When you think of the best Pixar movies, a few likely come to mind first—maybe the always-popular Toy Story series or the emotional rollercoaster of Up.
But I’m here to tell you that one of Pixar’s best movies isn’t one from the earlier days. It’s one of their movies from 2017—and it’s available to watch with a Disney+ subscription. And that is Coco, directed by Lee Unkrich.
Coco is, hands down, the best Pixar movie.
For various reasons
If you know me, you’d know that out of every Pixar movie, Coco is my favorite.
Some people often look at me like I have three heads when I tell them that. It’s never because Coco is inherently a bad movie, because it’s not, by any means. But I think, compared to what many other people consider the peak of Pixar, Coco is one that never seems to top the list.
Usually, it’s Toy Story, WALL-E, Monsters Inc., or any of those earlier films from the late 1990s and 2000s that really shaped who Pixar is. And I get that, really, I do. I would never make fun of someone for having those films as their favorite.
But there is just something about Coco that makes it so much better, starting with the animation style. Is it different from previous Pixar animations? Not entirely. It’s still the same 3D renderings that we have seen develop since the first Toy Story, and they have only gotten better.
However, every single time I have watched this film, whether it was the first or the thirtieth time, I am blown away by the animation because of how A) stunningly beautiful it is, with its variety of colors, and B) how amazingly accurate those palettes are to Mexican culture.
It is, quite literally, as if the creators of this film reached into a picture of someone celebrating Día de Los Muertos and pulled out every aspect, then pasted it into this film. It’s so well-done, and looks even better on the big screen.
Coco’s story is mature but still fun (and understandable) for kids
A rarity in today’s media
I think one of my biggest gripes with modern-day Pixar is that a lot of the newer movies don’t really have those super deep themes that the older ones used to have. Toy Story, Wall-E, and even Up had some really intense moments where the creators assumed that children had a basic understanding of empathy and feelings.
Many new Pixar films lack those deep messages (except Hoppers, which was great). They don’t resonate as much with kids and adults, favoring easy laughs instead.
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Coco, now almost 10 years old, remains a great example of a Pixar film that pushes its story further.
The fact that there’s an entire movie focused on the afterlife, aimed at children, is a risk in and of itself. But Coco touches on familial trauma, intense grief, the power of music, and so much more. It doesn’t hold back its punches and fully invests in viewers’ feelings, assuming that both children and adults will understand these messages.
And it pays off. The story of Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez), trying to earn his great-grandfather’s blessing in order to play music, his one true passion, while going on this crazy adventure, is alluring enough to young eyes. But what you really get as you watch the film is even better.
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The twist is, by far, the best one out there
I’m sorry, he did what now?
Every Pixar film has a twist. Most are predictable.
With Coco? Oh, I was blindsided, my friends. Bamboozled.
If you, for some reason, have not seen Coco, I will not spoil what the twist is. But let me tell you—I distinctly remember sitting in the theater with my best friend and us turning to each other, gasping when we found out what was really happening, and falling back in our seats with our hands tangled in our hair.
The twist in Coco is one of those moments where you want to go back and rewatch the film to catch the little signs. You know, those moments where it heavily implies what the twist reveals, but you just didn’t get it that first watch. It’s expertly woven into the storyline, making the climactic ending that much better.
The music is top-tier
I get teary-eyed every time
Pixar really isn’t known for its music. I mean, sure, they have some iconic scores by iconic composers, like Michael Giacchino, Randy Newman, and more. But Coco’s soundtrack is not only well-composed but also woven into the culture it represents so well.
Of course, Giacchino returned to compose the score for this, but pair that with the original songs written by co-director Adrian Molina, Germaine Franco, and the writing couple Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and it’s phenomenal. The musical moments are few and far between, but when they hit, oh, they hit.
Coco is still one of the only few Pixar films to make me sob like a baby about four times, and I don’t regret it.
Coco is a must-watch movie
There are so many great movies on Disney+ that aren’t Marvel, and Coco, to me, is a must for anyone who hasn’t seen it. Of all the present-day Pixar films, this one still has substance and such beauty. But it’s also a beautiful representation of my culture and a film that, in another ten years, is still going to be one of the best Pixar films ever.
Now I just want to rewatch it—and maybe get a real Pixar lamp to celebrate. Time to visit Disney.
- Subscription with ads
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Yes, the Disney Basic plan
- Simultaneous streams
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Up to 4
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No
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Starting at $10/month
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
