This is well worth the time for fans of Coco, or for anyone who has an interest in Mexican culture. It's a recording of a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, designed to celebrate the Disney/Pixar film Coco. And it does so, brilliantly, but the concert also had other material that wasn't included in the film (about half of the concert contains music not in the film, because the film itself doesn't have a lot of songs), and those songs are traditional to the Mexican culture.
It's a beautifully shot, tasteful tribute to the culture. It's an upbeat, joyous celebratory release, and it's an absolute pleasure to watch. It's got music performed in both English and Spanish, with interview segments from the crew of Coco interspersed throughout the show, after the majority of the songs.
The only downside of the film is that the original actor for Miguel doesn't return to sing his songs due to the inevitable change in his voice from the time the film came out till the time this concert film came out. A benefit, however, is that they gave that actor's younger brother the chance to follow in his brother's footsteps and perform the songs before a live audience, which was both touching and fun, because he easily equals the energy his brother brought to the film, complete with "dead' make-up to seal the deal.
This, thankfully, isn't designed to make you cry like the film. But you most definitely will hear "Remember Me" played in this special which is sure to bring a tear to the eye of anyone who has seen the film.
Overall, whether you're a fan of the film or have an interest in exploring Mexican culture around Dios de La Muerte, this is a perfect way to do so. In such a short time, you get a beautiful selection of songs, both Disney-produced and traditional. What's not to love about that?
