When most people ponder this question, many classic movies probably come to mind, such as Star Wars or Forrest Gump. However, for me, the answer to this question is a movie that only recently came out: Disney's Encanto. Encanto has smashed the box office, as well as multiple glass ceilings. It is groundbreaking for no shortage of reasons: it is Disney's first Latino musical, featuring a diverse cast of relatable characters, and a plot that touches on tough subjects such as familial issues and generational trauma. Not to mention the visuals: the colors, scenery, and camera movements are all fantastic, and really help bring the world of the story to life. I saw Encanto for the first time at my movie theater, and I instantly fell in love. But when I watched it for the second time at home, it didn't quite feel as magical. I fully believe this has everything to do with the theater setting. Encanto is a film that everyone should see in theaters, because its visuals, sound, and overall atmosphere are amplified in a way only the magic of a theater can.

When patrons at my theater asked me how Encanto was before seeing it, my first instinct was always to respond with "it's beautiful". And it certainly is, but the story isn't the only reason why. On the surface, Encanto is filled with colorful imagery. Bright, vivid scenery from the weather to the flowers to the magical casita itself really captures the attention of the viewer. The imagery that really stood out to me was the lake. The soft, gentle movement of the water looked incredibly realistic, as if my hand would get wet if I reached out and touched it. It shows just how far modern animation has come. Additionally, Encanto has many moments where the camera sweeps around the world of the movie, just as a real camera would do in a live-action film. Seeing this effect on the big screen was incredible and helped the movement translate better. The musical numbers all had visual metaphors to showcase what the characters were singing about, and there was so much going on that different camera angles and movements were necessary. If I were viewing this film on a phone, tablet, or even a television, it definitely would not have that same effect. And it didn't when I watched the film again at home. I found myself not quite as immersed in the world of the story as I was when I initially viewed it at the theater. Since a movie theater's screen is so large, it feels like you are stepping into a whole new world with each movie you view in it. This effect is aided by the dimming of the lights, creating the illusion that nothing else exists in the room with you. It's like the outside world just stops for a few hours, and you are fully engulfed in the story before you. This is why it is often disorienting to leave a movie theater, and once again enter the daylight of the outside world. Movie theaters are essential for this feeling of leaving this world behind to enter another, and Encanto was certainly no exception.

The other way Encanto stood out in a theater was because of the sound, especially the songs. The soundtrack for this movie is phenomenal, as Broadway alum Lin Manuel-Miranda supplied both his songwriting talents and Latino heritage to give this movie its songs. It's no secret that a song is going to sound better with full surround-sound speakers, but the songs of Encanto truly knocked that expectation out of the park. With the full orchestration bouncing around the room, with the singer's voice staying centered, it really felt like I was at a Broadway musical. For instance, the catchy, expositional song "We Don't Talk About Bruno" features a section with all the singers singing different parts over each other. Since some singers' voices were panned to the left and some to the right, it helped create that overwhelming, dizzying effect that the screenwriters were going for. All of the movie's songs were taken to the next level in this way. But when I watched the movie at home, there were so many things to miss. My TV's sound quality does not even compare to a movie theater's speakers, and many instruments and sound effects became muffled or even disappeared completely.

In short, Encanto is a beautiful film that everyone should see. Seeing it in the movie theater is a drastically different experience than watching it at home, and it is because of the immersive, sensory-rich experience a movie theater can give you. The vivid sights, layered sounds, and overall atmosphere of this movie are why this movie is meant to be viewed in a theater.