Movie #1475 ........................."Coco"

Movie #1475 "Coco" --- saw this animated film today with no kids in the audience, no adults, either, except for us.  Anyway, very surprised this is getting such a high score on rottentomatoes.com because it has a very convoluted story.  The animation is unbelievably well done --- boy, have we come far with animation!  For example, the Coco great grandmother, you would swear, is of human flesh, it is so well drawn!  All the colors, the sets, the costumes, the bone people, all well done.  But the film seems like it is ADD --- it flies around here and there, and the focus is hard to follow --- people chasing the kid, animals running interference, getting introduced to people as they fly in and out of Miguel's chase, and then more people whose names have to be learned in a matter of 20 minutes --- another family, this one his ancestors...........can't imagine kids following this.  And the whole subject is about death and the hereafter.....what happens when you are trying to help your kid understand when you have to  explain that grandma who just died is a bone person? It's scary, too, with this big (but colorful) dragon/bird who attacks Miguel earlier in the film, but then turns nice (missed why) at the end.  If this is heaven, it doesn't look like fun.  They have restrictions on travel, there are Trumpian shyster showmen who are phony and liars (Hector).....I don't know about the plot --- I DO know that the last 1/2 hour is better than the rest of the film. And really, the best part of the film is its last moments.  As a speech coach, I would always tell my kids that audiences forgive you everything else if your high point works well enough, and here's the example --- audiences will forgive all of the convoluted plot and flights of fancy because of the way the "Remember Me" song is sung by Miguel to great grandma Coco!  It is like the scene in "UP" between the husband and wife -- it's that good and might save this film for many audiences.  I'm not sure I would recommend this to kids......I guess I'd like to hear what those kids have to say after watching it.  I'd give it 3.5 out of 5 and recommend it with reservations......it isn't as good as I thought it would be, it's hard to understand, and it presents the world of the dead spirits that might be tough to explain to small children.  Maybe 8-12 year olds? I DO like that it introduces another culture, and the music (although I felt there should be more of it, since that's the whole crux of the film --- how music pulls everyone together....even the dead..... strong theme, but not clear all the way through.  All I can say is that if you decide to see it, be very prepared to get a whole lot of information in the opening that you will have to use later on.......

"COCO"           PG        2017             about 2 hours

Pixar's magical animation lights up this colorful tale of adventure that follows Miguel Rivera, a 12-year-old Mexican boy who unlocks a long-hidden family mystery after he ends up in the Land of the Dead.

Cast: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt