Encanto

A true musical. Though Disney is known for stuffing their animated films with songs, the cinematography and (lack of) choreography never really matched any musical aspirations. That's not the case here. Encanto feels more like an animated Baz Lurhmann film, fully leaning into its musical number. And it's all the better for it.

The Encanto is a small, magical place where the Madrigal family lives. Their house is alive and every member of the family has a special gift. Except for Maribel. When the time came for her to receive her blessing, the house rejected her, leaving her the odd one out. When the Encanto starts losing its magic, the members of the Madrigal family seem to think it is Maribel's doing.

Encanto is a technical wonder. The level of detail is incredible and a lot of attention was given to more traditional cinematic qualities (like the camerawork and editing), helping the film to attain a proper aesthetic. The characters are fun, there's no irritating sidekick, the hysterics are mostly absent, and the comedy is actually pretty decent. I'm still not the biggest musical fan and the songs are somewhat drab, other than that this was a very nice surprise. A very happy, colorful and charming film.