_Encanto_ is a lovely movie that fails just a bit short on the way to being an instant classic.

The animation is top notch. That surely doesn't surprise anyone, but I really got the feeling the animators were flexing their skills with this movie. Many characters, but especially the protagonist, Mirabel, are dressed with big, floofy, flowing dresses that are just mesmerizing to look at. And Mirabel's hair! Incredibly well done. Since Tangled, Disney has nailed the animation aspect of hair. Honestly, they got everything right, from the fur of the animals to the light blonde hair on the characters' skin.

The whole scenery is also amazing to look at. I'm not Colombian myself (or Latino for that matter), but I've been told from someone who is that it really looks like a place in Colombia, from the way the mountains around look, to the style of the houses of the town.

The characters are honestly where this movie fails a bit short for me. They're all lovely, but since there is so many of them, they're not really that fleshed out. They feel shallow and one-dimensional, like they're there just to fill a bit of screentime instead of being functional to the story.

Speaking of the story, I really liked the premise of it. It started strong and it gripped me right away, but after a while I felt like it was missing a purpose a bit. Every time there was a conflict, it was almost immediately resolved, almost rushed. I liked that they did a movie without an obvious villain, though. It is a breath of fresh air. No evil character out for world domination, just the struggle of a family.

Of course, I have to say something about the songs. I enjoyed them a lot! Especially the introductory one and _We don't talk about Bruno_ have been stuck in my head since I finished watching the movie. But they are all pretty catchy, though I have to say I didn't enjoy the choreography of all of them.

In conclusion, _Encanto_ is a very enjoyable movie that I can recommend to any Disney fan. It has its funny moments and the more serious ones as well, like you would expect for Disney.

7/10