Is there no Encanto thread?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay brilliant one. How old is this fictional character? Maribel

Now I'm starting to think that you're a weirdo troll, since you also can't spell her name. You've spelled it like seven different ways since you started ranting about this movie.

[Anonymous]

You know I'm not the only one ranting about this movie right?.. lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay brilliant one. How old is this fictional character? Maribel

She’s 15. That’s pretty clear.

Not sure how that makes me brilliant as opposed to capable of doing a Google search….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know I'm not the only one ranting about this movie right?.. lol

Sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think subjects of abuse and neglect are triggers for most. Likely our pasts do play a part in how we recognize and resolve abuse in our lives now. I do wish Disney had done a better job showing and handling that aspect of the movie for kids/families who are going through abusive situations/relationships because an apology and song is not the way to heal or move on.

I posted before that I thought the movie was okay but just not that well written, plot wise, because this was such a predictable and poorly executed conflict/resolution—I’m not from a dysfunctional family and have no triggers there. I just want a better plot! The dialogue was cute, songs were snappy, animation was phenomenal. This needed the Pete Doctor touch on the plot, or someone like him, and then it could have been amazing. As it is, doesn’t make my top 5 disney movies, maybe not even my top 10.

What does Pete doctor touch mean?

I liked the movie the first time and liked it more after listening to some of the songs separately. It was hard to catch all the elements the first go through.

I do wish they had spent more time getting a sincere acknowledgement from abuela that clearly explained that sweeping problems under the rug doesn't make them go away. That was clear in the broken foundation metaphor, but overall the apology seemed to move too quickly for so many years of problems.

Pete Doctor wrote or co-wrote Wall-e, Toy Story, Up, Soul and Inside Out. All movies with a lot more going on plot wise and really insightful treatment of the human condition, IMHO.

Those are great movies. Thanks for the reminder about WALL-E. Have to share that one with my kids. They've enjoyed the others you mentioned. Also liked, but didn't love, Encanto, to bring it back to the thread topic. I think they'll like Encanto better with another viewing.

[Anonymous]

I just wanted to stop by and say we don’t talk about Bruno.

No, no, no.

[Anonymous]

A perspective from a family therapist:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/18/health/encanto-therapy-immigration-wellness-cec/index.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just wanted to stop by and say we don’t talk about Bruno.

No, no, no.

I love this anecdote:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/13/movies/disney-encanto-talk-about-bruno.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuonUktbfqYhkSVUaACbQWsYmowbBifnUxrEtw3L4JyGTVTEH0-0RAM2J8UDQee9pfcY12HKbWNpFevcJdcBF89V-bQZrWhX65dyNgogEKCE47tO4VD1tg8KTGO5oqDGvMzXoIqIuyODn-kvXazTuD_bb1nMkcx134scwLSHc0nIOwqjCEu5yy4M-ia9nXsYmMG9GMCqavPDoCAF8OMGFZnzf6Qo2WuJeWVLDjILWquJAIEgJVwWwHD4o6n086dhcJNoXIK__ShYgc8H8irkSYXd63yopmKm2NEP1OthwSbYJOg&smid=url-share (should be a shareable version of the Times article)

“…He was also originally named Oscar, but Bush said a legal snag over the existence of a number of real-life Oscar Madrigals in Colombia led them to explore other name options. He sent Miranda a list of five alternatives, to which the songwriter replied, “Definitely Bruno.”

“I couldn’t figure out why he was so definitive,” Bush said, “until two days later when we heard, ‘Bruno, no, no, no.’”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A perspective from a family therapist:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/18/health/encanto-therapy-immigration-wellness-cec/index.html

Interesting how they gloss over the core issues and concerns because the characters are cute and likable overall. There is a lot of dysfunction that is not properly addressed and should not be minimized just because it's Disney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A perspective from a family therapist:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/18/health/encanto-therapy-immigration-wellness-cec/index.html

Interesting how they gloss over the core issues and concerns because the characters are cute and likable overall. There is a lot of dysfunction that is not properly addressed and should not be minimized just because it's Disney.

