Often times, before viewers watch several Pixar films, they are advised to bring a box of tissues with them to the movie screening – the studio’s films have become strongly associated with tears. Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., WALL-E, Up, and Inside Out are often cited as examples. Toy Story 3, directed by Lee Unkrich, is packed with moments where loss and death are themes that lead to people shedding tears. Unkrich, along with co-director Adrian Molina, matches that high bar he set with his latest directorial effort, Coco, a film that tackles the idea of death head-on and manages to make it look easy. Many films stumble with portraying death, but Coco handles it incredibly well – in a moving, hopeful, and inspiring way. I practically sobbed during Coco, for a number of reasons, not only for how beautifully the film juggles the concepts of family and death, but also for how they resonated with me and how I view my family. I have been waiting to write openly about Coco – now that it has been out for a few weeks and millions around the world are seeing this gem of a film, that time to share is here. Please, please do not read this if you have not seen the film, as there are SPOILERS in this article, so it is directed at those who have already watched it – those of you still here, read on. [Read more…]