10 things you need to know about Disney's new movie Coco

It’s time to practice your Spanish because Disney’s latest offering, Coco, looks set to bring the Latino spirit to cinemas this January.

The animate feature film follows Miguel Rivera, a 12 year old boy who longs of becoming a famous musician like his hero Ernesto de la Cruz. However, Miguel’s family has banned music and as desperate as he is to fulfill his dream, Miguel ends up in the Land of the Dead and discovers more than what he bargains for about his family history.

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If you’re planning on seeing Coco this weekend, here are ten things you need to know before you watch (no spoilers included).

1. It’s made by the team behind Toy Story and Finding Nemo

Created by the Oscar winning team behind Toy Story, Monster’s Inc and Finding Nemo, Coco is the animation studio’s 19th feature film.

2. It’s Disney’s first movie set in Mexico

Inspired by the Mexican holiday of Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, the creators behind Coco have visited Mexico numerous times to make sure their depiction of the Latin American country did it justice. There are plenty of real life locations which inspired the film that you might be able to spot too, most notably the city of Guanajuato in central Mexico. With its narrow alleyways and brightly coloured houses Guanajuato proved to be the stunning inspiration for the Land of the Dead.

3. It has an entirely Latino cast - Benjamin Bratt

Featuring the first all Latino cast in a Pixar film, Coco stars Benjamin Bratt (Miss Congeniality, Despicable Me 2), Cheech Marin (The Lion King, Cars, Oliver and Company), Anthony Gonzalez (Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders), Gael García Bernal (Babel, The Motorcycle Diaries) and Alanna Ubach (Meet the Fockers, Rango).

4. It celebrates Mexican heritage

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Filled with folklore, songs, legends, symbols and traditions, Coco pays a beautiful homage to Mexico and there are plenty of references to look out for, such as the iconic Mexican marigold flower. They’re the only living plant in the Land of the Dead and deeply symbolic to Mexicans celebrating Día de Los Muertos, the marigold is said to guide the spirit of a loved one home.

5. It also stars Mexico’s hairless dog

Xoloitzcuintle, the national dog of Mexico, also has a starring role in the film as Dante, Miguel’s loyal sidekick. In ancient times it was also believed these dogs would help guide spirits to their final resting place.

6. It’s multi-award winning

Coco has already won 32 awards and been nominated for 62. Most recently it won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film, the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Song (“Remember Me”) and it’s also nominated for Best Animated Film at the BAFTAs.

Congrats to the cast and crew of #PixarCoco on the #GoldenGlobes win for Best Animated Feature! pic.twitter.com/NvMRL2HQLs

— Disney•Pixar's Coco (@pixarcoco) January 8, 2018

7. It has a brilliant soundtrack

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Forget Let It Go, Remember Me is going to the song on everybody’s lips and is a sweet song to remember ancestors and lost loved ones.

8. Guitarists can actually play along with the characters - guitar image

The guitar playing in the film is completely authentic. By attaching cameras to guitars as a reference, the animators were able to have the characters play the guitar properly, meaning they hit all the right notes!

9. It’s bursting with details

500 individual pieces of clothing were designed especially for the characters in Coco to get them looking as authentic as possible. To achieve the desired look, Pixar animators spent time drawing Mexican folkloric dancers.

10. It’s been a global box office success

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So far Coco has taken in about $626.5 million at the box office and has become a massive global success for Pixar. When Coco opened in cinemas in Mexico in 2017 it became the biggest box office hit in the country’s history.

You can also read a review of the film

© 2017 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved