enchanted village with the magical powers they've had for two generations ... except for Mirabel. As she helps her cousin prepare for his coming-of-magical-age ritual, she begins to question her role in the family. Expect a few scenes of violence: Mirabel's grandfather is killed by armed men (the actual death isn't shown), and supernatural events and catastrophes threaten the characters. There's also mild name-calling and affection between married characters. Themes of empathy, teamwork, and courage are clear, and there's strong diverse representation on-screen, with White, Black, and multiracial characters all part of the same family and voiced by famous Colombian and Latin American actors. Colombian culture is also well portrayed in the form of music, costumes, dance sequences, and even food, but the filmmaking team, including songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda , isn't of Colombian heritage. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

Parents say (132)
Kids say (255)

Based on 132 parent reviews

This film is everything. Truly.

It was hard for my 4 yr old granddaughter to follow, to much singing, not easy story line. if it was not for all the movment i would have left with my granddaughter. she asked to leave 3 times, but i kept hoping it would get better, what's the story.

In ENCANTO, Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz ) is a member of the magical Madrigal family, who were bestowed with supernatural gifts emanating from a miracle candle that also created their village and magical house, la casita . Unfortunately for Mirabel, while her relatives have gifts as wide-ranging as controlling the weather, super strength, making flowers grow, healing with food, shape-shifting, super hearing, and seeing the future, she didn't receive a supernatural gift during her coming-of-age ceremony. As her youngest cousin approaches the day that a magical door will reveal his gift, the family nervously prepares. On the day itself, Mirabel has a vision of the casita cracking and crumbling, and she dedicates herself to saving the Madrigals' magical home -- even if it means looking for her mysterious estranged Tio Bruno ( John Leguizamo ), who could predict the future, and putting herself in dangerous situations.

Is It Any Good?

Disney's delightful animated musical is a tribute to Colombian culture, magical realism, and the power of multigenerational families. Encanto works on multiple levels. It's a kid-friendly musical with a magical house and relatives, most of them teens and tweens. Main character Mirabel is lovable and loyal, but also the family's beloved but underappreciated underdog, which makes her easy to cheer for and relate to as she tries to prove she's worthy of the family name. Deeper still, the movie's thematic elements are an homage to magical realism, the literary genre that legendary late Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez was famous for elevating, with magical golden butterflies reminding viewers of migration, change, and hope. Beatriz is terrific as Mirabel, and the cast of Colombian actors and singers does a great job with the Germaine Franco-composed/Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned songs, particularly "The Family Madrigal," "We Don't Talk About Bruno," and "All of You." Colombian superstars Carlos Vives and Sebastián Yatra are also prominent on the authentic, cumbia-infused soundtrack (listen for the accordion and percussion!). The movie's attention to cultural detail also includes traditional dress (the embroidered, ruffled tops and skirts and the black-and-white cane hats are iconic) and the making of typical foods like the healing arepas that Mirabel's mami (Angie Cepeda) feeds family and villagers.

Beyond the cultural sensitivity (and it should be noted that, behind the scenes, none of the writer-directors -- Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Charise Castro Smith -- are Colombian), this is a funny and deeper-than-it-looks family adventure. Audiences will laugh aloud at the animal cameos (Tio Bruno's pet rats are especially entertaining) and the chorus of three village kids who pop up at various key moments for comic relief. They'll also sing along to Miranda's toe-tapping choruses "We don't talk about Bruno-no-no-no" and the Anna-and-Elsa-like duets between Mirabel and each of her two sisters -- big-and-strong Luisa (Jessica Darrow) and perfect-and-pretty Isabela (Diane Guerrero). It's a joy to watch Mirabel bravely protect her family and her town. There's also a simmering truth to the idea that people are much more than what they initially seem. Everyone has gifts and strengths, whether they're obvious or subtle, and what's meaningful is how people use them.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Encanto 's messages about embracing differences, learning to rethink weaknesses and strengths, and the importance of family togetherness. What are some other positive themes in the story?

Talk about the family dynamics in the movie. Why does Mirabel feel like she has to prove her worth to her family? How does she display courage , empathy , and teamwork ? Why are those important character strengths?

What aspects of Colombian culture are highlighted in the story? How do costumes, music, dance, and food play a role in the movie? How is magical realism, which is associated with Latin American literature, a big part of the movie?

Why does representation behind the camera matter as much as in front of the camera? While most of the movie's cast and the soundtrack's performing musicians are Colombian, the filmmakers themselves aren't. How could a Colombian filmmaker have enriched the film?

Movie Details

In theaters : November 24, 2021
On DVD or streaming : February 8, 2022
Cast : Stephanie Beatriz , John Leguizamo , Wilmer Valderrama
Directors : Jared Bush , Byron Howard
Inclusion Information : Gay directors, Female actors, Bisexual actors, Latino actors
Studio : Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Genre : Family and Kids
Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Brothers and Sisters , Music and Sing-Along
Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Teamwork
Run time : 99 minutes
MPAA rating : PG
MPAA explanation : some thematic elements and mild peril
Awards : Academy Award , Common Sense Selection , Kids' Choice Award , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner
Last updated : August 12, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Encanto Review

The lineage of Disney castles goes all the way back to Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs — but there’s never been one like La Casa Madrigal in Encanto . The canonical 60th animated feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios (the actual numbering is far more complex) takes Zootropolis directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard — here with co-director Charise Castro Smith — and teams them up with Moana songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda for a blast of colour, energy and South American rhythms; all of which permeate through the Madrigal house. It’s a beautiful, imaginative canvas (stairs that transform into slides, TARDIS-like rooms) on which to tell a personal family story, eschewing the expansive fantasy kingdoms of Frozen and Raya And The Last Dragon for a more intimate adventure that never feels small.

