Remember Coco

Coco currently sits at #10 on my ever-evolving and constantly-shifting Pixar Power Rankings™️—which is wild because it is such a beautifully rendered piece of animation that would happily sit at the top on any other animation studio’s ofrenda. Coco may not have the reputation of Pixar hits like Up, Finding Nemo, and Toy Story, it’s easy to forget about its moving moments.

Today is day two of the two-day Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos (in English, Day of the Dead), which occurs every November 1st and 2nd. The holiday is intended to honor family members who have died. Rather than a sad and somber time of grief, it is a celebrating and a way of remembering loved ones by visiting cemeteries or constructing an ofrenda on which loved ones pictures are displayed surrounded by decor of their favorites foods and drinks which are given as offerings to the deceased. There is a supernatural nature to the celebrating as Mexicans traditionally hope to be visited by the souls of family members who have died and hear their prayers and stories. The desire is to remember and not to forget by way of celebration and honor.

Offerings.jpg

With certain anthropological disagreements aside, I see the holiday as a healthy reminder of death and the importance of remembering. There seems to be a universal longing present in all humans to be reunited with loved ones after death. The Christian hope of the new heavens and new earth promises a reunion, a wedding feast, new bodies, and eternal life for those who trust in Jesus for their salvation. The Christian worldview is also honest about death (I wrote more about death in two Netflix films here), grief, and sadness. The Bible’s understanding of death is realistic, yet hopeful. Death is not the end; it does not have the last word. Coco affirms this understanding and joins in the longing for reunion, celebration, redemption, and remembering. As Christians, we can be grateful that it is Christ who remembers us on the day of our death.

Coco is currently streaming on Disney+.

If you like Coco, also check out Kubo and the Two Strings.

Recommended Resources:

Mitch Wiley