Encanto from Disney
A twelve-year-old patient of mine strongly recommended that I see this movie, Encanto, and I was lucky to find it on a flight. This amazing Lin-Manuel Miranda production is a story of a Colombian family; the Madrigal’s. The movie is about a smart girl, Mirabel, who wants to learn more about her family’s “Encanto”. Although this word has several translations, it generally means “charms” or “spells”. The movie begins by telling the story of the grandmother who, at a young age, suffers the tragic loss of her husband. She is left with three small babies. She then finds a candle that provides the magical powers (Encanto), that help to build a beautiful village and a happy family. Each of the children in the family had a special gift or charm. Mirabel, however, does not have enough magic as the other family members; Abuela (grandmother), who is the family, becomes very rigid on the roles assigned to the family members, even expelling Bruno, one of her children. Bruno’s charm was to read the future, but he saw something that was not bright. Mirabel has no gifts and struggles to find her powers, even to defy her grandmother. Despite all the challenges, she can keep the candle lit and the family together. I love to see kids having to go on a big search to find themselves. Mirabel, in spite of everything, has her own charm and the emotional power to keep the family together. The movie shows a young, strong girl who goes back to learn about her family history and brings a new spin on their lives. Great music and story. Thank you for the recommendation