Awards season has begun once again and with such a turbulent year that has seen cinemas reopening and more studios utilising streaming services, there are an abundance of films that are competing for those big awards. What is wonderful to see about the offerings from 2021 is how well received films directed by women were with Julia Ducournau winning the Palme d’Or for her incredible boundary pushing film, Titane while Jane Campion has returned to feature filmmaking after a 12 year hiatus with her intricate character-led The Power of the Dog. The variety of films on offer this year prove that there is something for everyone which ensures that this awards season is going to be great.
As ever, I will be gathering all of the reviews for the films that will be competing for awards from best special effects to best picture and everything in between.
Here is the list of films to guide you through awards season 2022:
Disney has been on a roll this year and Encanto marks their third animated release (including Pixar) following Raya and the Last Dragon and Luca. Following the traditional format of the animated musical, Encanto is set in a small village in Colombia and follows the magical Madrigal family where each member has a unique gift that helps the community to flourish thanks to an enchanted candle that was gifted to the matriarch except for protagonist Mirabel who was not granted any powers and is often underestimated or seen as a nuisance and burden, especially by the matriarch, her Abuela Alma. What follows is Mirabel trying to solve the mystery of her family’s powers and why she wasn’t granted a power in the hopes that she can eventually unlock her gift. The result is a film that boasts exceptional animation filled with eye-catching colours and a world full of imagination and magic that would make audiences of all ages captivated by the wonder and beautiful storytelling.
As with most Disney animations, Encanto is a collaboration when it comes to the direction and writing as it is directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard and written by Bush and Charise Castro Smith. What Encanto does so well is subvert stereotypes and challenge expectations and perceptions. Mirabel’s sisters are a great example of this as the strong and muscular Luisa is able to show her sensitive side while Isabela is known for her beauty and perfection but she wants to feel free and unrestricted. Mirabel’s position as an outsider works well as we are able to observe these characters at a distance and witness their growth while simultaneously seeing Mirabel develop and forge her own identity. One of the major themes in the film is finding a place to belong from Abuela Alma’s struggles as she is forced to flee her home and building a community from the ground up to Mirabel’s desire to find out where she truly belongs. The brilliance of the events in Encanto is that we don’t leave the area unlike other films such as Moana where the titular character has to venture overseas to solve the mystery, Mirabel has everything she needs within the home and her family but simply has to put these pieces together. This doesn’t make the film suffer and allows for great pacing that means we see the supporting characters more than other Disney films.
The protagonist of the film is Mirabel who is voiced by Stephanie Beatriz who is known for playing Rosa Diaz on TV show Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Diaz’s performance is fantastic and following her turn as Carla in this year’s In the Heights (with music also provided by Lin-Manuel Miranda), she is able to add her singing talents to Encanto as well as her quirky humour while also delving into the dramatic elements of the plot. Mirabel’s struggles from having no power and the way that her family view her as a hindrance. What makes Mirabel such an effective protagonist is the realism in terms of her mannerisms and attitude. She isn’t portrayed as someone who is perfect and right all the time but a flawed young woman who makes mistakes and has a good heart. Her good intentions don’t always generate good results but this doesn’t mean that she is unlikeable and makes her more relatable than a lot of animated Disney protagonists.
The songs in the film are provided by Lin-Manuel Miranda who has developed a close relationship with Disney in recent years. As expected, the songs perfectly capture the setting and emotions of the characters while incorporating signature Miranda elements such as mixing genres and singing styles to create a soundtrack that is distinguishable and unique. There are many brilliant songs on the album from the opening introduction “The Family Madrigal” to the slow and dramatic “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and songs that are completely sung in Spanish with no subtitles which heightens the authenticity of the Colombian setting. Miranda’s soundtrack for Moana was undoubtedly a hit but with Encanto, he has proven his ability to write for film that differs in context and setting with ease without sacrificing his own artistic license.
In a year that has seen Disney release several animated films, Encanto comes out top as the most original, vibrant and creative of the three thanks to the memorable characters, stunning animation and incredible soundtrack. Not only does it capture the Colombian setting and culture fantastically, it does so in a way that is captivating thanks to the writing and development of Mirabel as a great protagonist.
