Yes, My {Future} Kids Will Watch Encanto

Even though I just watched Encanto for the very first time this past week, I feel like I already knew it pretty well since all of my students have been singing three of the main songs for seven straight months. There was a part of me that was a little nervous to watch it after waiting so long, feeling like I'd built it up in my head so much that I'd be disappointed by it, but I really, really liked the movie a lot. From the animation to the talented cast to the obviously impressive soundtrack, this is a great movie with a great message.

Encanto was released both into movie theaters on November 24th, 2021, eight months after after royal successor Raya and almost eighty-four years after Snow White. The film is an original story focused primarily on Mirabel of The Family Madrigal, a magical family in Colombia blessed with a miracle that provides each blood family member with a fantastic gift... except for her. This movie, like Raya, was released during the COVID-19 pandemic, ended up having multiple songs from the soundtrack go viral. With a budget of over $120-150 million, it earned a box office of $256.1 million and won one Oscar and one Golden Globe in 2022, both for Best Animated Feature. The film was largely praised not only for the incredible music, but also the representation of Colombian culture and multigenerational families along with mental health and communication issues within close-knit families, especially immigrant families. There is currently no theatrical sequel planned nor any sort of Disney+ animated series, but with the film still being fairly new that could be subject to change. Mirabel, along with her sisters Isabela and Luisa and her female cousin Dolores, are not currently counted as official Disney Princesses, but many people (myself included) count them in as honorary since The Madrigals are basically the royal family of the village of Encanto. This makes Mirabel the first theatrical Latina Disney Princess (Disney Channel did premiere their animated series Elena of Avalor in 2016, making her the official first Latina princess), and the seventh woman of color to be a Disney Princess after Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Moana, and Raya.

I did feel like the pacing of the film was a little too fast at times, it is a children's movie that has to keep them entertained for two hours. My favorite thing about the movie, besides the music, is the theme of stewardship, which I feel can easily be overlooked for the more obvious and equally important themes of family, communication, and acceptance. The whole reason the miracle is in danger to begin with is because Abuela lost sight of why the miracle arrived in the first place: to keep the family together and protect them, not to make them the most important people in town. Her fear of losing any of her children or grandchildren the way she lost her husband causes her to believe that working her family to their limits is what will keep the magic alive, not that the loves she had for her family was all the miracle needed to grow. Her relationship with everyone in the family, but especially the non-magical Mirabel, is heartbreaking to watch as they all just want their grandmother to love them but feel they'll never be good enough for her until she realizes her mistake and how poorly she's stewarded the family's gift. Mirabel herself is a great heroine, and I love that Disney didn't try to sugarcoat her and make her super happy all the time, but showed how much it hurt her to be excluded by the people she loves more than anything in the world. She has great interactions with everyone in the family throughout the movie, but my favorites are definitely her support of Antonio and Luisa, her discovery of Bruno, and her reconciliations with Isabela and Abuela. If you really get down to it, most people have had a family member like Abuela in their lives - not cruel or harsh or mean, but with high, unwavering expectations that have put a lot of unnecessary pressure on them - and most people have gone through at least a season of feeling the way Mirabel does within the family, which makes this film so great and relatable.

Now I believe the biggest draw to this movie before anyone even had any idea what it was about was the man behind the music - the incredible Lin-Manuel Miranda, back for his second Disney film after his success with Moana. While I think I like the Moana soundtrack better as an entire work, Lin definitely went hard on this soundtrack and gave us some absolute classic bangers, and we thank him for that. Between his original songs and a beautiful, colorful score composed by Germaine Franco, there was never a musically dull moment in Encanto, and I'm so excited to finally talk about my Top 3.

Waiting For A Miracle by Stephanie Beatriz (written by L. Miranda)

I already think this is the most underrated song in the movie after just hearing it for the first time last week. Sung by the talented and hilarious Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel, it shows us right off the bat that the Mirabel we saw in the trailers being happy and bubbly and carefree isn't how she feels inside - she feels pain at being excluded from her family during public events and a deep, real longing to belong and just have someone tell her they're proud of her for being who she is. It's also the only song on the soundtrack that's written in 3/4 time (waltz time if you're not familiar with time signatures), showing even more how out of step with everyone else Mirabel feels all the time. It's beautifully performed, written, and animated, and I wish more people paid attention to this one because it's worth it.