The latest addition to the Disney-heroine canon is Mirabel Madrigal (a spirited Stephanie Beatriz) who fits neatly alongside Moana, Anna and Raya — sweet, sardonic, and ready to chase down her destiny. Except, Mirabel’s purpose is unclear. Everyone else in her family has been granted magic powers (from typical X-Men fare like weather control to more idiosyncratic abilities: Mirabel’s mother makes food that literally heals you when eaten) by the same mysterious force that erected their enchanted home. But when the time came for Mirabel to receive her ‘gift’, she got nothing, forced to swallow her disappointment while her family flourished around her.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's songs once again display his abundant talent for magical melodies and wondrous wordplay

Instead of a quest narrative that sends Mirabel out into the world, Encanto is a mystery which sends her further into the hidden secrets of her own home. Can she work out the part she’ll play in the Madrigal destiny, reconnect with clairvoyant black sheep Bruno ( John Leguizamo ), and discover why she’s seeing cracks in the casa walls that nobody else can see? Mirabel’s journey plays out with nuance, confronting Abuela’s (María Cecilia Botero) tragic past and need for tradition at the expense of progress, while facing up to the strained relationships with her empowered sisters — super-strong Luisa (Jessica Darrow, a standout) and ever-perfect Isabela ( Diane Guerrero ) — that require repair. The characters are well drawn — though the lack of a sidekick like Maui or Olaf feels like a missed opportunity.

It all plays out to a set of Lin-Manuel Miranda songs — think the hip-hop/pop of In The Heights meets Moana ’s lush island vibes — that once again display his abundant talent for magical melodies and wondrous wordplay. Hyperactive ditty ‘The Family Madrigal’ offers a toe-tapping introduction to Mirabel’s extended clan; her defiant ache in ‘Waiting On A Miracle’ is classic “I want...” song terrain; and Isabela’s expressive anthem ‘What Else Can I Do?’ is a vibrant, upbeat twist on the ‘Let It Go’ formula. Whether they become as iconic as Miranda’s last clutch of Disney hits remains to be seen — but they’re in the same ballpark.

As the film brings it all home with an emotional finale that, as per recent Disney, favours rebalance over good-versus-evil brawls, you have another modern-day fairy tale that’s — appropriately enough — enchanting.

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Screen Rant

Encanto review: disney animation is familiar, but still heartwarming & magical.

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Over the course of 59 animated movies, Disney has worked out the perfect formula for tugging at an audience's heartstrings: create an earnest and relatable main character, weave equal amounts of joy and melancholy into the story, and sprinkle in some catchy tunes. The studio's 60th feature, Encanto , follows this formula down to the letter, making for a familiar tale. And yet, it's hard to resist the charms cast by directors Byron Howard and Jared Bush, as well as co-director Charise Castro Smith (Bush and Smith wrote the screenplay, based on a story from all three directors, Jason Hand, Nancy Kruse, and Lin-Manuel Miranda). This original tale, which already holds plenty of magic within its plot, is the perfect dose of comfort food for families at the end of this trying year. Though it can't quite break out of the Disney mold, Encanto is greatly aided by a unique story, a delightful cast of characters, and a vital message.

Encanto starts out with a helpful bit of exposition to introduce viewers to the eccentric Madrigal family. Years ago, matriarch Abuela Alma (María Cecilia Botero) was blessed with a miracle in the form of a magical house, a practically sentient building that gifts special abilities to each of Abuela's descendants. Abuela's children and grandchildren all received gifts with no issues... until Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), a plucky, eager girl who just longs to make her family proud. For some inexplicable reason, Mirabel is the only Madrigal without any special gift, thus making her an outsider within her close-knit family. Her efforts to be useful to Abuela sometimes lead to more problems than intended, but when the Madrigals' house starts to lose its magic, Mirabel just might be the only one who can save it.

Related: Byron Howard, Jared Bush, & Charise Castro Smith Interview: Encanto

Voices of Stephanie Beatriz and Angie Cepeda in Encanto

In many ways, Encanto resembles another recent Disney animated feature: 2016's Moana . Not only do both movies center on a vibrant young girl eager to save her home, but they also include music from Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Plot-wise, Encanto manages to stand out on its own. The Madrigals are fascinating characters and their magical existence seems to extend out into the real world too; as an audience member, it's easy to be enamored with their house and powers. The filmmakers clearly had a lot of fun developing each Madrigal gift, which range from super-strength to the ability to talk to animals. Encanto is bursting with bright colors and beautifully rendered visuals, particularly when it comes to the house at its center. With tiles that drag people along like conveyor belts and stairs that turn into slides, Howard, Bush, and Smith have implemented plenty of clever quirks with the help of art directors Camille Andre and Mehrdad Isvandi.

Encanto also scores some points by not having a traditional villain. Mirabel's conflict — her desire to prove her worth even when she has no powers to speak of — is compelling, but feels similar to other unlikely protagonists. However, in trying to work out what's wrong with the house, Mirabel pulls other internal conflicts out of her family members, most notably with her sisters Luisa (Jessica Darrow) and Isabela (Diane Guerrero). Both girls seem pleased with their gifts, but the pressure to be perfect and useful rankles. By digging into that, Encanto finds some real-world relevance that is bound to hit home for some viewers, despite all the magic that surrounds the story.

Abuela Alma and Maribel look at each other in Encanto

With a songwriter like Miranda on board, it was a given that Encanto 's music would be catchy. And indeed, the rapid-fire lyrics and toe-tapping beats fit in quite well with Miranda's past work. At the same time, it's hard to say if any of them will fit in among the best in Disney's history. Certain songs will elicit stronger emotions than others from audiences, and Howard, Bush, and Smith have done well in crafting fun montages for each song. Encanto 's music is good, but not entirely necessary. There's plenty of heart within the story itself, and save for a few exceptions, such as the song that plays during flashbacks to Abuela's past, the musical element doesn't add much to the movie. Nevertheless, younger audiences will get a kick out of the familiar Disney song-and-dance routine, and even some adults will probably bob their heads along.