What did you think of Encanto? Let me know in the comments below!
Pixar’s latest film, Luca, takes us all the way to the Italy and follows the life of the titular character, a sea monster, who longs to have adventures on the surface after being introduced to the land by his new friend, Alberto, who is also a sea monster. The two escape to the nearby town of Portorosso in a bid to purchase a Vespa so they can go on many adventures. There have been comparisons made with other films such as Call Me By Your Name and Disney’s own The Little Mermaid but Luca is a distinctly unique film of its own and blends wonderful animation style with an unexpected storyline. Directed by Enrico Casarosa and based on a script by Mike Jones and Jesse Andrews, Luca will leave you breathless thanks to the beautiful animation, engaging characters and heart warming message.
Casarosa’s direction is wonderful and Luca marks his feature directorial debut for Pixar following his beautiful Oscar nominated short, La Luna. What made La Luna such a standout short among the Pixar shorts is how vivid it is in its use of colours as well as how emotional the storytelling is. Casarosa certainly knows how to convey the emotion of storytelling through the differing landscapes. The script also does well in serving this desire for freedom as we are thrust into Luca’s world with very little set up so we become introduced to everything as Luca is. Taking inspiration from the films of Studio Ghibli in terms of the rich scenery, coming of age journeys as well as naming the town Portorosso after Ghibli’s beloved film Porco Rosso which also takes place in Italy. Jones and Andrew have written a film that dives deeper than what’s on the surface.
Leading the cast as the titular character is Jacob Tremblay, who has had a brilliant career for someone so young. Having his breakthrough aged 9 in the Oscar winning Room, Tremblay has quickly established himself as an actor capable of bringing a variety of strong performances that many adults could only hope to achieve. This makes him perfectly cast as the titular character, Luca, who wants to explore the world against his parents’ wishes. There are a lot of similarities between Luca’s character and Miguel from Coco in that they are both young boys who want to venture away from what is expected from them and express themselves. Where Miguel wishes to create music, Luca wants to travel and learn about the world. At the start of the film, we see how Luca’s life is micromanaged and despite living in the ocean, is confined to a particular amount of space and is not allowed to venture outside of it before his eyes are opened by Alberto who shows him that there is an entire world out there. Tremblay embodies Luca’s adventurous side and enthusiasm for learning really well and makes the film even more enjoyable to watch.
The rest of the cast is full of newer faces as well as established names which provides a freshness and balance which is needed. Sometimes, animated films can be filled to the brim with starry names but this can take away from the magic of the film. Jack Dylan Grazer does a fantastic job as Alberto, the confident know-it-all who introduces Luca to the surface. As he grows closer to Luca, we begin to see Alberto’s deeper layers and his vulnerability begins to show. Grazer portrays this perfectly and, like Tremblay, has demonstrated his ability to act in a wide range of roles. Newcomer Emma Berman brings a wonderfully energetic performance as outgoing Giulia, who is determined to win the local triathlon while acting staples Maya Rudolph and Sacha Baron Cohen are absolutely wonderful in their small roles as Luca’s mother and uncle respectfully.
With the film being set in Italy and showing this big adventure and friendship between Luca, Alberto and eventually Giulia, the music had to be spectacular to match the film’s brilliance. When it comes to superb film composers, there are few that have achieved the emotion and spectacle in their music as Dan Romer. Romer’s score for the phenomenal Beasts of the Southern Wild is one of the best scores this century thanks to his strong control using brass and strings specifically to convey the fine line between emotions. It is no different with Luca. Bringing in signature brass statements when the boys escape to Portorosso and mixing it with softer pieces, Romer adds another successful installment in a filmography that is bursting with so much talent.
Luca does have an abrupt start but once it finds it flow, the film begins to unfold and develop beautifully. Combining lovable characters, a great script and fantastic direction that has become a staple of Pixar creations, Luca brings an important message of accepting one another’s differences and pursuing your passions in a world that is full of sunshine and colour. A brilliant summer blockbuster, it definitely would have been great to see this on the big screen and hopefully Pixar will be coming back to cinemas with their next release.
What did you think of Luca? Let me know in the comments below!
