Pixar’s Coco is a beautifully animated, heartwarming story of music and family that takes place around Día de los Muertos, the Mexican holiday for honoring/remembering deceased ancestors and loved ones. Twelve-year-old Miguel Rivera (Anthony Gonzalez) loves his family, but has always felt a little out of place—he loves music, but it has been banned in his family, since before he was born. His great, great grandmother, Mamá Imelda (Alanna Ubach, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce), was married to a musician who died while off pursuing his music career, leaving her to raise their daughter Coco all on her own. Ever since then, the Riveras have been shoemakers, and music has been forbidden in their home—they are pretty much the only family in Mexico that doesn’t appreciate music. This tradition has been carried on over the generations, and is now being reinforced by Coco’s daughter, Miguel’s Abuelita (Renée Victor, Weeds). As everyone else is preparing the family ofrenda to honor the deceased Rivera family members, Miguel is more interested in practicing his guitar and getting into the town’s Día de los Muertos talent show. However, when Abuelita discovers what Miguel is up to, she smashes his guitar. Desperate, Miguel tries to “borrow” the guitar from the tomb of the beloved singer Ernesto de la Cruz, who he just recently discovered was the man who caused Mamá Imelda to hate music. However, when Miguel steals the guitar, he finds himself transported into the realm of the dead, where he can only be seen by the deceased.

Día de los Muertos is the one night of the year that the dead can visit their living family members, but they can only cross over into the Land of the Living if someone remembers them by placing their photo on the family ofrenda. Miguel soon meets his deceased family members, and while they are excited to see him, they are surprised to see a living boy in the Land of the Dead. The only way Miguel can return to the Land of the Living is if he receives a family member’s blessing before the sun comes up, otherwise he will be stuck in the Land of the Dead forever. However, Mamá Imelda is stubborn, and will only give Miguel her blessing with the stipulation that he promise to give up music forever. Music is a huge part of Miguel, and he doesn’t want to give this up, but none of the other relatives will defy Mamá Imelda and give him a condition-free blessing. So Miguel runs off to seek out the one family member who would understand his love of music, the great Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt, Star). As Mamá Imelda sends her alebrije on a hunt for her great great grandson, Miguel crosses paths with the streetwise Héctor (Gael García Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle), who has been desperately trying all kinds of scams to cross over to the Land of the Living, but has been unsuccessful. Héctor claims to know Ernesto, and offers to help Miguel find him if he agrees to take his photo back with him and put it on his family’s ofrenda, so that he will be able to cross over. And so begins an exciting, delightful, and heartwarming adventure as Miguel learns the truth about family, love and the importance of remembering your ancestors, while also getting to express his love of music along the way.

Pixar has really hit it out of the park with its latest animated film. Not only is Coco a spectacular feast for the eyes, but it also nourishes the soul. The film is a love letter to Mexican traditions and culture, showcasing these for the rest of the word to see and experience. No matter what your background, this story of family and love is one that is relatable to all, and is sure to bring tears to the eyes of even the most hardened of hearts. The story is far from predictable, taking some unexpected turns that just further enforce the idea that family always comes first and is an important part of everyone’s lives. In addition to well defined characters and a touching story, the animation looks spectacular and the music—both the score and the original songs—is amazing. I first saw this film in the theater, but was just as engaged and emotionally stirred the second time around. This is definitely a film I will be re-watching over and over again.

The 4K UHD presentation is phenomenal. Every scene is filled with vibrant colors—from the flowers, to the decorations on the streets, and rainbow of buildings in the town. During the evening of Día de los Muertos, the scenes of the candle-lit graveyard are visually stunning, and just when you think this movie couldn’t look any more beautiful, we head to the Land of the Dead, which is so rich with color and detail. The 4K presentation provides an incredible amount of detail in every scene—you can really see the textures on the walls, buildings and clothing, and even the scratches on Miguel’s guitar from where his fingers hit the instrument as he strums. In one scene we see Ernesto performing on stage, surrounded by dozens of women dancing with their flowing dresses, and everything remains completely detailed despite the number of things going on in the scene. And in another scene, Miguel is looking at the TV, watching one of Ernesto’s old black & white films, and you can see Miguel’s reflection in the screen. It’s truly astonishing the level of detail that can be achieved with today’s technology!

