The magic of Disney’s Encanto can now be a part of your casita with the home video release of the 60th animated feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios. This review covers the 4K/Blu-Ray/Digital Copy Ultimate Collector’s Edition release, but families can also bring home the magic on Blu-Ray and DVD. The worldwide phenomenon can now have a home on your shelf alongside other timeless Disney classics.
(Disney)
The family Madrigal was blessed with a Miracle long ago and live in an enchanted place called an “Encanto.” The magical home bestows each family member with a magical gift… everyone except Mirabel. But when the magic appears to be coming to an end, Mirabel finds herself in the unique position to be able to pick up the pieces and keep her family united.
A musical spectacular with songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Encanto became a hit through its Disney+ launch last Christmas. It’s so popular that the soundtrack and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” have skyrocketed to the top of the charts. A perk of owning the film on disc is the guarantee of consistent picture quality and upgraded audio options for living rooms equipped with surround sound.
More recently, Disney’s home video releases have felt a little bit barebones, but not this one. Encanto has over an hour of supplemental features that go behind-the-scenes of the filmmaking process, including a deep-dive into the influence of Colombian culture. While not quite the volume of content from the early 2000s when every film was treated to a 2-disc special edition release, it’s more robust than Disney has given fans in a while, which is it’s own kind of miracle.
Bonus Features
- Far From the Tree
- Introduction (2:09) – Director Natalie Norigat introduces the short film that accompanied Encanto in theaters and shares some behind-the-scenes footage.
- Short (7:21) – A young raccoon learns the dangers of the wild from their parent in this animated short.
- Familia Lo Es Todo (23:53) – Directors Byron Howard and Jared Bush lead this behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of Encanto. The documentary includes the creation of a Colombian culture trust, creating the story and characters, and why the film is so important.
- Discover Colombia (17:27) – Join the filmmakers as they talk about their research trip to Colombia and share how the country inspired the story and visual design.
- A Journey Through Music (24:11) – Lin-Manuel Miranda, Germaine Franco, the filmmakers, and the cast talk about the songs from Encanto and the different musical styles featured.
- Let’s Talk About Bruno (8:18) – A bonus feature just about the song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and the character it’s all about.
- Our Casita (10:37) – The creators talk about the magical Casa Madrigal, which becomes its own character in the film.
- Outtakes (2:59) – The voice actors flub lines and laugh about it.
- Journey to Colombia (2:24) – An animated map and handheld video footage showcase where the filmmakers went on their research trip.
- Deleted Scenes (20:43) – Heads of Story Nancy Kruse and Jason Hand introduce four deleted scenes in storyboard format with temporary dialogue, available as a play-all feature of individually.
- Chores!
- Another Way In
- Isabela Goes Into the Woods
- Back to the Mural
- Song Selection (30:21) – Jump to any song from the film with sing-along mode or enjoy them as a play-all feature.
- The Family Madrigal
- Colombia, Mi Encanto
- Waiting on a Miracle
- Surface Pressure
- We Don’t Talk About Bruno
- What Else Can I Do
- Dos Oruguitas
- All of You
Video
With bold colors and rich details, Encanto looks dazzling on 4K Ultra-HD. Walt Disney Animation Studios puts so much detail into their films and subtleties like stitching in the fabric on costumes really come to life in this transfer.
Audio
The Blu-Ray disc includes English 7.1 DTS HD Master Audio, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. The 4K disc upgrades the English mix to a Dolby Atmos track and also offers French and Spanish in 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus in addition to the stereo descriptive audio track. It also includes one language option absent from the Blu-Ray, Japanese 7.1.
Packaging & Design
Encanto arrives on 4K Ultra-HD in a standard black case with disc holders on both sides of the interior. The 4K disc features artwork while the Blu-Ray disc is Disney’s standard blue with white text. An embossed slipcover with metallic accents is included in the initial pressing. Inserts include a digitally copy code redeemable through Movies Anywhere (plus Disney Movie Insiders rewards points) and a flier for Disney Movie Club.
The Blu-Ray disc opens with a trailer for Turning Red and the Disney Bundle (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+). The main menu on Blu-Ray starts with a flyover to Casita before zooming up to a static house with characters in each window and animated motion. The 4K disc automatically plays the film without loading a menu. When pressing the main menu button, it takes you to the menu without the flyover intro.
Final Thoughts
Disney’s Encanto continues the longstanding tradition of magical animated classics from the studio that Walt Disney founded. It’s a beautiful film and while it’s true that it’s available to stream, this release gives an in-depth look at the journey to bring the film to life in addition to superior video and sound quality. Families have been collecting Disney animated films on home video since the 1980s and the honest truth is your collection wouldn’t be complete without it.
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