Don't be upset or mad at all/Don't feel regret or sad at all/Hey, I'm still a part of the Family Madrigal/And I'm fine, I am totally fine/I will stand on the side as you shine/I’m not fine, I'm not fine/I can't move the mountains/I can't make the flowers bloom/I can't take another night up in my room/Waiting on a miracle/I can't heal what's broken/Can't control the morning rain or a hurricane/Can't keep down the unspoken invisible pain/Always waiting on a miracle, a miracle

Surface Pressure by Jessica Darrow (written by L. Miranda)

This was the first Encanto song I ever heard and I knew it would be my favorite from that very moment. Performed by actress and singer Jessica Darrow as Mirabel's middle sister Luisa, this song should be recognized as the official anthem of older siblings everywhere. Luisa's magical gift is super strength, and we see her as one of the grandkids that's taken advantage of the most by Abuela and the town because off everything she can do to help. She's terrified of losing her gift because she doesn't believe she'll be worth anything to anyone without it since all anyone ever asks her to do is work, and watching her admit all of this to her little sister and Mirabel's reassurance that she's wonderful and doesn't have to carry everything on her own is a really lovely scene.

I'm the strong one, I'm not nervous/I’m as tough as the crust of the earth is/I move mountains, I move churches/And I glow 'cause I know what my worth is/I don't ask how hard the work is/Got a rough indestructible surface/Diamonds and platinum, I find 'em, I flatten 'em/I take what I'm handed, I break what's demanded, but/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”/Under the surface, I’m pretty sure I'm worthless if I can't be of service/A flaw or a crack, the straw in the stack/That breaks the camel's back, what breaks the camel's back, it’s/Pressure, like a drip, drip, drip that'll never stop, whoa/Pressure that'll tip, tip, tip 'till you just go pop, whoa/Give it to your sister, your sister's older, give her all the heavy things we can't shoulder/Who am I if I can't run with the ball, if I fall to/Pressure like a grip, grip, grip and it won't let go, whoa/Pressure like a tick, tick, tick 'til it's ready to blow, whoa/Give it to your sister, your sister's stronger, see if she can hang on a little longer/Who am I if I can't carry it all, if I falter

We Don't Talk About Bruno by Encanto Cast (written by L. Miranda)

You knew it was going to be here even if you haven't seen the movie yet - Encanto's crown jewel, the Disney song that "finally" dethroned Let It Go (but not in my own personal heart, of course). No one can deny that this song is absolutely iconic, has a great beat, and showcases some really incredible talent from most of the Family Madrigal: Carolina Gaitán-La Gaita as Tía Pepa, Mauro Castillo as Tío Felix, Adassa as Dolores, Rhenzy Feliz as Camilo, Diane Guerro as Isabela, and Stephanie Beatriz again as Mirabel. Lin wrote himself his own little musical madrigal, which is a Renaissance/Baroque choral technique that includes between two and eight voices each singing an individual part woven together to create a beautiful, intricate composition. Whatever your feelings of this song are right now, we all know we're going to be talking about Bruno until the end of time.

We don't talk about Bruno, no, no, no/We don't talk about Bruno, but/It was my wedding day (It was our wedding day)/We were getting ready, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky (No clouds allowed in the sky)/Bruno walks in with a mischievous grin (Thunder)/You telling this story, or am I (I’m sorry, mi vida, go on)/Bruno says, "It looks like rain” (Why did he tell us)/In doing so, he floods my brain (Abuela, get the umbrellas)/Married in a hurricane (What a joyous day, but anyway)/We don't talk about Bruno, no, no, no/We don't talk about Bruno

If you haven't watched Encanto yet, I highly encourage it because it really is a beautiful, fun, colorful experience that I don't think you'll regret. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!