Episode Notes

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[\\u201cColombia, Mi Encanto,\\u201d from Encanto]\\nMaria & Natalia: Hello! Welcome to Guatever.\\nMaria: And Happy New Year.\\nNatalia: Welcome to 2022.\\nMaria: I\\u2019m Maria Caama\\xf1o.\\nNatalia: And I\\u2019m Natalia Camino.\\nMaria: And today we are talking about Disney\\u2019s Encanto.\\nNatalia: We know that we usually only talk about music. But overall, we think this movie is just really important for the Latino community. And we want to talk about it.\\nMaria: Also, the songs are really good.\\xa0\\nNatalia: Yes, also, the songs are really good.\\xa0\\nMaria: So first up, let\\u2019s discuss Encanto. For those of you who do not know, Encanto is a movie released by Disney. It takes place in Colombia. It\\u2019s one of the \\u2013 possibly the third \\u2013 Latino household [movie] with Kuzco from Emperor\\u2019s New Groove being the first and Coco being the second.\\nNatalia: Yes, even though like Coco for me, obviously, it was a very important movie because it was one of the first times I could actually see my culture or my traditions represented. And like, it all felt very familiar for me. Obviously, like\\u2026\\nMaria: That is not the complete, like\\u2026\\xa0\\nMaria & Natalia: Latino experience.\\xa0\\nNatalia: Yeah. And so I think it\\u2019s really cool that Disney is just expanding.\\xa0\\nMaria: It\\u2019s also nice to see a movie that just represents another Latin American country, but also in a sense\\u2026\\xa0\\nNatalia: \\u2026represents all Latinos.\\xa0\\nMaria: Yeah, it\\u2019s like a win for all Latinos, because I feel like the styles of some of the songs are representative of also different styles of music that all Latinos enjoy like Salsa\\u2026\\nNatalia: And like Cumbia.\\nMaria: Yeah, and like Latin rock. But yes.\\xa0\\nNatalia: Yeah, I think also because something \\u2013 we\\u2019ll get more into this later \\u2013 but something that Encanto does well is showcase\\u2026\\nMaria: The immigrant experience in Latin America.\\nNatalia: Yeah. Because there\\u2019s not just immigrants coming into the US. There\\u2019s also people, as Encanto showcases, that have to leave either their hometown and go into another area of that country for political reasons or any other type of reason.\\xa0\\nMaria: Well, yeah, cause in Encanto they never really say. Yeah, we\\u2019re gonna try and not spoil for anyone, also. So if you haven\\u2019t seen it, do not worry. But you will understand the main idea.\\nNatalia: But also go watch it!\\nMaria: It\\u2019s so good. It is so good. It\\u2019s such a good movie. I think that everyone should watch it. Like, just because I think that it does a really good job in representing not only like the immigrant experience, but \\u2013 me and Nat talked about this \\u2013 so it shows a lot of the fact that in Latin America, there\\u2019s not really a racial monolith.\\xa0\\nNatalia: It\\u2019s a mixture of various races. And I think this is important because there\\u2019s usually just this one Latino stereotype or this one Latina stereotype.\\nMaria: I think that it does a good job because that\\u2019s the reality. There\\u2019s so much racial diversity in Latin America. So it does a really good job of also showcasing that I think, which is nice to see for once.\\xa0\\nNatalia: And I think it\\u2019s important.\\xa0\\nMaria: Yeah. Let\'s move on to the songs in the soundtrack. And we\\u2019re gonna start with \\u201cWe Don\\u2019t Talk About Bruno\\u201d.\\n[\\u201cWe Don\\u2019t Talk About Bruno,\\u201d from Encanto]\\nMaria: So this is my personal favorite of the film. I think it is so fun and it finally showcases Pepa\\u2019s side of the family \\u2013 like Pepa and F\\xe9lix\\u2019s side of the family.\\xa0\\nNatalia: Because like throughout the movie you don\'t really understand their dynamic.\\xa0\\nMaria: Yeah, but also like you don\\u2019t really get to see like Camilo or Dolores really until that point. Their voices are amazing. Like Dolores\\u2019 part is so cool. And then Camilo\\u2019s part \\u2013 the raspiness of this man\\u2019s voice. I would have loved to have them have their own songs because they killed it so much in this song. But this is also the song that went viral on TikTok. Like if you haven\\u2019t heard of this song, honestly, don\\u2019t know what to tell you.\\xa0\\nNatalia: Go listen to it. Go listen to it.\\xa0\\nMaria: Literally. It\\u2019s like, it went number one on the charts. I think it went number one on Spotify even so, like, everyone loves the song. It\\u2019s so good. I \\u2013 Yeah, I\\u2019ll make the generalization. Yes. People\\u2026\\nMaria & Natalia: \\u2026love it.\\xa0\\nMaria: But also what me and Nat find funny is that every Latino household has that like one relative\\u2026\\nNatalia: That you don\\u2019t talk about.\\xa0\\nMaria: So it was really funny to see that kind of like\\u2026\\nNatalia: Like, it\\u2019s not really a trope, because no one talks about it. But yes. Do you have a relative you don\\u2019t talk about?\\nMaria: I think that my family doesn\\u2019t have one, really. Because we talk about everyone. We\\u2019ll like say everything in front of each other. So maybe that\\u2019s why? If not, maybe, I don\\u2019t know who it would be but\\u2026 you know, maybe it\\u2019s me!\\nNatalia: What if it\\u2019s you?\\xa0\\nNatalia: But yeah. I do have one relative we don\\u2019t talk about so.. And I know other people also have relatives they don\\u2019t talk about.\\nMaria: No, I definitely know people who like, they don\\u2019t talk about maybe like an uncle or an aunt. Or like they get invited once in a while and it gets awkward when they\\u2019re invited. Like stuff like that.\\nNatalia: And it\\u2019s like for various reasons, obviously, usually it\\u2019s not because they cast\\u2026 because they can like see the future.\\nMaria: Obviously. I mean, everyone\\u2019s family has their own business. Everyone has their own stuff. Yeah. So moving on to the next song.\\nNatalia: \\u201cWhat Else Can I Do?\\u201d\\n[\\u201cWhat Else Can I Do?,\\u201d from Encanto]\\nNatalia: Which is a great song.\\nMaria: It is a great song. I think \\u2013 when I was watching, I got really into this movie.\\xa0\\nNatalia: Yes.\\nMaria: So I dove into Lin-Manuel\\u2019s interviews about the songs.\\nNatalia: Also, for context. We didn\\u2019t say this earlier, but Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote\\u2026\\xa0\\nMaria: Oh, all!\\nNatalia: All of the songs.\\xa0\\nMaria: He did the entire \\u2013 I think he wrote all the songs.\\xa0\\nNatalia: The majority. Yeah.\\xa0\\nMaria: Except for maybe like\\u2026 I think he didn\\u2019t \\u2013 obviously \\u2013 compose the songs that go in the background. But, like, I think he did most of the songs that characters sing. But yeah, so I was watching Lin-Manuel\\u2019s interviews, and he said that for \\u201cWhat Else Can I Do?\\u201d he really wanted to do a tribute to Latin rock. Like old time Latin rock from the \\u201890s. And like\\u2026\\nNatalia: I thought that was really cool.\\nMaria: Yeah, I know. I knew you were gonna like that.\\nNatalia: Yeah, because I think the history of Latin rock in Latin America is just really cool. There\\u2019s a great documentary on Netflix that everyone should watch!\\nMaria: Oh, my God.\\nNatalia: But I think it\\u2019s really cool that he did this because Colombia as a country played a really big role in the upbringing of Latin rock, along with various other countries such as Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. So I think it\\u2019s really cool.\\xa0\\nMaria: I also just think it\\u2019s a really cool song. Like, if you listen to it, you can definitely tell that it has those influences.\\xa0\\nNatalia: Yeah.\\xa0\\nMaria: But it doesn\\u2019t feel out of place in the film.\\xa0\\nNatalia: Yeah.\\nMaria: \\u2018Cause sometimes when you play with genres, I feel like it feels really out of place. And especially in children\\u2019s movies, because you want everything to be something that can cater to children. But he did a really good job.\\nNatalia: I think it also just juxtaposes the character very well.\\nMaria: Oh, yeah, that\\u2019s so true. So let\\u2019s talk about Miss Isabela. She is supposed to be like the perfect one in the family. Or like, that\\u2019s what we think when you meet her.\\xa0\\nNatalia: We won\\u2019t spoil it.\\xa0\\nMaria: Exactly. So we\\u2019ll just leave it at that. She\\u2019s supposed to be very perfect. And so for them to have given her the song that\\u2019s like\\u2026\\nNatalia: Latin rock\\u2026\\nMaria: Was very interesting. But it makes sense, also \\u2013 with the storyline. Yeah, so once you like\\u2026 if you haven\\u2019t seen it, it will make more sense.