On top of everything else, each voice actor for Encanto rises to the occasion to make a truly memorable cast of characters. The MVP of the movie is, expectedly, Beatriz, who once again proves herself to be incredibly skilled at voice work. She brings a lively, kindhearted touch to Mirabel. It's easy to root and care for her in her journey of self-discovery. Each member of the Madrigal family has at least one moment to shine, though John Leguizamo also deserves a shoutout for his work as black sheep Bruno. Botero also nails the fine line Abuela walks in caring for her family and wishing absolute perfection from everyone. All told, Disney likely has another hit on its hands. With Encanto arriving in theaters just in time for the holiday season, it should be the perfect bit of entertainment for families looking for something to do. Everyone could use a bit of magic these days, and Encanto certainly fits the bill with its heartwarming, if still familiar touch.

More: Watch The Encanto Trailer

Encanto arrives in theaters on Wednesday, November 24, 2021. The film is 99 minutes long and is rated PG for some thematic elements and mild peril.

Encanto tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charming (and enchanted) place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might be her exceptional family’s last hope. Mirabel will seek out her missing cousin, Bruno, to discover the truth that Abuela has buried away for all of their lives.

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‘Encanto’ Summary & Review – A Magical Movie That Breaks All Stereotypes!

Encanto Summary Review 2021 Disney Animated Film

Encanto is a colorful, comforting, and relatable Disney film with beautifully sculpted characters. This animated musical-fantasy film revolves around the marvels of the enchanted Madrigal family.

Encanto wins one’s heart with its refreshing storyline, spot-on comic timing, aesthetic backdrop, and uniqueness. It is a satisfying watch even for people who are not fans of animated or fantasy films. The era of the setting of the movie and the inspiration for the story is unclear. Hence, it may instigate a lot of curiosity among some viewers. Nevertheless, the film is easily fathomable to any modern viewer. Sounds exciting? Let us jump right into the lives of the miracle Madrigals!

‘Encanto’ Synopsis: Meet the Madrigals

Following a tragic incident, Abuela Alma Madrigal has been blessed with a miracle in her candle that gave refuge to her family in a magical Casita. Fifty years later, the Madrigals are a respected kinship wherein the members possess a unique supernatural ability.

The three children of Abuela Alma:

Julieta Madrigal → Heals people with her food
Bruno Madrigal → Has visions into the future
Pepa Madrigal → Controls the weather with her mood

The Grandkids:

Isabela Madrigal → Makes flowers bloom
Luisa Madrigal → Has super brawny strength
Dolores Madrigal → Can hear a pin drop from miles away
Camilo Madrigal → Can shapeshift
Antonio Madrigal → Communicates with animals

The Madrigals who do not possess any magical powers:

Abuela Alma (the keeper of the enchanted candle)
Agustin and Felix (the men married into the family)
Mirabel, Julieta’s youngest daughter who never received her gift!

Being a part of a gifted family with no gifts has always made young Mirabel doubt her worth. However, when a threat awaits Casita, the fate of the family miracle relies upon the hands of Mirabel.

The Cultural Representation:

Disney’s animated-fantasy films have had a long history of centering around globally dominant Caucasian cultures. Encanto is one of the films that has contributed to changing that pattern. Following the Arabian representation through Aladdin and Oceanic representation through Moana, Disney has dived into the wonders of Colombian culture through Encanto.

Romanticizing the Hispanic Culture:

Regardless of the historical atrocities (faced by several communities), Disney helps one see the beauty of every culture through its fiction. Encanto does the same for the Colombian-Hispanic culture with its picturesque setting, traditional attire, and delightful music. These attributes have successfully enhanced the enticing plot of the film. Right from the opening scene, the film ensures that the audience does not leave their seats!

The Musicals

As a musical film, the songs play a significant role in the narration of Encanto. The film involves 44 songs, including the OST and trailer tracks. Most of these are the works of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Germaine Franco. The musicals are very amusing and melodious, with several funny elements that add life to the film.

‘Encanto’ Plot Explanation

Matrilineal and matriarchal kinship:

The cinematic representation of a matrilineal family is a rare sight. The Madrigal family, nevertheless, is a refreshing exception. The film features Abuela Alma Madrigal, who became a single mother and raised her triplets. Furthermore, she nurtured her extended family to a respected kinship, who used their gifts to serve the community. The women in the Madrigal family are empowered decision-makers. The beauty in the film is that the power dynamics are not dominated by one gender. The Madrigals make the perfect example of an egalitarian family, as everyone’s opinion matters.

( Minor Spoilers Ahead )

Luisa’s Strength:

Luisa Madrigal has the gift of great physical strength and brawn. Typically, such strengths are possessed by male characters in any popular fiction. Encanto breaks this stereotype by making a female character the strong one. Luisa uses the best of her abilities to help the residents of their village. She is the strong pillar of support to the village and her family, who seldom complains or shares her vulnerability.

Even so, the super-strength does not make her character less feminine in any way. Luisa is a soft-hearted girl who dotes on her sister and is always there to protect her. She does not feel embarrassed about crying, showing her expressive feminine side.

Happy Ending ≠ Marriage:

Not long ago, a typical Disney fantasy movie could be described as a Damsel-in-distress and a knight-in-shining-armor falling in love and getting married. Only a marriage of that kind could be followed by the phrase “happily ever after.” Regardless, Mirabel’s journey does not involve marriage in any way. She saves the day and comes off as a hero without any help from a Prince-Charming whom she could marry in the end.

No Customary Villain:

Another pattern that the film breaks is the existence of a certain maleficent sorceress, vengeful foil, or mean old wolf in the story. Despite being a fantasy film, Encanto has a mature take on the issues the characters strive for.

While there are a few grey shades to Abuela’s character, her controlling nature can be justified as caused by all the years of trauma and uncertainty she faced. On the other hand, Bruno’s character is perceived as mysteriously evil earlier in the film. Eventually, Bruno turns out to be the sweetest guy in the Madrigal family.

The Grey Area:

It is quite easy for fairy-tales to establish a very black-and-white narrative. A few character frames include:

The distressed orphan
The spiteful stepmother
The ugly duckling (the underdog)
Or the arrogant attractive girl/boy.

