Classics: A Review of Coco By Lauren Ennis

Thanksgiving is a time that has become synonymous with food, festivities, and football. It is a time to gather together and give thanks for those most dear to us and reflect upon those we have lost. In keeping with the spirit of the season there is no better film to kick off Thanksgiving with your family with than 2017’s Coco. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration, Coco tells a coming of age story about family, remembrance, and music that is guaranteed to get your toes tapping and your eyes welling up.

The story begins with aspiring musician Miguel relating the tale of how his family came to be “the only family in Mexico who hates music”. Several generations ago Miguel’s musician great great grandfather disappeared, abandoning his family to presumably pursue a musical career. Rather than despair, Miguel’s resilient great great grandmother, Mama Imelda, raised her young daughter, Coco, alone and built a successful shoe business that Miguel’s family continues to run. Her husband’s betrayal left Mama Imelda with a bitter contempt for music that carried down to all of her descendants, except of course for Miguel. Despite his family’s prohibition of all things musical, he longs to break with his family’s traditions and become a musician, just like his famous idol Ernesto De La Cruz. Family tensions reach a breaking point when Miguel refuses to take his place in the family business and finds a clue that may link his mysterious great great grandfather to De La Cruz. And so begins a journey that will take Miguel to the land of the dead where he meets both his ancestors and his idol and learns the importance of family and the power of music.

For a movie in which half of its characters are dead, Coco is surprisingly life-affirming.  Rather than focusing upon the grief or suffering of death the film instead keeps in the spirit of the Day of the Dead and celebrates the lives and afterlives of its characters. Through its depiction of Miguel’s journey to the land of the dead and back again the film assures viewers that death doesn’t have to be an ending and that the surest way to keep part of our loved ones alive is to remember and commemorate them. As a result, the film acts as a gentle introduction to the concept of death for young viewers and provides an excellent outlet for coping with loss that viewers of all ages can relate to. Simultaneously, the film’s focus upon the afterlife reminds us of just how limited our time on earth is, and of the importance of using what time we do have to devote ourselves to the people and things that matter most. In this way, the story encourages viewers to chase their dreams and passions, while also warning against the dangers of losing sight of our loved ones and responsibilities along the way. The film’s emphasis upon such weighty themes as life, death, family, and duty allows it to offer surprisingly adult lessons all while maintaining a warmth, wit, and tenderness that  ensures it remains entirely kid friendly.

Through a combination of dazzling animation, infectious songs, and engaging voice acting Coco brings both modern Mexico and the Day of the Dead to brilliant life. the animation marks a new high for Pixar as the lush scenery transports viewers from the streets of Mexico to the land of the dead. Even while surrounded by breathtaking visuals the expressiveness and realism of the character design ensures that the characters remain at center stage. This ode to all things music more than delivers on its score which combines Mexican classics with original songs. The unique score lends authenticity to the setting while propelling the story forward with an infectiousness that is guaranteed to leave viewers humming. The film's array of memorable characters are vividly realized by the talented voice performers with Anthony Gonzalez, Benjamin Bratt, and Gael Garcia Bernal earning particular note in their roles as Miguel, de la Cruz, and Hector.

By turns heart warming and heart breaking, Coco is a prime example of family entertainment at its finest. Through its captivating animation, enchanting score, and engaging performances the film casts a spell that is nothing short of cinematic magic. By its final reel Coco will have you laughing, singing, and even crying with its characters as it takes you on an epic journey that you are guaranteed to remember.

Classics: Three Stars Who Made Stellar Contributions to the War Effort By Lauren Ennis

Each year on the anniversary of the 1918 armistice that ended World War I the United States honors veterans past and present who served liberty in its most dire hours. These individuals worked, fought, and died in order to ensure that the freedom which we all too often take for granted continues to reign. In honor of Veterans Day this week I'll be turning the spotlight on three actors who made significant contributions to the Allied war effort during World War II both on and off of the battle field.

