LOVERS OF MAGIC, music, and adventure are in for a treat this Christmas with the release of new Disney movie Encanto. 

From the studio which brought us Frozen and Moana comes the story of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals. They live in an enchanted house – the Casita – which has granted each of them an amazing power.

Each of them, that is, except the youngest daughter Mirabel. She has a mother with magical healing powers, and a sister with superhuman strength, yet no special abilities of her own. 

But when the Casita’s magic is threatened, Mirabel decides that this is her moment to shine. She sets out to save her family’s home, and everything it stands for. 

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Encanto will be streaming to all Disney+ subscribers from Christmas Eve this year. It has already won rave reviews on its release in cinemas last month, with critics acclaiming the new musical. “A triumph in every category: art, songs and heart,” wrote Mark Kennedy for Associated Press.

Songs in the movie come from Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also wrote the Oscar-nominated soundtrack to Moana (not to mention, um, Hamilton); while co-director Jared Bush wrote Moana’s screenplay. The voice cast includes Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel, alongside multiple Emmy nominee John Leguizamo and actor and TV personality Wilmer Valderrama.

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Encanto’s beautiful animation – “a dazzling confabulation of hues and a meticulous weaving of precious details” – is also winning plaudits. But most of all, it’s the family relationsips at the heart of the story that has won critics over. “Even with these fantastic feats of wizardry, the Madrigals, with all of their relatable family dynamics, are believably loving, funny and flawed,” wrote the New York Times.

Encanto will be streaming to all Disney+ subscribers from December 24.