Films like these include flat and repetitive characters and give a very one-sided perspective on who’s who. Encanto does an excellent job at broadening the perspective of the characters.

While the audience perceives everyone from Mirabel’s eyes, it opens their minds as she eventually understands her family members better. The characters in the film are beyond a frame, or tag one may give them. They are multi-dimensional, unique, and have a lot of depth in them. The beauty of the plot lies in how the characters evolve from accusing to empathizing with one another.

The Takeaway

While Encanto may be typically described as a light-hearted comedy, it has several meaningful underlying messages. The film sheds light on personal struggles with vulnerability, self-acceptance, and embracing imperfections. Every viewer can relate to Mirabel’s journey of self-discovery that leads to a gratifying ending.

Encanto is an excellent film that can inspire its younger audience to recognize their own gifts and potentials. Overall the film is a beautiful amalgamation of laughter, adventure, light mystery, music and dance, and loads of entertainment.

Encanto is a 2021 Disney Animated Film directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard .

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Encanto Is the Best Disney Animated Film Since Frozen

We already know that Walt Disney Animation’s Encanto will probably be turned into a Broadway musical at some point, but watching the early scenes in Jared Bush and Byron Howard’s film, you might find yourself wondering whether that Broadway show already exists. Everything from the sets to the dance numbers feels like it must have originated on a stage. When characters sing, they sing to the camera: frontal, direct, with big gestures seemingly intended for a live audience. The central setting, a sentient house where the floorboards and roof tiles and staircases and window shutters magically throb and flutter and flap about on their own, feels ready-made for some crafty production designer to work their mechanical-theater wizardry. We can even hear the actors taking a breath before belting out passages from one of composer Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Original Cast Album–friendly tunes. There’s an eager to please–ness to the first half of Encanto that feels odd, maybe even off — a theater-kid energy that can at times be overbearing and artificial.

Then, something startling happens. The film and its aesthetic open up. The performances become more unhinged and unpredictable, and the camerawork begins to defy gravity and logic. And we realize that the performative, Broadway-bound quality of the film’s earlier scenes was intentional. To some extent, the characters were performing, trying to keep up appearances.

Encanto follows a Colombian family named Madrigal, each of whose members possesses a unique magic power, the result of a miracle bestowed on the matriarch Alma (a.k.a. Abuela, voiced by María Cecilia Botero) after an early tragedy in her life. When he or she comes of age, each family member passes through a ceremony to discover their “gift.” There’s brawny Luisa (Jessica Darrow), who possesses superhuman strength; emotional Pepa (Carolina Gaitán), who can control the weather; princess-y beauty Isabela (Diane Guerrero), who can summon mountains of flowers at will; sensible Julieta (Angie Cepeda), who can apparently heal anything with her cooking. Everyone lives together happily in the family’s magical house — la casita — each given a room that opens up onto a world in which they can freely exercise their powers.

All except young Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz), who went through the usual initiation ceremony only to discover that she wasn’t gifted with any special powers. She’s still traumatized by the experience, even though she tries to paint a brave face on it. (“Maybe your gift is being in denial,” one kid quips.) She can tell that she disappointed Abuela, and in a relentlessly perfect family bound so tightly to tradition, her ordinariness feels like more than just a fluke. It might even be a threat. For the Madrigals, magic is not just a handy ability but also a source of community and continuity, the very thing that has kept them going for so long. What’s more, they’re constantly reminded that the village that’s been built around their wondrous casita also relies on their powers.

Needless to say, there will be a place for Mirabel — this is Disney, after all, and they don’t make movies about un-special people — and we begin to suspect that there’s more to her story when she senses the house starting to spring cracks and some others’ powers flickering. When she tries to warn everyone, they assume she’s jealous, or hysterical, or both. I won’t spoil what happens next, but it’s worth noting that Mirabel’s journey is a surprisingly intimate one, and on her emotional quest, she doesn’t stray too far from the place of wonder where her family lives.

That in turn places a lot of weight on the film’s visual and musical strategies. Miranda’s songs are typically catchy and clever, and unostentatiously varied — they dabble in hip-hop, pop, salsa, acoustic ballads, and more, without ever feeling like they’re coming from different worlds — though who knows if there are any Frozen -level hits in there. (That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if some attention focused on the delightful “Surface Pressure,” a punchy little number which has Luisa singing about all the demands placed on her because of her strength: “ Under the surface / I feel berserk as a tightrope walker in a three-ring circus. / Under the surface / Was Hercules ever like, ‘Yo, I don’t wanna fight Cerberus? ’”) Special mention should also be made of Germaine Franco’s alternately jaunty and melancholy score, which rarely feels like incidental filler and works nicely in tandem with Miranda’s more boisterous numbers.

What makes Encanto so enchanting may well be this smaller-scale narrative, as the Madrigals’ inward journey gains an unusual, downright Sirkian power when crossed with the familiar Disney spectacle, and as the aforementioned theatricality of those earlier scenes gives way to something more cinematic. Here, the gee-whiz light shows, the cascades of sand, the swirling skies, and explosive bursts of colorful flora all serve to underscore a tale of self-doubt, family expectations, and the smothering need to maintain one’s façade. That may seem incongruous, but it winds up being enormously moving; I cried like a broken baby throughout the final third of the movie. It should not automatically thrill us when it turns out that the makers of an animated film have given serious, nuanced thought to their visual strategy, and yet we see so much uninspired animation coming from the studios nowadays that it does. Encanto might be the best Disney animated film since Frozen .

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Disney's 'Encanto' looks gorgeous and sounds great. It's also disappointing. Here's why

There is so much to enjoy about “Encanto” — the songs, the gorgeous animation, the cultural traditions.

All of which make the script’s serious shortcomings all the more surprising and disappointing.

A major plot development arrives out of nowhere, unearned, and changes everything. Then a further development undercuts the apparent message the filmmakers have been trying to send for the entire movie.

It’s confusing at best.