\\nNatalia: Everything will make more sense if you watch the movie.\\xa0\\nMaria: Obviously. Then we\\u2019re moving on to \\u2013 so this song, this next song for me was hilarious, because\\u2026 So storytime: when I saw this movie, I didn\\u2019t see it with Natalia. I saw this movie on the plane on my way back to Evanston from home for Winter Break. And I was on the plane sobbing just watching this movie. But I remember hearing this song and I just thought \\u201cOh, no\\u2026 Natalia.\\u201d\\nNatalia: Because then we did watch the movie together when Maria got back. When we were both back from break.\\nMaria: And I just warned her.\\nNatalia: And she just goes, \\u201cNatalia. Just be careful with this next song.\\u201d And I go, \\u201cWhat do you mean?\\u201d\\nMaria: So we\\u2019re talking about \\u201cSurface Pressure\\u201d. This song is about Luisa, who\\u2019s supposed to be like the strongest \\u2013 not only like physically, but I guess\\u2026\\nNatalia: Also emotionally.\\nMaria: Also emotionally \\u2013 in the family. And she\\u2019s kind of having a moment of vulnerability, telling her sister that all that pressure isn\\u2019t very good for her. And it kinda showcases that classic older child\\u2026\\nNatalia: It\\u2019s like\\u2026 I think something this movie does very well, and that a lot of people picked up on, is showcasing the immigrant experience. And I think like, especially this song, showcases like the oldest sibling \\u2013 I guess in this case the oldest daughter. In my case, the oldest daughter. And so I think this song resonated with a lot of people.\\nMaria: It was funny, because we were watching it in our apartment and I just looked at her.\\xa0\\nNatalia: And I was like, \\u201cWhat do you mean?\\u201d And they\\u2019re like, \\u201cYou don\\u2019t know how to relax. You don\\u2019t know how to not stop working.\\u201d\\nMaria: Which is true. If you know Natalia, you know that this is true.\\xa0\\nNatalia: And maybe this song did speak to me.\\nMaria: Warning, if you are an older sibling, maybe\\u2026 maybe just be careful when you watch.\\nNatalia: Don\\u2019t watch it with your family. Don\\u2019t watch it with your family, and you\'ll be fine.\\nMaria: Oh, my God.\\n[\\u201cSurface Pressure,\\u201d from Encanto]\\nNatalia: Kind of also with the trauma of the immigrant experience is that idea\\u2026 I think, like why there\\u2019s so much pressure sometimes on like the oldest immigrant sibling is because it\\u2019s the idea that usually the parents or the grandparents sacrificed a lot or had a big sacrifice in order to migrate. And so they have to make it worth it. And so I think that\\u2019s like one reason why Luisa probably \\u2013 or the entire family \\u2013 feels so much pressure to appease Abuelita is because she\\u2019s sacrificed so much that they have to make it worth it. And so then with the song \\u201cDos Oruguitas\\u201d...\\nMaria: So \\u201cDos Oruguitas\\u201d is this song where it kind of like, after some stuff goes down, explains the background of Abuelita, who\\u2019s the matriarch of the family. And it kind of breaks down what she went through and being forced out of her home. As we said, we\\u2019re not trying to give spoilers so that\\u2019s the only thing I\\u2019ll say. And it kind of like taps into what Nat was saying, like the trauma of being displaced from your home and having to like, I guess, like build everything from\\u2026\\nNatalia: \\u2026scratch.\\xa0\\nMaria: Yeah.\\nNatalia: Yeah. So I think like, overall the movie or \\u2013 even I saw this on Tik Tok a lot \\u2013 like it really spoke to a lot of immigrants and people who have gone through that immigrant experience. And like that it showcases the Latino immigrant experience in a way that like the family dynamics sometimes are not talked about because it\\u2019s so \\u2013 they\\u2019re so accepted.\\nMaria: I think it\\u2019s just normalized.\\nNatalia: Yes.\\nMaria: Like the expectations for everyone in a family. But also just talking about \\u201cDos Oruguitas\\u201d in general, this is one of the only songs other than like \\u201cColombia, Mi Encanto\\u201d that\\u2019s in Spanish. And it is\\u2026\\nNatalia: It is a\\u2026\\nMaria: It is\\u2026\\nNatalia: A sentimental song.