OMG. It's a 90 minute kids' movie. It doesn't need to have a full dissertation on healing dysfunction and abuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A perspective from a family therapist:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/18/health/encanto-therapy-immigration-wellness-cec/index.html

Interesting how they gloss over the core issues and concerns because the characters are cute and likable overall. There is a lot of dysfunction that is not properly addressed and should not be minimized just because it's Disney.

I take it you didn’t actually read that article.

Look, your unique and valuable perspective has been thoroughly expressed. Can you let the rest of us actually discuss the movie?

[Anonymous]

My DD (14) says it is one of best movies she has seen and loves the music …

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A perspective from a family therapist:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/18/health/encanto-therapy-immigration-wellness-cec/index.html

Interesting how they gloss over the core issues and concerns because the characters are cute and likable overall. There is a lot of dysfunction that is not properly addressed and should not be minimized just because it's Disney.

I take it you didn’t actually read that article.

Look, your unique and valuable perspective has been thoroughly expressed. Can you let the rest of us actually discuss the movie?

Agree. No one is disputing that the family is dysfunctional. That pp seems to be missing the point that showing dysfunction is actually helpful to people who live it! That doesn't make it a bad movie.

The CNN article alludes to Bruno's potential neurodivergence. That may be so, but anyone who has been hiding away in a wall to protect their family members, only talking to rats, is going to act a little kooky.

[Anonymous]

Not ashamed to admit that after the kids went to bed I fired up the biggest screen TV we have and watched Encanto for a while. It’s been so dull and grey and I needed to see the explosion of colors and warmth. I’ve seen it twice before and both times I was paying more attention to the story and lyrics. This time I just enjoyed the colors and lush scenery. The animation is really lovely!

I think I’ll finish it tonight with a glass of wine, and dream of warmer days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The fact that people knew Bruno was in the walls and said nothing is quite abusive. The grandma was overly harsh and abusive and only favored those who had the magical gift. She asked her sized those that did not to the point that that little boy was scared crapless that he wasn't going to be able to open his damn door and was going to be disowned by his family. Yes, great loving inclusive message there. The grandma never really apologized for anything and at the end yeah Bruno comes out but he'd been in there for years. How traumatic is that? Why don't you ask anyone who is afraid to come out as gay or lesbian for the past decade?. It's not okay to say oh well. We knew you were gay but because you never came out and said anything, we felt it was okay to ostracize you and keep you hidden in a closet pretending to be straight. Listen. I typically like disney and Pixar movies, but this one seriously missed the mark. Maybe kids liked it because they didn't understand the true message, but anyone who actually understands this movie sees how this family circled the wagons and ostracized those that were different or didn't have what they felt was the gift. I mean Mirabelle has to be what in her late teens or twenties and is still in a nursery because she couldn't open it a damn door?!?!?

I think the movie is about how family does do this, but family also can heal and recognize their faults and apologize and come back together and how healing that can be.

I think it is very trendy right now to just walk away from anyone that doesn't bring you 24/7 joy. And of course, anyone has the right to walk away from anyone at any time and that is important. But we are losing our ability to mend fences, to reconcile and heal. The walk away trend ignores the fact that you can't walk away from the love and emotions as easily as you can the person. This is a movie about how people can grow and come back together.

I think this is why people have such visceral reactions to it. The message of this movie is that family is messy and hard but you are always there for each other. To many people that could be an indictment of your own choices. To others it is a validation of their choices.

I am an eldest sibling that cannot listen to Surface Pressure without crying because it so accurately describes me. I had an alcoholic parent and an emotionally abusive parent and a divorce and all kinds of issues including the death of a child. And through all of that, my family is always still trying, and even though there is pain we all make the choice to keep loving each other. So of course this movie speaks to me with incredible depth. It is a Rorschach test of a film I think.