Charles Durning: Best known for an acting career that spanned fifty years and over two-hundred roles, off-screen Charles Durning played the role of decorated soldier during World War II. He was just twenty-one when his infantry unit stormed the beach at Normandy during the D-Day invasion of France. Despite sustaining both machine gun and shrapnel wounds he ultimately killed several German soldiers, and was the only member of his unit to survive that fateful day. He later faced another harrowing experience while fighting in Belgium where he was stabbed by a German soldier's bayonet, only to ultimately kill the soldier in hand to hand combat. After recovering from his injuries he resumed duty and fought in the Battle of the Bulge, where he was captured by enemy combatants. During his time in a Nazi POW camp he was one of only three men to survive the prisoner massacre at Malmedy, Belgium. Durning's heroism earned him a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts, but the trauma of his experiences took a severe physical and mental toll that led to his spending four years in and out of military hospitals as he struggled to readjust to civilian life. Although he generally preferred not to discuss his war-time experiences and once told an interviewer, "Too many bad memories, I don't want you to see me crying" he participated in the National Memorial Day Concert to commemorate the 60th anniversary of D-Day, and went on to make annual appearances at the event. Although he returned to civilian life to enjoy a long and varied acting career he never forgot his war-time experiences and participated in numerous events to honor veterans and raise awareness of the psychological wounds of war. Durning, like so many allied soldiers, displayed a courage and self-sacrifice that is truly daunting, and cannot possibly be encompassed in a simple blog entry. To learn more about this true American hero watch the man himself at work below as he describes his experiences during the 2007 National Memorial Day Concert.

Audrey Hepburn: Long before she was America's sweetheart Audrey Hepburn was leading a movie worthy double life as a school girl by day and Dutch Resistance member by night. Although her aristocratic parents initially supported the Axis as members of the British Union of Fascists, Hepburn's mother, Edda van Heemstra, drastically changed her political views after experiencing Nazi occupation firsthand in Holland. After her uncle was executed for suspected resistance activities, one of her half-brothers was deported to a German labor camp, and her other half-brother was forced into hiding, Hepburn and her mother took action and began  fighting against Nazi oppression. While the pair's activities started small with van Heemstra organizing and Hepburn performing in underground dance recitals to raise funds for resistance efforts, teenage Hepburn quickly graduated to distributing Resistance newspapers and transporting messages. The unlikely heroines even risked their own safety by relaying messages to, providing food for, and on at least one occasion secretly housing downed allied pilots. As the war dragged on enemy occupation took its toll as food shortages left young Hepburn, along with most of Holland on the brink of starvation. Her harrowing experiences during the war continued to impact her long after liberation and ultimately inspired her to become a UNICEF ambassador in an effort to help other children living in war and poverty. When asked about her war-time work later in life the ever modest Hepburn dismissed her efforts saying that she was only doing "What every loyal Dutch schoolgirl and boy did" and insisting that "Many were much more courageous than I was". Over twenty-five years after her death in 1993 Audrey Hepburn continues to remind us that, in her own words, "Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible!".

An even better spy off-screen than on

Hedy Lamarr: Austrian bombshell Hedy Lamarr spent her war years in Hollywood where she, like many actresses, sold war bonds, entertained the troops at the Hollywood Canteen, and developed cutting edge military technology. Actually, she might be the only Hollywood star who can make that last claim. It all started during her childhood in Vienna when her father exposed her to advanced mathematics and science and encouraged her to be an independent thinker. Years later, after escaping both an abusive marriage to a fascist arms dealer and the impending Nazi annexation of Austria, she arrived in Hollywood where she eventually used her scientific skill in service of her adopted country. In the early 1940’s, Lamarr began a friendship with her neighbor, avant-garde artist George Antheil, who was working with a series of experimental instruments, including a set of synchronized player pianos. While observing Antheil’s pianos, she noted how their programming caused each piano to ‘hop’ from one note to another in unison and began to wonder why the radio signals controlling allied  torpedoes couldn’t do the same. She theorized that synchronizing radio signals to jump from one frequency to another would make it much more difficult for the Axis to pinpoint the signal’s location and jam it with broadcast interference. After countless hours of work, Lamarr and Anthiel completed their invention and brought it before US naval intelligence. Unfortunately, the device was so advanced for its era that experts ultimately rejected it, and Frequency Hopping was not implemented until the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, after Lamarr and Anthiel had unfortunately let their patent expire. Frequency Hopping went on to become the basis for Spread-Spectrum Communication technology, which is utilized today in Blue Tooths, GPS systems, internet WiFi, and the majority of modern military technology. By using her intellectual gifts, Lamarr was able to defy the constraints of her era and create a truly innovative invention that has shaped modern technology, both military and civilian, as we know it.  Next time you use your Bluetooth, GPS, or cellphone, I hope you take a second to think of Hedy Lamarr, a woman who was truly ahead of her time.

Let's all raise a glass to Hedy Lamarr