On November 24th, 2021, the new animated Disney film Encanto was released to theaters in the USA. Since then, its popularity has grown like wildfire among kids, teenagers, and even adults. The movie stars a young Colombian girl named Mirabel Madrigal who was born into a miraculous, gifted family. The candle of the Madrigals blesses each blood family member with a power when they come of age. Mirabel, who disappointingly doesn’t receive a gift, becomes the black sheep of the family. The rest of the family, that has gifts, is required to help the town daily. The pressures on to save her loved ones after Mirabel begins to see cracks in the Madrigal home and family.

To begin, the plot was artfully written and is played out very smoothly. The exposition started with a bang; the song “The Family Madrigal” introduces the audience to the entire family and its background. Progressing the story, more is learned about this new princess and the “miraculous candle.” Mirabel is soon seen as a compassionate person who loves her family and wants to help it despite not having powers. As she continuously learns more about her family’s breaking state and its past, the princess has to reunite the family and find a way to save her house. The concept of the “gifting candle” is original and intriguing.

Furthermore, the movie hosted its very own original soundtrack. This included “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” which reached #1 on United States song charts. “I loved ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ when I first saw the movie! So many people played it all the time. Like, really, it was everywhere for so long,” remarked Delaney Green, a student attending MCHS. Songs such as “Surface Pressure” and “What Else Can I Do?” proved to be a comfort to those in the audience that struggled and/or struggle with familial pressures and even domestic abuse. The construction of the lyrics and timeliness of the songs themselves was well thought out.

Continuing, the biggest use of symbolism in this movie is golden. The ruptures in the Madrigal house represent a broken family. The more the family breaks apart, the more the house falls apart. ”That metaphor was very visual and clever. It was good for children and adults to understand,” remarked Eden Neighoff, a Freshman at McCracken County High.

Finally, as this glorious masterpiece was analyzed closer, the movie became very relatable to a large part of its intended audience: teenagers. “My family has always struggled with inter-generational trauma, so seeing this story makes my issues feel seen and noticed. Abuela just puts this insane pressure on the family and expects them to be perfect all the time. I feel like several kids at this school can relate to that in their own families,” 15-year-old MCHS student Charlee Samuelson said in an interview.

In conclusion, Encanto’s princess, plot, soundtrack, symbolism, and relatable themes make it a truly astounding new Disney film of representation.