Have you watched the movie already?

I know most of us are busy with school and work, and maybe we don't have the leisure time to watch a movie. Anyways, I didn't have the time, too! Thanks to my friend who wanted a mini gathering with the rest of the circle! I was obliged to watch a movie. :D So, we chose to watch a movie after our lunch last Sunday for our bonding time. Thankfully, our Php450.00 didn't go to nothing -- we didn't regret watching Coco. I know I may be the one who's late hahahah but, come on! Please consider.

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Well, If you watched already, then great! If not yet, worry not! I am hoping that after you read this movie review, you will be encouraged to see the movie for yourself. Ooops! Don't worry,I won't spoil you -- just a bit. Hahaha!

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ABOUT THE MOVIE

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The movie Coco is a Disney/Pixar musical fantasy film focused on Mexico's Dia de Muertos. It is directed by Lee Unkrich and co-directed by Adrian Molina. The story was written by the director together with Jason Katz. On the other hand, the combination of the story and screenplay was by the co-director and Matthew Aldrich. This movie was released on November 2017.
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SETTING

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The movie would bring us to the rich and colorful culture of Mexico. It is mostly set on Mexico's annual celebration Dia de los Muertos, or Dia de Muertos , or commonly known as the "Day of the Dead". The movie would also show us the place known as "Land of the Dead" where the spirits lived.

Disney tried to make the story as authentic and grounded in the real word. Consequently, the city of Guanajuato, a multi-layered, brightly colored city built vertically on steep hillsides with narrow stairways and bridges with a network of tunnels underneath has always been the huge inspiration for the land of the dead through the efforts of the animators and researchers.

_{Well, it is observable how colorful this city is. Indeed, a right basis to put into life the Mexico's colorful culture and beliefs! Image Source}

Land of the Dead and Dia de Muertos, sounds familiar? Well, it would be familiar if you've also seen "The Book of Life". Let's go further on these two, one by one.

Dia de Muertos/Dia de los Muertos
The Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday annually celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican ancestry living in other places. This holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey.

_{This is the Dia de Muertos shown in the movie The Book of Life. Image Source}

_{This also the holiday Dia de Muertos being highlighted in the movie Coco. Image Source}

Land of the Dead
It is a realm that is believed to be the place where the spirits of those departed from earth live. Reflecting Mexican folklore, it is perceived to be the place for the spirits. Although, in death, the spirit will appear as the age when they died. So when they die as young, they continue in the Land of the Dead as young, too. They also retain the status they had in life, thus there are spirits that are considered celebrities, while other spirits continue their former occupation. Amazing belief they have, right?

_{The imagined Land of the Dead in The Book of Life. Image Source}

_{The imagined Land of the Dead in the movie Coco. Image Source}

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MOVIE PLOT: COCO

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The story is focused on this talented Miguel who really wanted to be a musician like Ernesto de la Cruz who is the greatest musician of all time. He continued this dream as a secret because his family believed that music had brought curse to their family even from his great-great grandma's time.

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But because of his determination to really pursue music despite the contradiction he got from the whole family, it brought him to his overwhelming experience with a lot of revelations at the Land of the Dead.

_{Miguel in the spirit world. Image Source}

_{Miguel in one of his experience in the Land of the Dead. This is his first! Spoiler AlertImage Source}

Want to know more about his trip? Watch it, and be amazed. Together let's enjoy the very adventurous and visually dazzling, full of music and color movie and put to heart the lessons. Hahahaha!

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HIGHLIGHTS

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I have learned a lot from the movie, from Mexico's culture about Dia de los Muertos to how family is really one of the treasure you could have in life and in death.

• Dia de los Muertos is the day where the living remembers their family who have departed already. It is also the day that the spirits of the dead have the chance to visit their family in the earth only if their photos are put up an altar/offrenda. If no photo is placed on an altar, then the spirits are not allowed to leave the Land of the Dead to visit their loved ones in the living world.

_{An Ofrenda or commonly known as AltarImage Source}

• The merigold path is a path mainly composed of cempasúchil petals is meant to guide the spirits from the Land of the Dead to their family and back to the Land of the Dead. The spirits can walk on the merigold path without submerging only if there's a photo of theirs that has been put up by their family on the altar. According to their belief, the color and the distinctive scent of the cempasúchil petals get the attention of the spirits.

_{The iconic merigold bridge in the movie connecting the Land of the Dead and the world of the living. Image Source}

• I have learned that the spirits at the Land of the Dead disappears/fade or termed as Second Death if no one remembers them from the land of the living.

_{Miguel's friend, almost fading to his Second Death. Image Source}

The movie as a whole is unique and brought me to different levels of realization when it comes to family.

Family, is indeed, FOREVER <3