Encanto is the latest Walt Disney Animated Classic film and tells the story of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto.

Every member of the Madrigal family is blessed with a special gift, from superstrength, super hearing, healing and much more. These special gifts help keep the village hidden away from the rest of the world.

But then Mirabel comes along, and when she is of the age to receive her unique superpower, nothing happens. Over the years, she is forced to live in the shadows of her family, because while she does everything possible to help the family, she still is almost an outcast. This is an interesting take, because she is made to feel different, though ironically, she’s the normal one, but this feeling of not being accepted by anyone will connect with most people watching the film.

But when the magic starts to fade, the family become panicked, and Mirabel is the only one who can step up and discover what’s happening to her family and the magic house. Once she starts to unravel the truth, we see that not everything is as it appears, and she is the only one who can fix her family.

The story of this film is a little cliched, with the one person without superpowers, being the only one who can actually save them all. But it’s an important tale for everyone to hear, as being the strongest doesn’t necessarily always help.

This is a story where the heart and soul of the film is about the family, about Mirabel’s parents, sisters, cousins, aunties, uncles and of course the matriarch, grandmother. Everyone will be able to relate to this tale and will no doubt leave you with a little tear in your eye as it comes to a close.

With all the talk of super abilities, you’d be mistaken into thinking this is just another superhero film, as these abilities are there to help the village. The village people might almost worship them, but generally, they just help around the village doing chores.

The story is a little too simplistic at times, especially as there isn’t a villain to give the story any real threat. But in some ways, that’s what makes “Encanto” so refreshing. It doesn’t feel like anything we’ve seen from Disney before, but it has those hallmark moments that everyone will be able to relate to.

One of the best things about “Encanto” is the music. With Lin-Manuel Miranda creating brand new songs for the film, you know you’re going to get something catchy and a joy to listen to. He’s already worked with Disney on many projects, including “Moana”, “Mary Poppins Returns”, and “Hamilton”, so if you enjoyed his music from those films, you’ll love “Encanto”.

There is so much love poured into this film, especially with the soundtrack. It’s loud, proud and full of joy. The songs are full of energy, and I had trouble sitting still in my chair, because they were so fun to listen to. The Latin music just really connected with me, and I can’t wait to listen to the soundtrack when it’s released. The characters are just buzzing, as they instantly get into the groove when the music is playing. It’s so catching and really captures that Latin musical vibe.

With the film set in a beautiful hidden oasis, the colours just explode off the screen. The backgrounds are stunning, with vibrant forests and blue skies. Throw in some exotic Latin American animals like the Toucan and some beautiful flowers exploding onto the screen whenever they can. It really does just bring your spirits up. And with the film coming in at just over an hour and a half, it’s got a nice quick pace that will keep younger audiences happy.

When you combine the lovable characters, the vibrant art style and the fantastic musical numbers, “Encanto” is an absolute dream and one of the best Disney animated films in recent years.

Rating – 4.5 Out Of 5

“Encanto” is coming exclusively to cinemas from Wednesday 15th November 2021 and will be available on Disney+ from Christmas Eve!

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Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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