The audio presentation is equally impressive. The Atmos soundtrack is well-utilized to provide a fully-immersive aural experience. In one scene you can hear the sound of bells chiming overhead, in another the echoes around the room make you feel like you are in the cave along with the characters, and whenever a character is performing on a stage, you can hear the joy and roar of the audience all around you. The dialogue remains clear throughout the film, and the soundtrack and musical performances sound amazing. The score transports you to Mexico, making use of many unique instruments native to the area. And the musical numbers—such as the touching “Remember Me”, and the fun “Un Poco Loco”—will be stuck in your head for days after seeing the film.

The 4K release comes packed in a standard UHD keepcase along with a rounded-corner cardboard slipcover. Inside is the digital copy redemption instructions (the digital copy redeems in UHD format), along with the UHD and Blu-ray discs. The Blu-ray Feature disc is on one side of the case and the UHD disc and Blu-ray Bonus discs are stacked up on the other side. The Blu-ray Feature disc contains about 22 minutes of bonus features plus an audio commentary while the bonus disc contains an 68 minutes of featurettes, 33 minutes of deleted scenes, and some trailers for the film. The one disappointment with the bonus features is that the animated short that was shown with the film theatrically, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, was not included. Also, while the 4K release is phenomenal, it was disappointing to see that Disney did not release the 3D Blu-ray option in the U.S. (it is available in other countries)—this is such a visually stunning film, and it would have been great to have that viewing option as well for those who have the ability to watch 3D at home.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:45:02)

4K Ultra HD:

• 2160p / Widescreen 2.39:1
• HDR-10
• Audio: English 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos, English 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Blu-ray:

• 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
• Audio: English 7.1 DTS-HD MA, English 5.1 DTS-HD HR, English 2.0 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
• Subtitles: English SDH, English, French, Spanish

Digital:

• Digital Copy
  Redeems in UHD via Movies Anywhere. While Movies Anywhere only offers HD playback, the digital copy propagates to linked services like Vudu and iTunes in UHD.

Extras:
The bonus features are only included on the Blu-ray Feature and Bonus discs. Additional bonus features and digital bonus features may vary by retailer.

Blu-ray Feature Disc:

• Welcome to the Fiesta (2:16)
  Director Lee Unkrich, co-director Adrian Molina and producer Darla K. Anderson provide an optional commentary on this proof-of-concept animation of skeletons celebrating in the Land of the Dead along with Miguel.
• Mi Familia (10:00)
  The cast and crew talk about the weird rules their own families have, going to Mexico on research trips, the Mexican matriarchal family structure, what family means to them, and the inspiration for the characters. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, animatics, and interviews with additional character art director Daniela Strijleva, set dressing lead Amy L. Allen, lighting concept artist Ernesto Nemesio, director of photography-lighting Danielle Feinberg, producer Darla K. Anderson, co-director/writer Adrian Molina, story supervisor Jason Katz, director Lee Unkrich, character art director Daniel Arriaga, writer Matthew Aldrich, production designer Harley Jessup, story artist Manny Hernandez, playwright/cultural consultant Octavio Solis, cartoonist/cultural consultant Lalo Alcaraz, supervising animator Michael Venturini, supervising animator Gini Cruz Santos, and actress Alana Ubach (Mamá Imelda).
• Dante (6:14)
  The filmmakers talk about the inspiration for lovable street dog Dante, and the history of the Mexican xoloitzcuintli (xolo) breed. Includes behind-the-scenes footage with real dogs, and interviews with co-director/writer Adrian Molina, director Lee Unkrich, producer Darla K. Anderson, story supervisor Jason Katz, character modeling & articulation artist Alonso Martínez, director of photography-lighting Danielle Feinberg, story manager Michael Capbarat, and actress Natalia Cordova-Buckley (Frida Kahlo).
• How to Draw a Skeleton (3:18)
  Character art director Daniel Arriaga gives viewers a quick lesson on drawing a skeleton using simple shapes.
• Filmmaker Commentary (1:45:02)
  Director by Lee Unkrich, screenwriter/co-director Adrian Molina and producer Darla K. Anderson provide an entertaining commentary throughout the film. They talk about the music, and some of the alternate openings, scenes and characters that were ultimately changed or cut. They point out some Pixar Easter eggs, and also discuss a lot of the cultural traditions and inspirations that are depicted in the film. It would have been nice if this had also been included on the UHD disc, so that you could watch the film in 4K while listening to the commentary.
• Sneak Peeks
  Ads for Disney Movie Rewards and the Disney Now app, a clip from Star Wars Forces of Destiny, and a preview trailers for Incredibles 2.

