Disney’s Encanto, Worth to Watch?
Encanto is a movie produced by Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture in 2021. It is an animated film set in a rural area in Colombia. The story revolves around the Madrigal family. A family that had been gifted with a ‘miracle’. Each family member had a unique ‘miracle’ that helps their small community thrive. Everyone in the family has a gift, well, except for Mirable who mysteriously did not receive a gift. The gift or the ‘miracle’ is coming from a magical candle that has been lit for 50 years and never goes out.
Each Madrigal child at age of five received their gift or miracle. Here is the list of Madrigal children and their gifts:
Bruno- the power to see things in the future.
Pepa- the gift to control the weather based on her emotions.
Julieta- the gift to heal people using the food she makes.
Grandchildrens:
Isabela- Julieta's eldest daughter has the ability to conjure beautiful flowers anytime.
Luisita- Julieta's second daughter has a super strength.
Mirabel- youngest daughter of Julieta, did not receive a gift.
Dolores- Pepa's daughter had been gifted to hear extraordinarily.
Camilo- got the power to shapeshift
Antonio- the youngest of the Madrigals has the ability to understand the animals.
Mirabel, the main character of the movie had to solve the mystery and save the family's magic. She got into her Uncle Bruno's room to get a clue but found pieces of jade puzzle with her image in it. She had then found out that her Uncle Bruno did not leave the Casita but lived beneath the walls for years and secretly watch the family. His gift of premonition had made him distant from the family. Bruno had to make a ritual to seek solution for the great problem that the family is facing. In the premonition, in order to stop the magic from fading away, and keep the candle lighted at all times, Mirabel should make her peace with her older sister Isabela. Sure she was able to do that, but Alma, the matriarch wasn't happy about it. Isabela is a perfect woman of grace and beauty. She is set to get married to Mariano, a rich guy from their village. The confrontation between Mirabel and Alma had costed them their 'miracles'. The Casita had been destroyed, and their powers are all gone. Mirabel runaway but Alma was able to find her in the lake. Mirabel saw everything that happened in the past including the dreadful night Pedro died. They make their peace and went back to the village with Bruno.
They built the Casita for days with the help of locals. On the day the Casita is ready, Mirabel, put on the door knob and right then the magic happened. Each 'miracles' had been restored, and the magical Casita had welcomed the family and the whole town people once again.
LESSONS FROM EACH CHARACTER
Abuelo Pedro. Sacrificing oneself for the good of many. Difficult times bring out the best in us. In times of danger and adversity, it is the love for our family that will make us do things beyond our capacity.
Abuela Alma. Be a giving person. Share to the community the gift that had been given to us for the common good. Although Abuela Alma had been strict and mean sometimes, she only did those to protect the magic and the family. In the end, she was able to acknowledge her mistakes.
Love, family and acceptance are the main theme of the movie. Acceptance that each of us is a unique piece of puzzle that makes our family complete. Mirabel hadn’t received a gift but her parents always reminded her that she is as special as anyone else. She hid her insecurity and fears. For years, she lived for a fact that she doesn’t have a gift to help her family and the community, but that didn’t made her a bitter person. She accepted it and rejoiced for the other members of the family.
Is it worth to watch?
In my opinion, yes! The movie discusses issues that most of us set aside because we all thought that it isn’t worthy to be talked about. We often take for granted the people with strength and power, base upon the story of Luisita.
