Blu-Ray Review: ‘Coco’

From the theatrical review:

Much of the joy in Coco is derived from the beautifully rendered Land of the Dead, animated in bright colors and intricate designs which honor the spirit of Mexican culture, with inhabitants appearing as skeletal versions of their former selves. It’s refreshing to see a studio with such a massive reach take such care in representing other cultures, and one of of my favorite little details is how often words or phrases are spoken in Spanish without any kind of translation – the film expects its audience to utilize context clues in order to understand, and it makes no apologies for its refusal to cater to those who can’t be bothered to keep up.

Coco also defies expectations by presenting itself as another story about a character chasing after a dream – while Miguel certainly continues to pursue his desire to become a musician, that arc takes a backseat to a more fleshed-out (no pun intended) story about redemption for the mistakes we’ve made and the unshakable bonds of family. The resolution, featuring a visit between Miguel and his senile great-grandmother (from whom the film gets its name) is one of the most beautiful and emotionally stirring scenes in recent memory, and sure to have even the most dispassionate audience members reaching for a tissue.

In keeping with Disney’s usual standards for audio and video quality on their home video releases, Coco looks and sounds absolutely incredible. The rich colors used in the Land of the Dead scenes really pop, and the surround sound provides a great level of ambiance that helps immerse the viewer during scenes with huge, lively environments.

Coco also comes loaded with a huge selection of special features, including more than 30 minutes of deleted scenes (still in storyboard format) introduced by director Lee Unkrich, a 20-minute featurette about the crew’s visits to Mexico and exploration of the culture, and a feature-length commentary track that offers plenty of insight into the film’s journey from concept to screen. There’s also a segment about the music of Coco and why it’s so important to the storytelling, and more information about Mexican culture and heritage.

Coco is one of Pixar’s most original and inspiring projects in years, and this fully loaded Blu-ray is yet another example of Disney delivering the goods and setting the bar for home video releases. If you missed this one in theaters, rest assured that it will look and sound amazing in your living room.