Entertainment

Disney•Pixar’s Coco Is Now Available on Blu-ray

Disney•Pixar’s Coco is the story of a 12-year-old aspiring musician’s extraordinary journey to the magical land of his ancestors. After winning the 2018 Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Motion Picture and earning 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, this vibrant tale filled with love and laughter is now available on 4K Ultra HD,™ Blu-ray,™ DVD and On-Demand.

Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Héctor, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.

The movie starts with a short history of Miguel’s family cleverly illustrated in animated paper cutouts. We learn that Miguel’s great-great-grandmother Imelda’s husband left his wife and daughter Coco to pursue a music career, and because of this betrayal, music is forbidden in the family. Despite this prohibition, Miguel dreams of becoming a musician. When he discovers a family secret hidden in an old photo, he tries to share his musical aspirations with his family only to see his grandmother destroy his guitar.

Heartbroken, Miguel runs away and finds himself mysteriously able to see and touch and talk to the animated skeletons visiting their loved ones for the Day of the Dead. His own dearly departed take him to see his great-great-grandmother Imelda in the Land of the Dead in hopes that she can help Miguel return to the Land of the Living before sunrise turns him permanently into a skeleton. Miguel discovers that he has been cursed for stealing a guitar from his dead idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, and he needs a blessing from a family member to return. Family matriarch Imelda agrees to give him her blessing, but only if he agrees to never play music again.

Miguel refuses Imelda’s condition and decides he must find another dead relative to give him their blessing. Along the way, he meets and befriends Héctor, a down-and-out skeleton who agrees to help him find Ernesto whom Miguel suspects is his long lost great-great-grandfather. When they find him, Miguel learns some dark truths about Ernesto and realizes that Héctor is actually his great-great-grandfather and Coco’s father.

Héctor is in danger of being forgotten by his last remaining relative, his daughter Coco, which means he will disappear forever. Miguel and his family plot to steal back Héctor’s photo from Ernesto to place on the family ofrenda (family altar) so he will be remembered, but in the struggle Miguel loses the all-important photo. Imelda gives her blessing to Miguel who returns to the Land of the Living and plays a special song that Héctor wrote for Coco as a child. Coco finally remembers her father, Héctor’s photo is returned to its rightful place on the ofrenda, and Miguel’s family welcomes music back into their lives.

We missed Coco while it was in the theatres, so we’ve been eagerly waiting for this one to come out on home release. My kids and I popped the disc in as soon as it arrived and spent the next hour and 49 minutes spellbound. Coco takes place on the Mexican Day of the Dead, when families gather to remember friends and family members who have died. Vibrant characters, both living and dead, populate the richly detailed and colourful world. Visually, Coco is simply a beautiful movie. Add the heartwarming story, catchy songs, and a bizarre (and hilarious) avant-garde Frida Kahlo art show, and we have a winner!

The skeletons aren’t particularly scary, but do be cautious if your kids are sensitive or have recently lost a friend or family member. Mine were okay, but I suspect some scenes could be frightening or distressing to young children. For example, Imelda’s flying jaguar alebrije, when Miguel is thrown off a high building, or when Coco starts to forget her dead father.

At first it seemed odd that this movie’s title was Coco, named for Miguel’s 99-year-old great-grandmother. After all, Miguel is the main character, right? Once I watched it though, I realized that Coco and her relationship with her father is the linchpin of the entire story despite not spending much time on the screen. I loved the focus on family and belonging and remembrance, and after watching Coco, both my girls are really interested in learning more about Day of the Dead traditions and Mexican culture. Coco is definitely a must see, but don’t forget the tissues.

Pick up your copy of Coco on Amazon.

Bonus Features

Through fresh and fascinating bonus material, adventurers of all ages will tag along with filmmakers as they soak in Día de los Muertos in Mexico; explore the essential role of music in Coco; and learn how the cast and crew personally connect with the film’s message. They’ll step behind the scenes to discover the inspiration behind the film’s creative costuming; Miguel’s beautifully complicated family; Dante the loyal Xolo dog; and the stunning worlds of both the dead and the living. Features also include deleted scenes, insightful filmmaker commentary, the music of Coco and more.

  • Deleted Scenes with Introductions — Director Lee Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina talk about the deleted scenes and the part they played in the development of Coco.
    • Día de los Muertos — In this musical extravaganza, the colors and excitement of Día de los Muertos come to life as we meet superstar Ernesto de la Cruz.
    • The Way of the Riveras — A musical number in which Abuelita and Miguel prepare their Día de los Muertos celebration while she teaches him Rivera family history and traditions.
    • Celebrity Tour — Héctor, a Land of the Dead tour bus guide, agrees to help Miguel, revealed to be a living boy, on his quest to find de la Cruz.
    • The Bus Escape — The Rivera family catches up to Miguel and Héctor and attempts to halt their mission to find de la Cruz.
    • Alebrije Attack — Miguel and Héctor are interrupted on their journey to find de la Cruz by a fierce alebrije.
    • The Family Fix — After de la Cruz reveals his true colors, the Rivera family puts their dismay aside and comes together to repair the smashed guitar needed to send Miguel home.
    • To the Bridge — As the Land of the Dead counts down to the end of Día de los Muertos, Miguel and de la Cruz come head-to-head on the marigold bridge.
  • Filmmaker Commentary — Presented by Lee Unkrich (director), Adrian Molina (co-director) and Darla K. Anderson (producer).
  • The Music of Coco — Collaborating with musicians of Mexico and some unique instrumentation, this documentary explores the beautiful fusion of music essential to the story of Coco.
  • Paths to Pixar: Coco — Explore how the film crew’s personal stories resonate with the themes of the movie itself.
  • Welcome to the Fiesta — A musical exploration of the skeletons that make the Land of the Dead in Coco so wondrous and intriguing.
  • How to Draw a Skeleton — Pixar artist Daniel Arriaga gives a lesson on the quick and easy way to draw skeletons using simple shapes.
  • A Thousand Pictures a Day — Join the Coco crew on an immersive travelogue through Mexico, visiting families, artisans, cemeteries, and small villages during the Día de los Muertos holiday.
  • Mi Familia – Developing the Riveras was a labor of love that took the cast and crew on a deep dive into the meaning of family.
  • Land of Our Ancestors — Watch Pixar artists lovingly construct layer upon layer of architecture from many eras of Mexican history, bringing the Land of the Dead to life.
  • Fashion Through the Ages — The cast of characters in Coco are from many different eras, making for some magnificent costuming opportunities.
  • The Real Guitar — The majestic guitar that spurs Miguel on his journey through the Land of the Dead is a unique creation. Watch as it is initially designed by a Pixar artist and ultimately realized as a real instrument by a master luthier in this poetic ode to craftsmanship.
  • Dante – How the crew fell in love with the uniquely Mexican breed of Xoloitzcuintli (or “Xolo”) dogs that inspired Dante.
  • How to Make Papel Picado — Join Pixar artist Ana Ramírez González as we learn how papel picado is made traditionally, and then try your own approach to this beautiful art form.
  • Un Poco Coco — A montage of original animated pieces used to promote Coco.
  • Coco Trailers — Trailers include “Feeling”, “Dante’s Lunch”, “Destiny”, “Journey”, and “Belong”.

Disclosure: I received a sample item to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are completely honest and my own, based on my personal experience. Your experience may differ. This post contains affiliate links. This West Coast Mommy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you. This income helps pay for the operating costs of my website – thank you for your support!

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  • I’ve seen many Disney movies, but not this one! My youngest is interested in seeing it — I think because of the guitar on the cover!