Blu-ray Bonus Disc:
Subtitles are offered in English SDH, English, Castilian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French (Quebec), French, German, Italian, Spanish, Norwegian, Russian, and Swedish.

• Bonus Features
  • A Thousand Pictures a Day  (20:03)
    Join the filmmakers as they travel through Mexico during the Día de los Muertos holiday, immersing themselves in the culture, families, traditions, markets, shops, and other locations. The crew discusses how these trips provided inspiration for things seen in the film. Participants include journalist/cultural consultant Marcela Davison Aviles, co-director/writer Adrian Molina, director Lee Unkrich, producer Darla K. Anderson, production designer Harley Jessup, director of photography-lighting Danielle Feinberg, story artist Manny Hernandez, story supervisor Jason Katz, character art director Daniel Arriaga, and artist/taller María Ángeles.
  • The Music of Coco (13:12)
    The filmmakers discuss the essential role of the music in the film, and the uniquely Mexican sound and instruments. Includes behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with co-director/writer/lyricist Adrian Molina, director Lee Unkrich, composer Michael Giacchino, executive music producer Tom MacDougall, producer Darla K. Anderson, cultural music consultant Camilo Lara, music producer/writer/arranger Germaine Franco, sound designer Christopher Boyes, and actor Gael García Bernal (Héctor).
  • Land of Our Ancestors (6:19)
    The filmmakers talk about incorporating the locations from their research trips into the film, designing the look of Land of the Dad, including constructing the layers/eras of architecture that form the residences, and other small rules and details that bring this world to life. Participants include director Lee Unkrich, producer Darla K. Anderson, story supervisor Jason Katz, character art director Daniel Arriaga, director of photography-lighting Danielle Feinberg, sets modeling artists Dave Strick, supervising animator Michael Venturini, lighting concept artist Ernesto Nemesio, sets supervisor Chris Bernardi, and set dressing lead Amy L. Allen.
  • Fashion Through the Ages (8:39)
    The filmmakers discuss the challenges and joys of designing the clothes for the characters that cross two different worlds and many different eras, making the costumes reflect the personalities of each character, and bringing the cloth to life on the screen. Includes behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with shading designer Ana Ramírez González, supervising animator Michael Venturini, cloth & simulation supervisor Christine Waggoner, cultural consultant Marcela Davison Aviles, director Lee Unkrich, production designer Harley Jessup, additional character art director Daniela Strijleva, character art director Daniel Arriaga, supervising animator Gini Cruz Santos, choreographer/cultural advisor Maria Luisa Colmenarez, and cloth simulation core architect David Eberle.
    
