#encantospoilers
So Encanto is like ... the opposite of magical realism? The whole thing is magical, but there's the occasional bit of non-magic thrown in there?
Like, Abuela pleads a prayer to Pedro ... but it isn't a transcendent spirit from beyond the grave that hears her prayer and answers it. It's just ... Mirabel outside the window. She literally hears Alma's prayer and acts on it.
And Abuela's consuming fear that they would lose everything if the miracle died? What magic could relieve her of that fear? None. No magic could relieve that fear. The only thing that could was completely non-magical. Just all the ordinary townsfolk.
Why Two Caterpillars hits so hard
Dos Oruguitas is the peak tearjerker moment. Why? We already saw the basic backstory at the very beginning of the movie. Why does it hurt so much this time?
That first time, Abuela spoke of it like a long ago fairy tale, not a tragedy she carries on her shoulders every day.
This time, we see and finally understand Alma's feelings. She and Pedro weren't lifelong lovers. They were just caterpillars. Alma was just Isabela's age.
Alma is fearful of it happening again, but not really for herself. She's already lost everything before. She fears it happening to Pepa, to Julieta, to Bruno. Can you imagine the relief and pride she felt every morning after their world didn't end, and Pepa was still happily with Felix, and Julieta was still happily with Agustin?
Can you imagine how she felt when she saw Agustin tenderly kiss Julieta's first grey hairs? Can you imagine?
That's why Abuela was so obsessed with making everything perfect for Isabela. She desperately wanted to provide Isabela what she would never have ... what she provided Pepa and Julieta. Sure, it never occured to Abuela Alma that Isabela didn't want that same dream, but is that Abuela's fault? Isabela never gave the slightest hint otherwise.
So when Abuela sees Isabela a mess of colors, she doesn't even understand what she's seeing. She just thinks Isabela is out of control.
But I wonder if Abuela realized, while searching for Mirabel, what she really saw ... a butterfly.
I'm fine
Let's talk about Isabela's part in We Don't Talk About Bruno. She repeats Bruno's prophecy a few times, but in the background she adds "I'm fine".
He told me that the life of my dreams
would be promised and someday be mine.
and I'm fine and I'm fine
and I'm fine I'm fine.
This calls back to Mirabel's line in her own song where she claims - briefly - that she's fine. Mirabel can't pretend she's fine, so she quickly admits she's not fine. But Isabela isn't ready to stop pretending.