Enchanted by Encanto

Lin Manuel Miranda’s new legacy

By: Vishalli Alagappan

I have never ugly cried at another movie as many times as I did for “Encanto.” By the time the movie was done, I was covered in goosebumps and had finished half a box of tissues. This was so wonderfully written and expertly animated. I have never been so impressed with a Disney movie before. And there’s Afro-Colombian representation! The Madrigal family has all shades of skin color and hair textures ranging from straight and silky to coily-kinky. 

“Encanto” is the tale of the Madrigals who were entrusted with the encanto (enchantment) that bestows each family member with a unique gift when they come of age, except for our protagonist Mirabel. Being ordinary in an extraordinary family has always made Mirabel doubt herself, but when Mirabel discovers that the encanto is in danger, she makes it her primary goal to save the encanto, and consequently, reunify her family.

Now for the music, I didn’t know Lin Manuel Miranda’s songs could keep getting better, but somehow they did. As the oldest child in an immigrant family, I resonated with “Surface Pressure,” during which we learn of Luisa’s inner struggles of finding her worth outside of work and carrying all the family’s burden on her shoulders. As much as I adored the fan-favorite “Surface Pressure,” the song that drained my tear ducts was “Waiting on a Miracle.” Time slows as Mirabel sings to self-soothe her overwhelming loneliness amidst her gifted family members. The song rises and falls effortlessly, highlighting the power and tenderness in singer Stephanie Beatriz’s voice. I think Lin Manuel Miranda’s legacy just changed from “Hamilton” to “Encanto.”

I recommend “Encanto” to anyone who loves exceptionally crafted animation, gets attached to characters easily, and vibes with theatrical, Latin music. This movie is truly such a work of art, in more ways than I’ve described, and the joy and contentment it creates in you stays in your heart for a long time.