Encanto

Much like Moana and Frozen, see those two previous posts, my kids (two this time) have become obsessed with Disney songs and have been asking to play them non-stop. This time it's 2021's Encanto. Lin-Manuel Miranda was involved again, unsurprisingly, and it feels like everything he touches becomes gold.

The first time I saw the film I was slightly overwhelmed. A lot is thrown at you quickly and most people, certainly I was this way, aren't going to catch even all the vital stuff. Perhaps that's a downside to this film, alas, but at this point that density has made the songs very enjoyable as I hear them again and again. It's taken multiple listens for full appreciation, thanks kids.

Whether or not it's the best method of looking at it, I've developed this theory that a good way to rate Disney movies is by purely looking at the songs. We should ask not only if the songs are good, you know, interesting musically and catchy, but if the plot and many (or all) of the major events flow through them. This is where, for examples already given, Moana and Frozen, shine. What I want to say about Encanto is it's even better along those lines, and perhaps better than any Disney movie that's come before. You can basically tell the entire plot using only the songs. Let's try.

Family Madrigal

This song is specifically what can be too much to handle, but it does do a pretty incredible job of introducing Mirabel, the house and her amazing family.

Basically the family Madrigal are incredibly blessed, a 'miracle' found them and over the years they receive more and more special abilities or 'gifts' that they use to help the town that's grown around them. In fact another is set to receive his that night.

At this point it seems merely a curious tidbit that Mirabel, our main character, didn't get one.

Waiting on a Miracle

Mirabel lets her inner feelings fly. She absolutely loves her family, there's no doubting that, but also feels apart. If it's not moving mountains, making flowers bloom, what is her part in all this? She's desperate and ready to figure it out.

It's really helpful here how the powers, in particular those of her sisters, the next most important characters, are reiterated.

Surface Pressure

Look, a problem. Even without seeing the vision of the house crumbling and the magic candle going out, we learn about the drip, drip, dripping pressure that's building on Luisa, Mirabel's older sister who's basically Hercules. Her crisis of confidence and self-worth is notable as she's the strongest of them. She can't be the only one.

We Don't Talk About Bruno

Plot wise there's a lot here. It may seem like Bruno is a bit of an instigator, and maybe he was at one point. But they ostracized him once he revealed something bad was going to happen to the family and refused to discuss it, or him. And, as Mirabel learns at the very end, she's vitally important to his vision, which are always correct. Knowing these two things in combination, what does she do next?

This one is so ridiculous as you look at it more. I counted nine different characters (six from the family) that sing their own parts and it's all rolled into a stupidly catchy, cohesive song.

What Else Can I Do

For one, Mirabel can seek out her sister, the one she's always resented for having a charmed life. It turns out Isabela is deeply unhappy trying to be perfect all the time, she needs to be able to relax and be herself. There's a lot of pressure on her too.

Dos Oruguitas

Why all this pressure? Well, their Abuela is indeed holding on much too tight. She shares how she and her husband Pedro, with their baby triplets (Pepa, Julieta and Bruno) in tow, had to flee their village. Pedro sacrifices himself to save his family and the miracle is born. As it's all she has left of her first love, she will do anything to keep it and has been a bit ruthless as a result. The song, all in Spanish, tells of two caterpillars who must separate and will be reunited after a metamorphasis. Abuela needed a reminder of what was most important, why they had what they did. She got Mirabel.

All of You

Let's resolve everything, all during a song. The family has obviously at this point lost its magic and the Casita has collapsed. But they can build healthy relationships and a new house, helped by the town they've aided so much in the past.

After hearing these over and over, I realize what was happening should have been obvious, it's hinted at in the earlier songs. In Family Madrigal Abuela sings that 'each new generation *must* keep the miracle burning.' In Waiting on a Miracle Mirabel gets right in Abuela's face and demands that she opens her eyes to see her own granddaughter. This makes the payoff in All of You all the more rewarding.

Hopefully you agree, all the most important emotional beats and plot points in this film happen during the songs. Plus they build on and reference each other in a way that makes following along much easier. To me that's really cool. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't believe I've seen another Disney film put together quite like this. The songs communicate basically the whole plot, are spaced pretty evenly throughout the film and even include a big wrap up number, like a grand finale, at the end. It's almost like this is a proper stage musical. I (don't) wonder how that happened. Miranda knows what he's doing.