Too bad. Because there is a lot of joy in the Disney film, directed by Jared Bush, Byron Howard and Charise Castro Smith. They also wrote it, along with Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also wrote the songs. It’s a visual feast, with exploding colors and animation so detailed and precise a few of the scenes look like they’re live-action, only better.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's songs are a high point of 'Encanto'

“Encanto” is set in Colombia, in a village that is home to the Madrigal family, all of whose members have a singular magical gift like great strength, shapeshifting or superhuman hearing. They learn what their gift is during a ceremony when they turn 5.

All but one of them, that is. Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz) came up empty in the magical gift department, a huge disappointment to her family and, of course, to her. But she’s a good sport about it, kicking off the film with “Family Madrigal,” a boffo musical number introducing her relatives and their powers, showing her obvious love for all of them.

But the magic was born of tragedy. Many years ago, the family’s abuela, Alma (María Cecilia Botero), tried to escape the village where she lived with her husband and their newborn triplets. He was captured and presumably killed. But he left Alma a candle, which both created the village where they now live, as well as their magical house. And it gave each family member their gift.

The candle’s flame is never extinguished.

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Stephanie Beatriz shines, but the story lets her down

Mirabel’s ceremony was a letdown. But there is excitement, a few years later, when her cousin is about to have his. It’s during this that she has a vision of their beloved, magical casita cracking apart, and the candle going out. When she tries to show everyone else, it all seems normal again.

But there is trouble afoot. Mirabel overhears Alma talking about troubles with the magic, and the house. Something is afoot, and it seems to involve Mirabel and her Uncle Bruno (John Leguizamo), whose gift of prophecy wasn’t welcomed by everyone, so he disappeared. (“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” is one of the highlights of Miranda’s eight original songs in the film.)

Thus it's up to Mirabel, the only one of the Madrigals without the gift of magic, to save the family.

On that front, “Encanto” is a pretty standard underdog story. What enriches it is the visual splendor, which dovetails with the energy of the songs. And Beatriz’s performance is engaging — she’s funny but tough, and a life lived masking disappointment and bucking up to support those around you comes through in how she plays it.

All of the voice acting is good. Jessica Darrow gets at the hidden vulnerability of the super strong Luisa, for instance. Leguizamo seems like he’s doing a Colombian version of Al Pacino at times as the out-there Uncle Bruno — and it works.

What trips all of this up are the inexplicable plot developments. It’s as if the filmmakers painted themselves into a corner, albeit a beautiful one, and just decided to stroll right out of it, no matter what a mess it makes. It’s left to the audience to clean it up.

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'Encanto' 3 stars

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

Directors: Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith.

Cast: Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo.

Note: In theaters Nov. 24. Streaming on Disney+ beginning Dec. 24.

Reach Goodykoontz at [email protected] . Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm . Twitter: @goodyk . Subscribe to the weekly movies newsletter .

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‘Encanto’ Is Best When It Forgets to Be a Disney Movie

Encanto feels like two steps forward, one step back for disney..

The worst thing to be said about Encanto , the milestone 60th film from Walt Disney Animation Studios, is that it feels like a Disney movie. From its predictably gorgeous yet unimaginative visuals, to its familiar songs and predictable story, the film does feel rather safe despite being superficially groundbreaking for the studio. And yet, when the film dives into the specificity of its portrayal of Colombia or its themes which share similarities with the seminal novel One Hundred Years of Solitude , it becomes an exciting, nuanced, complex magical realist adventure that pushes the nearly 100-year-old studio forward to a new era.

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The film is set in the remote jungles of Colombia in a small Macondo-like town, where the Madrigal family has founded a sanctuary after escaping violence 50 years earlier. Now, each member of the family is born with a gift that helps protect the family and help the community, whether it’s super strength, the ability to control the weather, magical healing, and more. These gifts also have the added benefit of making the Madrigal family the elite of the town, as their magic seems to be keeping the whole community afloat—though certainly not on equal grounds, what with the huge estate at the top of a hill overlooking the town like the Madrigals were royalty.

★★★
)
Byron Howard, Jared Bush
Jared Bush, Charise Castro Smith
Stephanie Beatriz, John Leguizamo, María Cecilia Botero
99 mins.

At the center of the film is Mirabel ( Stephanie Beatriz ), the only Madrigal without any powers, who seems to be at the center of a threat to the family’s magic. Hellbent on being accepted by the super-family that is constantly leaving her aside, Mirabel sets out to save the family from their doom, though she may find that the cracks in the foundation started long before they became visible.

At its best, Encanto condenses some of the themes and aesthetics from Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude and presents them in a way that’s accessible to children (without all the incest). From the magical realism in the film—the relatively casual way the family’s powers are portrayed—to subtle visual cues like the yellow butterflies from the novel being a plot point in the film, to the themes of burying the uglier parts of the past while clinging onto traditions and refusing to change.

Indeed, even if the film’s narrative of an outsider just yearning to be accepted is ground already covered time and time again in Moana or Ratatouille , the old versus new struggle is given new life by grounding it in Latin American culture. It’s not just that Maribel is an outsider in her family for not having powers, it’s that even those who do are under crushing expectations set by their abuela, who founded the town and justifies the talent and gift of each family member as a responsibility to uplift the entire community. It’s not enough to be super strong, you have to be ever stronger, or else you’re letting down your family, your town, your people. Maribel, then, is more than just the girl who can show the family a new way, but one that challenges the idea of the perfect Latin American family, the one that won’t just hide the dirty dishes and never speak of them again and accept things because that’s “the way things were” back in the day. Some of the movie’s best elements involve Mirabel and her Uncle Bruno ( John Leguizamo ), who was shunned from the family because his gift wasn’t deemed useful for the family, which makes it a shame he only shows up halfway through the runtime.

Likewise, the film’s portrayal of Colombia is best when it focuses not on the broad strokes like the architecture or the landscapes (though there are references to real places), but when it looks to real-life to give texture to the film. From the food (the mighty arepa literally saves people in the film), to the sombrero vueltiao, to subtle expressions like the way background characters snap their fingers in celebrations or how Mirabel’s dad uses the word Miércoles (Wednesday) as a minced oath, the film feels like a love letter to Colombia and nowhere is this as evident as in the film’s representation of the racial diversity of the country.

