MOVIE REVIEW: Coco

Pixar is back with its old creative ways with Coco. A beautiful love letter to Mexico and its culture of honoring the departed loved ones and the people they left behind. It's also about family and the love that binds each member from the present to the afterlife.

Coco is about Miguel, a young boy who dreams of becoming a musician, like his idol the great late Mexican singer Ernesto de la Cruz. For some reason, his family objects anything related to music in general. A trip to the cemetery on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) suddenly transports Miguel to the other world and there he discovers, with the help of a mischief named Hector (voiced by passion by Gael Garcia Bernal) the truth of everything. The other world is so enchanting that kids would totally forget that it is a world inhabited by the dead. There are some great references to iconic Mexican figures such as Frida Kahlo, the actor Cantiflas and the wrestler Santo.

Coco's script co-written by its director Lee Unkrich is so beautifully written you forget that it's animated movie. I won't be surprised if adults are the ones who are more engrossed in the film rather than the children. The last 30 minutes of the film have the best drama scenes that you can find in any Hollywood movie this year. It has such raw emotions that will leave you teary eyed and make you say a prayer to your departed loved ones.

MOVIE REVIEW: Justice League

I had low expectations about Justice League. This is director Zack Snyder's 3rd film in the DC Extended Universe and the first two films that he helmed: Man of Steel and last year's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice were polarizing. There were fans but some people especially those hardcore DC Comics fans were disappointed by the treatment. 

Justice League is different though. There are still some dark, brooding elements that are the signature style of Snyder. Fortunately, writer Josh Whedon  who gave the Avengers series in the rival Marvel Universe, brought some needed humor and vibrance in the film. It also helped that the films running time is only 2 hours which is one of the shortest in superhero comic book films. It sets the stage for more films in the series that hopefully are as entertaining as this one. Gal Gadot fresh from the success of Wonder Woman earlier this year, continues her charm that was a big factor on why her stand alone film was both a critical and box office success. Ezra Miller's Barry Allen/The Flash, Jason Momoa's Arthur Curry/Aquaman and Ray Fisher's Victor Stone/Cyborg were given little introductions in the previous films and now I can say that I'm extremely satisfied with their performances in the film. Miller still has that natural comic timing which made him the breakout star of 2012's The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Momoa has the built and look of a superhero built to live and survive water. Fisher has the fewer screen credits among the cast but his Cyborg has a bright future ahead. I'm now looking forward to see them again on the big screen reprising their iconic characters. 

Ben Affleck's portrayal of the Caped Crusader is arguably one of the best and Henry Cavill's Superman died in the previous film but a movie about Justice League ain't complete without the Man of Steel. Be ready to be surprised and entertained.