“Encanto” is Disney’s latest feature film following the magnificent Madrigals, a Colombian family gifted with magical powers. When the magical house they live in, Casita, begins to crack, and the candle that gave them their abilities starts to waver, it’s up to Mirabel, the only Madrigal without a magic power, to find a way to save her family and restore the magic.

After a somewhat lackluster launch in theaters, “Encanto” was released on Disney+, where it has received massive acclaim from nearly everyone who has seen it. As one of the people who have watched the film, I agree with this praise, and believe that “Encanto” is one of the best Disney movies ever made.

The best part of this film is undoubtedly the music. Lin Manuel Miranda, creator of “In The Heights” and “Hamilton,” wrote all the songs in both the english version and spanish version of the film. Miranda previously wrote music for another Disney film, “Moana,”, which won American Musical Awards’ Top Soundtrack award in November 2017.

“Encanto” is filled with both amazingly compiled ensemble songs and strikingly personal solos. The song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” famously topped both the US Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles charts. Although I do admit that “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” is a magnificent song, I think two of the major solos, “What Else Can I Do?” and “Surface Pressure,” are much better standouts; though I believe this is more because of the weight and passion given to the characters in the song by their actresses rather than Miranda’s masterful writing.

Some areas of the film’s plot are vague and do not have concrete solutions, such as the very end of the film when the magic mysteriously returns. Usually this would be an unacceptable method of storytelling but by leaving the specific mysteries about the magic intact it allows viewers to interpret and try to solve the mysteries, overall leading to a more enjoyable experience.

Furthermore, the plot does a great job at delivering strong character moments, especially from Mirabel and her two sisters: Luisa and Isabela. Some other standouts include Mirabel’s grandmother, Abuela (Alma) and Mirabel’s mysterious and ostracized uncle, Bruno .

But a well written character is nothing without a good actor to support them, and overall, I am happy to say everyone in the cast did an amazing job with what they were given. However, without a doubt, the actor that stood out the most was John Leguizamo, who voiced Bruno. Leguizamo manages to make Bruno’s awkwardness both hilarious and tragic, keeping his comedic flair as he explores the realistic connotations of Bruno’s ostracization from the Madrigal family due to rumors and fear of his gift from both the townspeople and his own family.

Though there are a lot of characters that were written very well and developed throughout the film, other branches of the Madrigal family felt so glossed over. Mirabel’s aunt, Pepa, and her side of the family are nowhere near as prevalent as Mirabel’s side of the family. The only major exception to this is Antonio, Pepa’s youngest son, who receives his power at the start of the film, But even then, while he is introduced as someone important who has a strong bond with the main protagonist, Mirabel, after he receives his gift, he is relegated to a background role, and rarely shows up again for the rest of the movie.

Though I have my complaints, I still believe “Encanto” to be one of the best Disney films to date. The plot held interesting questions, the characters were complex and the music was catchy and fun.