Even in the Madrigal family there are people of all skin tones, some are darker-skinned, some have straight hair, and this is never a big deal or something that’s pointed out to the audience. To reflect this diversity, the carefully selected voice cast is comprised of actors either native to Colombia or with heritage from the country. This brings a degree of authenticity to the film that couldn’t be replicated otherwise, from Beatriz’s curious yet vulnerable Maribel, to Leguizamo’s funny yet remorseful Bruno, and even Maluma playing into his superstardom in his small role.

Still, this is a Disney movie meant to play all around the world to audiences unfamiliar with Colombia, and when Encanto remembers that, it becomes a rather safe and predictable animated flick. The thematic nuance is there, but the plot feels like it’s ticking off boxes rather than follow its natural progression. Though the film’s soundtrack features melodies inspired by Colombia’s musical diversity, with vallenato, guaracha, cumbia, salsa and merengue being noticeable throughout the film, the lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda sound overly familiar.

Miranda is a known Disney fan, so it’s to be expected that he’d pay homage to classic Disney song structure, but it ends up making the songs feel like a commitment rather than a treat. The most memorable songs are the ones mostly in Spanish, “Dos Orugitas” by Sebastián Yatra, and “Colombia Mi Encanto” by renowned vallenato artist Carlos Vives, though even then they sound like just another song by those artists, rather than something new or exciting, and one has to wonder if it would have been a better idea to give Miranda a co-writer more familiar with the particulars of the country’s music.

Encanto feels like two steps forward, one step back for Disney. Its departure from the classic hero’s journey, the focus on a larger ensemble, and its portrayal of a country seldom seen in animated movies like this are commendable, especially in its attention to detail. And yet the film ends up hiding most of its cultural representation under the guise of a rural magical town that perpetuates the othering of cultures usually portrayed as more underdeveloped than America, while turning the story and music into just another classic Disney adventure.

Observer Reviews are regular assessments of new and noteworthy cinema.

‘Encanto’ Is Best When It Forgets to Be a Disney Movie

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Indiana Jones and Encanto Disney World Attractions Officially Announced For New Animal Kingdom Area | D23 2024

Coming in 2027..

Walt Disney World is growing with major attractions based on Indiana Jones and Encanto in 2027.

The House of Mouse rolled out its plans to officially bring the additions to its Animal Kingdom Theme Park during the Disney Experiences Showcase at D23 2024. Classic Indiana Jones actor Ke Huy Quan showed up to help reveal the plans to expand on Indy’s adventure, promising to tell a new story set within the adventurous franchise’s universe. You can see some of the new attraction's concept art below.

🐍 JUST ANNOUNCED 🐍 A new Indiana Jones attraction is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom at @WaltDisneyWorld ! This new Indy adventure will be different from any other Indiana Jones experience around the world. 🛕 #D23 #Horizons pic.twitter.com/MPJxZ3a6dE — Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) August 11, 2024

"In this new venture, the man with the hat has recently discovered a perfectly preserved Maya temple, and that can only mean one thing: it’s time to explore it," an official description of the Indiana Jones attraction says. "He’s heard rumors about a mythical creature deep within the temple — and he’s got to see it for himself. So, he brings us along on the adventure… but will there be snakes? We’ll just have to wait and see."

Time to talk about Bruno

Encanto is coming to Animal Kingdom Park, too, bringing what will be Walt Disney World’s first attraction based on the Madrigal family. While Indiana Jones promises an adventure fit for even the biggest Harrison Ford fans, Encanto's Disney Parks debut will see guests travel through a magical home and potentially bump into some of the movie's powerful family members. A glimpse of the new addition can be seen in the concept art below .

🌸 BREAKING 🌸 The first-ever Encanto-themed ride with the Madrigal family is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom at @WaltDisneyWorld ! https://t.co/r3fywJcOwG ✨ #D23 #Horizons pic.twitter.com/7RmLJWU3xY — Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) August 11, 2024

These new Animal Kingdom attractions will be included in a new Tropical Americas-themed space. Disney plans to break ground on the 11-acre area this fall before officially opening its doors to the public in three years. For more on all things D23, you can read up on everything announced at the Disney Entertainment Showcase here .

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

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A Movie That Understands the 2000s-Internet Generation

Dìdi is a crowd-pleasing portrait of adolescent angst set in the heyday of Myspace and AIM.

Izaac Wang sitting in front of a photo-shoot backdrop

The first film I watched through my fingers this year was not Longlegs or The Watchers —or anything close to a horror movie. It was Dìdi (弟弟), a coming-of-age indie I caught in January at the Sundance Film Festival , about a 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy doing 13-year-old-boy things. Much of Dìdi , which will be released in theaters nationwide this week, is tender and wonderfully charming. Because it’s set in 2008, it also re-creates the nascent days of social media in uncannily accurate detail. Seeing the film’s protagonist, Chris (played by Izaac Wang), log in to AOL Instant Messenger spiked my blood pressure. Watching him open a chat window to talk to his crush—only to backspace and rewrite his opening salvo to her over and over—made me cringe in worry for his well-being and, yes, cover my face with my hands.

Maybe that sounds extreme, but anyone who grew up during the peak years of AIM, Myspace , and Facebook probably remembers the visceral terror of making decisions about your every keystroke online. Building profile pages, choosing your Top 8 friends , curating the right collection of favorite films and bands so you’d seem cool—this was stomach-churning stuff for a teenager. I remember the first time I tried to flirt on AIM; I signed out in a panic.