\\nMaria: It is tragic. It is so sad. I \\u2013 Natalia does not cry. And I heard her going sniffle sniffle the entirety of \\u201cDos Oruguitas.\\u201d And then I just look at her and I just go, \\u201cAre you crying?\\u201d And she just goes, \\u201cYes.\\u201d\\nNatalia: Okay, I don\\u2019t show emotions, but that doesn\\u2019t mean I\\u2019m heartless.\\nMaria: It\\u2019s such a sad song. I feel like no one can get through that one and not cry.\\nNatalia: For people who don\\u2019t know, \\u201cDos Oruguitas\\u201d means two caterpillars.\\nMaria: Yeah.\\xa0\\nNatalia: And so the song slowly transforms and at the end like it\\u2019s supposed to show growth.\\nMaria: Yeah. So like they turn into butterflies.\\nNatalia: Yes, like a metaphor.\\n[\\u201cDos Oruguitas,\\u201d from Encanto]\\nMaria: If you should take anything away from this episode, it\\u2019s that you should go watch Encanto. If you haven\\u2019t, it\\u2019s such a good movie.\\nNatalia: It has an amazing soundtrack. It talks about the Latino experience, it showcases Latinos in an\\u2026\\nMaria: It has amazing actors!\\nNatalia: Amazing actors. It showcases Latinos in a non-stereotypical way.\\xa0\\nMaria: So true, man.\\xa0\\nNatalia: And overall, you should just go watch it.\\nMaria: Yes. You know what, honestly, one of the things that I just realized is that there\\u2019s not any like stereotypical Latino character in this movie.\\nNatalia: Because you think \\u2013 Wait, we didn\\u2019t talk about this. But, the love interest of Isabela throughout the movie is voiced by\\u2026\\xa0\\nMaria & Natalia: Maluma.\\xa0\\nNatalia: But Maluma does not sing. He literally has like three lines.\\nMaria: First of all, why would they not give Maluma\\u2026? He\\u2019s literally a singer. And they did not give him a singing part. But it\\u2019s okay. Because it makes sense. I wouldn\\u2019t want his character to sing.\\nNatalia: Yes.\\nMaria: He\\u2019s terrible. He\\u2019s like the Latino lover, I guess.\\xa0\\nNatalia: Yeah, he\\u2019s the Latino like stereotype. But then he ends up like\\u2026\\nMaria: Not.\\xa0\\nNatalia: And like you think that Isabela is also going to kind of feed into that stereotype.\\nMaria: They don\\u2019t embody any of those stereotypes. And like, none of the characters are what they seem. They have so much more depth to them.\\nNatalia: Because usually with Latino characters, when they play like a supportive role, they\\u2019re very flat characters whose entire personality\\u2019s either 1) they\\u2019re Latino, 2) they can cook or 3) they\\u2019re attractive. So like for this one, there\\u2019s so much like \\u2013 there\\u2019s so much more to them and their relationships are so much deeper.\\xa0\\nMaria: Yeah.\\xa0\\nNatalia: It was just very refreshing. We\\u2019ll end with this.\\xa0\\nMaria: Who\\u2019s your favorite character?\\xa0\\nNatalia: I think Bruno\\u2019s the funniest and I like that. He\\u2019s funny.\\xa0\\nMaria: My favorite other than Bruno is Camilo. That moment when he\\u2019s looking for Mirabel and he accidentally turns into a baby is hilarious to me. He\\u2019s just funny.\\xa0\\nNatalia: But yes, I just think the fact that he says, \\u201cSana, sana colita de rana\\u201d is funny. It reminds me of my dad.\\nMaria: So, thank you so much for tuning into this episode.\\nNatalia: We know it\'s a little bit different from what we usually do.\\xa0\\nMaria: But we wanted to\\u2026 we wanted to come into the new year with something new! 2022! Our podcast is about to turn two years old this year, which is\\u2026\\nMaria & Natalia: Crazy.\\xa0\\nMaria: Um, but yes! Thank you so much for tuning in. We hope you like this episode, and we will be bringing you much more content in the year of 2022.\\nNatalia: Please let us know your thoughts and if you have anything you\\u2019d like us to talk about.\\nMaria: Yes, just message us. We always say this but just find us on social media.\\nNatalia: Also because we are running out of ideas.\\nMaria: This has been Maria Caama\\xf1o.\\nNatalia: And Natalia Camino.\\nMaria: For NBN Audio.\\n[\\u201cColombia, Mi Encanto,\\u201d from Encanto]

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