Today’s animated film recommendation is Coco.
Following yesterday’s discussion about those skeletal set pieces being used as playthings in the background, today I am diving into an even darker “hell joke.” This story shows us why burying your family history and banning the younger generation from doing what they love “for their own good” without giving them a reason will only lead the youth of the family to:
- Run as far away as possible,
- Stay and harm themselves out of guilt or low self-worth,
Grow into hypocritical, narcissistic idiots who parrot fake textbook ideals, hide behind nationalism, play the victim, embarrass their country while pretending to represent it, and turn out to be complete fake feminists and fake do-gooders—basically disgusting, self-righteous trash.
In Coco, the protagonist Miguel has loved music since he was young—but his family hates music more than anything. Why? Miguel doesn’t know. But from the adults’ silence and a torn photograph, he draws the wrong conclusion!
So while Miguel longs for freedom and identity, he is constantly held back, forbidden, and dragged down by his family. Thankfully, his family members still have a conscience—they don’t let him destroy himself or, worse, crush him with a tank. With the help of a spirit animal, they uncover the buried truths they were too afraid to face. They resolve their misunderstandings and sing together for the dead.
We must remember that burying the truth only allows schemers to swoop in and take everything your family worked for. If they’re truly your family, they should love and support your dreams—not constantly stifle your growth under the guise of “knowing what’s best for you.”
Those who say they must sacrifice family in order to achieve greatness are nothing but self-serving hypocrites in disguise. That person—or those people—aren’t your real family. They only see you as a tool to be exploited. Get it?
Being a decent person, loving your family—those things matter more than fame or success. And may the patriotic Chinese souls in Tiananmen Square who died 36 years ago under unspoken circumstances rest in peace, and know their will has not been forgotten.