As a crowd-pleasing portrait of adolescent angst, Dìdi —this year’s Sundance Audience Award winner—has drawn comparisons to films such as Eighth Grade , Lady Bird , and Mid90s . To an extent, these comparisons make sense: Chris, like the subjects of those movies, wants to stand out for who he is while also fitting in with everyone else. But Dìdi sets itself apart by examining more than just the turbulence of growing pains; it’s also a period piece that understands the flattening effect the internet has on teenagers in particular. The “screen life” format, which tracks a character’s actions exclusively via digital interfaces, has been deployed in films such as Searching and Missing as a nifty device for immersing an entire plot in the digital world, but here it’s used only in key sequences, and captures the particular confusion experienced by a generation of kids who spent their formative years interacting through social media. Dealing with crushes and overbearing parents is child’s play, Dìdi suggests, compared with figuring out how to define yourself online when you’re not even sure how to define yourself in real life.

Read: 17 indie films you must see in 2024

On that front, Chris struggles with more problems than many of his peers. Growing up in the Northern California suburb of Fremont, he’s self-conscious about not being white, despite going to school with other Asian kids. His friends’ nickname for him is “Wang-Wang,” but when he’s somewhere a Caucasian Chris is present, he becomes “Asian Chris.” At home, meanwhile, he’s just the titular “ dìdi ,” a Mandarin term of endearment that means “little brother.” As a result, Chris desperately tries not to become an outcast, slipping in and out of traits he thinks will appeal to others—something made more possible by his being online. At a party, he changes his ringtone to a song by a band he noticed his crush liked on her Myspace. When his childhood friends start to drift away from him, he latches on to a group of skateboarders, claiming that he has extensive experience filming tricks, before racing home to study such videos on YouTube.

Many of these moments are played for laughs, but Dìdi understands that even though so much information was available to anyone with an internet connection, a 13-year-old will inevitably search for the wrong things and ask the wrong questions. At a time when everyone was more available than ever—to be messaged, poked, and stalked—it was terribly easy for a kid like Chris to get lost. Take the way he hesitates over choosing a Facebook profile photo: Should he lean into the skateboarding thing? Should he be making a goofy face? And consider how he struggles with the idea that his most obvious quality—the fact that he’s Asian—tends to dominate people’s impression of him. When he’s told that he’s “cute for an Asian,” he’s not sure whether to take it as a compliment. On the internet, his race is an unavoidable identifier, no matter what picture he selects.

Dìdi is semi-autobiographical; while writing the script, the writer-director Sean Wang, who was nominated for an Oscar this year for the short film Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó , drew on his experiences growing up in Fremont, and incorporated plenty of personal touches into the filmmaking process. Scenes in Chris’s bedroom were shot in Wang’s own childhood bedroom, with the posters still on the walls. Wang’s real-life grandmother Zhang Li Hua plays Chris’s. But Dìdi feels most authentic when it shows how the chaos of Chris’s internet consumption seeps into his offline life. Chris imagines a conversation with his pet fish, for example, as well as an encounter with a squirrel he and his buddies once used to prank a neighbor for a video—absurd flourishes that recall the irreverent humor of the late-2000s, Flash-animation-dominated internet. By blurring the line between the digital and the analog, the film captures how unmooring it felt to be a teenager in 2008, struggling to separate your social-media self from flesh and blood.

Read: When growing up happens in a single conversation

That loose sensibility does yield a film that can feel somewhat formless, playing like an eclectic album of snapshots from Chris’s life rather than a cohesive whole. Even so, that lack of structure feels true to a teenager’s perspective: Like a lot of kids in 2008, Chris is all over the place online and off, overlooking how, amid his fumbling around for a perfect profile, he’s not alone in feeling overwhelmed. His mother, Chungsing (an affecting Joan Chen), initially hovers on the margins of the film, anxiously trying to keep the peace in a household containing of a pair of bickering siblings—Chris’s older sister has her own share of teenage grievances—and a mother-in-law with an inexhaustible arsenal of critiques. But as the film progresses, Wang subtly draws parallels between Chungsing and her son. Like him, she worries about how she’s perceived and questions who she is, now that she spends most of her time as her family’s caretaker instead of living the life she once had as a painter.

Dìdi exudes a special kind of empathy and warmth toward the kids who grew up in the age of Myspace, as well as their families. Many coming-of-age stories examine a child’s relationship with themselves and their parents, but Dìdi also tracks how those shifts were made more jarring and strange in the early days of social media. It’s a love letter to the world of Top 8s and status updates, an apology to beleaguered parents everywhere, and, perhaps for Wang, an embrace of his younger self’s disorientation. It may be obvious to anyone now that building a Myspace profile could never convey a person’s full self. But back then, it seemed important to try—and good fun, in all its mess, while it lasted.

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D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
Encanto Attraction Animal Kingdom
Tropical Americas Land

Our coverage of the 2024 D23 Expo continues with a look at the study model for the Casita facade for the upcoming Encanto attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom . Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro offered some solid updates on the town of Pueblo Esperanza, which will replace DinoLand USA in the coming years. Construction is set to begin this fall in DinoLand USA as Disney works on the transformation in stages.

Within the new land, there will be three attractions – an Indiana Jones attraction, an Encanto attraction, and an IP-less(ish) attraction (that will still use Disney characters). In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the Encanto-themed attraction.

Encanto Casita Study Model at D23 Expo

In the Imagineering pavilion at the 2024 D23 Expo, a few different models were revealed after Saturday’s Disney Experiences keynote presentation from D’Amaro. One of the models on display was a “study model” for the Madrigal family Casita. In the movie, Casita is just about as alive as any of the characters, and the new attraction will see the house act as a character, bringing magic into the ride experience.

Casita will be located roughly where the former Primeval Whirl attraction used to sit before being demolished in fall 2021 . While we’ll have a dedicated article in the coming days with a detailed look at the full Tropical Americas land model, we wanted to start with a photo of the Casita and massive show building for the attraction from the land scale model before moving on to the study model.

In addition to the full land model, there is about a 2-foot-tall (estimated) model of the Casita. Here’s a detailed look at Casita, including a look at the miracle candle with an undying flame, and a unique weathervane. The Casita will function much the same as the Haunted Mansion building does. It provides a visual reference for the house that you will be traveling through. In reality, a massive show building exists behind it, but if it is staged properly, there will be enough suspension of disbelief that guests will think they’re really traveling through the magical house. Another similarity to the Haunted Mansion is that we will not be walking through the front door, but more on that in another article.