  • The Real Guitar (3:08)
    Pixar artist Ernesto Nemesio talks about designing the de la Cruz’s majestic guitar for the film, while master luthier German Vazquez Rubio brings the real instrument to life.
  • Paths to Pixar: Coco (11:44)
    The filmmakers share their own stories of what they wanted to be when they were kids, how they didn’t see themselves represented in film, how they ended up at Pixar, and how their culture is portrayed in the movie. Participants include story artist Luis Gonzalez, simulation coordinator Carolina Ángel, co-director/writer Adrian Molina, animation manager Jesús Martínez, shading designer Ana Ramírez González, character modeling & articulation artist Alonzo Martínez, music producer/writer/arranger Germaine Franco, lighting concept artist Ernesto Nemesio, cartoonist/cultural consultant Lalo Alcaraz, character art director Daniel Arriaga, Pixar producer Jonas Rivera, cafe service manager Vivian Rodriguez, assistant recording engineer Adrian Maruri, home entertainment coordinator Anthony David Duran, and animator Manuel Zenon Rodriguez.
  • How to Make Papel Picado (2:19)
    Pixar artist Ana Ramírez González demonstrates how the traditional Mexican paper-cutting art form of papel picado is made.
  • You Got The Part! (2:12)
    Cameras are with actor Anthony Gonzalez, who was originally hired as the temporary voice of Miguel, when he learns that he officially got the part in the film.
    
• Deleted Scenes (33:07)
  Collection of 7 deleted storyboard sequences with temporary voices/music, along with introductions before each from the director/co-director. Play All or select from:
  • Introduction (1:08)
    Director Lee Unkrich and co-director/writer Adrian Molina provide an overall introduction to the deleted scenes.
  • Día de los Muertos (5:25)
    This deleted musical sequence written by the team behind Frozen provided the original introduction to Ernesto de la Cruz and Día de los Muertos in a big stage number.
  • The Way of the Riveras (5:55)
    Originally, the film was supposed to be a full-on musical, and in this number, Abuelita teaches Miguel about the Rivera family history and traditions as they prepare for their Día de los Muertos celebration.
    
  • Celebrity Tour (5:09)
    In this scene, Héctor is a Land of the Dead celebrity tour bus guide, who learns that Miguel is a living boy, and agrees to help him on his quest to find de la Cruz.
  • The Bus Escape (4:38)
    Marco (original name for the Miguel character) and Hector are on their way to find de la Cruz when the Rivera family attempt to stop them, trying to steal/destroy the guitar in order to break the curse that makes them sing every time they open their mouths.
  • Alebrije Attack  (3:11)
    The original introduction of the character of Pepita, one of the alebrijes in the land of the dead, which occurred much later in the film.
  • The Family Fix (4:30)
    In the first screening version of the film, Miguel needed the guitar in order to return back to the land of the living, but when de la Cruz smashes the guitar, the Rivera family must band together to fix it and send Miguel home.
  • To the Bridge (3:08)
    In one version of the film, Miguel just needed to cross the same marigold bridge he originally arrived on before the end of Día de los Muertos in order to get back to the land of the living, but with only seconds remaining, he finds de la Cruz blocking his path.
• Trailers & Promos
  • Trailers
    • Feeling — United States Trailer #1 (2:12)
    • Dante’s Lunch — Web Exclusive (1:56)
      Teaser in which Dante chases after a bone, which keeps running away.
    • Destiny — Mexico Trailer (2:34)
    • Journey — Brazil Trailer (2:01)
    • Belong — Australia Trailer (2:13)
  • Promos
    • Un Poco Coco (3:05)
      A montage of original animated scenes of the characters just having some fun. These were originally used to promote the film.

Final Thoughts:

Coco is an amazing triumph, bringing the richness of Mexican culture to the rest of the world. The film is beautifully animated, well acted, tells a heartwarming story of love and family, and contains an amazing soundtrack. The 4K presentation is both visually and aurally stunning, and the discs contain a huge assortment of bonus features that are sure to please any fan of the film. This is a movie that can easily be watched over and over again, and will bring tears to your eyes every time. Pixar has really hit it out of the park with this latest film—this is easily a must own release. My only two disappointments were that the Olaf’s Frozen Adventure short that was shown with the film theatrically was not included, and that the U.S. was not given the option of the 3D Blu-ray (which was released in other countries). But, that said, this 4K UHD release is well worth the investment.