Here’s a detailed look at Casita, including the magical candle and fluttering shutters caught mid-action. Hopefully, Disney will be able to create some effects, such as the fluttering shutters, that will give the Casita some life as seen from the outside.

As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!

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‘skincare’ review: elizabeth banks stars in a mildly entertaining tale of facials and fixation.

A famous Los Angeles aesthetician becomes obsessed with her rival in Austin Peters' debut narrative feature co-starring Lewis Pullman and Michaela Jaé (MJ) Rodriguez.

By Lovia Gyarkye

Lovia Gyarkye

Arts & Culture Critic

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Elizabeth Banks as Hope Goldman in the thriller, SKINCARE

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Movie Review: ‘It Ends With Us’ with Blake Lively tackles big issues but slips into soap opera

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Justin Baldoni, left, and Blake Lively in a scene from “It Ends With Us.” (Nicole Rivelli/Sony Pictures via AP)

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Justin Baldoni, right, and Blake Lively in a scene from “It Ends With Us.” (Nicole Rivelli/Sony Pictures via AP)

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Blake Lively, left, and Brandon Sklenar in a scene from “It Ends With Us.” (Jojo Whilden/Sony Pictures via AP)

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Blake Lively in a scene from “It Ends With Us.” (Sony Pictures via AP)

Hugh Jackman, from left, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Tammy Reynolds, and Brandon Sklenar attend the world premiere of “It Ends with Us” at AMC Lincoln Square on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Brandon Sklenar, left, and Ryan Reynolds attend the world premiere of “It Ends with Us” at AMC Lincoln Square on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Hasan Minhaj, left, and Beena Patel attend the world premiere of “It Ends with Us” at AMC Lincoln Square on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

This image released by Sony Pictures shows director and actor Justin Baldoni in a scene from “It Ends With Us.” (Jojo Whilden/Sony Pictures via AP)

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Jenny Slate , left, and Blake Lively in a scene from “It Ends With Us.” (Jojo Whilden/Sony Pictures via AP)

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Lily Bloom and Ryle Kincaid don’t really meet-cute. On a rooftop in Boston, he announces himself by angrily kicking a patio chair. She’s up there trying to come to terms with her abusive father’s death. They talk about maraschino cherries, gun violence and flirt. There’s something off about this pair. But there’s also an obvious attraction.

So begins the uneven movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling 2016 novel “It Ends With Us” starring Blake Lively, which tries to balance the realities of domestic violence inside a rom-com and a female-empowerment movie. All suffer in the process.

It veers too close to melodrama, with suicide, homelessness, generational trauma, child murder, unintended pregnancy and never-forgotten love all touched on and only half digested. Set in Boston, it never even pulls from that city’s flavor.

The film centers on Lively’s Lily, a flower shop owner who finds herself in the middle of a complicated love triangle between hunky neurosurgeon Ryle — Justin Baldoni, who also directs — and her hunky high school sweetheart, Atlas, played with hangdog cuteness by Brandon Sklenar.

There are red flags about Ryle but they aren’t obvious until they’re strung together, which takes, literally, years. Credit to the filmmakers for not making the potential abuser so easy to wave a red flag about.

The most powerful thing about “It Ends With Us” is the after-effects of domestic violence and how they unmoor those who witness or survive it. This could have been tightened or highlighted more. (The end credits direct viewers to the anti-domestic violence group No More.)

Baldoni perfectly balances menace and seduction, operating in the zone between assertive and psychotic. And his direction is good, with an ability to summarize scenes quickly and move the plot elegantly, although he does have a fondness for too many music-led montages.

Lively is fine here, veering dangerously close to Manic Pixie Dream Girl with her cute flower sketches and love of shabby chic, but perks up at the end. She wears a lot of rings and a lot of florals but can also stun a room in a cut-out dress.

The script by Christy Hall has some terrible clunkers — “This man runs through women like candy,” someone says at one point — but nicely maneuvers around the book’s weird spots, like making Lily’s dad’s funeral a flashback instead of an odd recreation on the rooftop.

But “It Ends With Us” doesn’t end quickly enough — more than two hours drag — with tangents and poor editing, like sudden scene cuts that leave viewers looking for clues to where they are.

And we have so many questions, like how Lively’s character got onto the roof of that luxury highrise in the first place. And what’s with Lily’s best friend — Jenny Slate, clearly stealing the movie — who wears Valentino dresses and carries a purse that costs the same as a small car? She clearly doesn’t need a retail job, but works at the flower shop anyway?

And what’s with the weird relationship with Carhartt — check out the copycat logo appearing and disappearing from jackets and jumpsuits — apparently trying to show the wearers as down-to-earth working class folks, when they are not.

The movie’s adoration of wealth and luxury — from a Mercedes to million-dollar apartments and fancy dinner reservations — I guess are attempts to show that domestic violence isn’t confined to sports bars and factories.

What’s very funny is that Lily clearly has a type: Both her paramours are dark-haired buff dudes who favor tight black T-shirts, have stubble beards and adore her. When they fight — and they do — it’s actually hard to tell them apart.

The bursting soundtrack — with Thom Yorke’s “Dawn Chorus,” Lewis Capaldi’s “Love the Hell Out of You” and Brittany Howard’s “I Don’t” represented — has the undeniable presence of Lively bestie Taylor Swift , who has lent her “My Tears Ricochet.”

When Lily and Ryle finally hook up for the first time, she warns him: “Don’t let me regret this.” She will, of course. And a few others who are part of this film probably will, too.

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

“It Ends With Us,” a Sony Pictures release that hits movie theaters Friday, is rated PG-13 for “domestic violence, sexual content and some strong language.” Running time: 130 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

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Encanto (2021)
Encanto 's setting and cultural perspective are new for Disney, but the end result is the same -- enchanting, beautifully animated fun for the whole family.
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The Madrigals live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is ...
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