“Encanto” is a bright, festive animated feature film with eight new songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton,” “In The Heights”).

The movie should entertain children and distract parents. I found the plot to be thin and wildly bewildering, the characters not compelling and the overall effect that of a big music video.

The plot has something to do with a magical house that gives its family super powers, with the exception of one family member.

The plot seems to be a ripoff of the Russian folk tale, Baba Yaga, about an old woman who lives in a hut standing on chicken legs; “The House With A Clock In Its Walls” (2018), based on the 1973 novel of the same title about a house with a “mind” of its own, and “The Incredibles” (2004), about a typical family with atypical super powers.

In “Encanto,” the family is the Madrigals, who live in Encanto, Colombia, which spans South America and the insular link to North America.

Each family member has magical powers, except for Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz), the film’s protagonist.

Isabela Madrigal, Mirabel’s oldest sister (Diane Guerrero), can make colorful flowers appear instantly in full bloom.

Luisa Madrigal, Mirabel’s second oldest sister (Jessica Darrow), could show Superman a thing or two about power-lifting.

Encanto is a Spanish word that describes a charm, spell or enchantment. It’s also an adjective for sweetheart.

“Encanto” begs comparison to two other Disney animated features, for which Lin-Manuel Miranda also wrote songs. “Coco” (2017) is set in Mexico and has Mexican influences and mythology. “Moana” (2016) is set in Polynesia and invokes the Maui demigod myth.

“Encanto,” other than its setting in Colombia, which is gorgeously rendered in the film’s lavish and splashy backdrops, does not seem to have Colombian cultural themes.

Celebrating the Colombian Medellín Cartel wouldn’t work for a feature-length Disney cartoon, especially given toy merchandising and theme-park spin-off opportunities. “Scarface” (1983), with Tony Montana (Al Pacino), already dusted off the cocaine cowboys.

“Encanto” is a movie concept looking for a story to replicate the success of the Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend release box office bounty of “Coco” and “Moana,” a weekend “owned” by Disney-Pixar animated features. Mission accomplished.

Among the highest grossing Thanksgiving weekend releases are Disney animated feature films: “The Good Dinosaur” (2015), “Frozen” (2013), “Tangled” (2010), “Enchanted” (2007), “Toy Story 2” (1999), “A Bug’s Life” (1998) and “101 Dalmatians” (1996).

“Encanto” is directed with frenetic abandon by Byron Howard (“Zootopia,” 2016; “Tangled”) and Jared Bush (co-director “Zootopia”) and co-directed by Charise Castro Smith (screenwriter, TV’s “The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez,” 2015) from a screenplay written by Castro Smith and Bush from a story by Bush, Howard, Castro Smith, Miranda, Jason Hand and Nancy Kruse.

The list of story writers sounds more like the name of a law firm. When it comes to screenplays, the more is not always the merrier.

The voices of the animated characters aren’t particularly memorable. In addition to those previously stated, there’s: María Cecilia Botero (Abuela Alma Madrigal, Mirabel’s grandmother), Angie Cepeda (Julieta Madrigal, Mirabel’s mother), Wilmer Valderrama (Agustín Madrigal, Mirabel’s father and Julieta’s husband) and John Leguizamo (Bruno Madrigal, Mirabel’s uncle).

The character animation has a smooth doll-like sense in skin surfaces and shiny glassy reflections in the eyes. The individual character animation, however, is not distinctive.

I am not sure what I was expecting from “Encanto,” except that I was expecting more.

“Encanto” is preceded by an animated film short, “Far From the Tree,” about father and son raccoons.

“Encanto,”

MPAA Rated PG (Parental Guidance Suggested Some material may not be suitable for children. Parents urged to give “parental guidance.” May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.) for some thematic elements and mild peril; Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy; Run Time: 1 hr., 42 min. Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

The Walt Disney Animation Studios logo, with Mickey Mouse in “Steamboat Willie” (1928) is on screen with a “60th Animated Motion Picture” commemoration for “Encarto.” Here’s hoping No. 61 is better.

At The Movies:

“Encanto” was seen at Dolby Cinema at AMC, Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley.

Theatrical Movie Box Office, Dec. 10 - 12: “West Side Story,” Steve Spielberg’s remake of the 1957 Broadway and 1961 movie musical hits, opened at No. 1, but just barely, with $10.5 million, in 2,820 theaters, ending the two-week No. 1 run of “Encanto,” which dropped one place to No. 2, with $9.9 million, in 3,750 theaters, $71.9 million, three weeks.

3. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” dropped one place, $7.1 million, in 3,815 theaters, $112 million, four weeks. 4. “House of Gucci” dropped one place, $4.1 million, in 3,407 theaters, $41 million, three weeks. 5. “Eternals” stayed in place, $3.1 million, in 3,030 theaters, $161.2 million, six weeks. 6. “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” stayed in place, $1.6 million, in 2,572 theaters, $15.8 million, three weeks. 7. “Clifford the Big Red Dog” stayed in place, $1.3 million, in 2,840 theaters, $47.6 million, five weeks. 8. “Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers” dropped four places, $1.2 million, in 1,450 theaters, $13.3 million, two weeks. 9. “Dune” dropped one place, $870,093, in 948 theaters, $106.2 million, eight weeks. 10. “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” moved up one place, $768,163, in 1,003 theaters, $211.9 million, 11 weeks.

Box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Dec. 12 is subject to change.

Unreel,

Dec. 18:

“Spider-Man: No Way Home,”

PG-13: Jon Watts directs Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch and Marisa Tomei in the Action, Adventure Science-Fiction film. Spider-Man seeks help from Doctor Strange. Then things get stranger.

“Nightmare Alley,”

R: Guillermo del Toro directs Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett and Mary Steenburgen in the Action Crime Thriller. A carnival barker teams up with a female psychiatrist. They take the adage that one’s born every minute to new heights, or depths.

“The Lost Daughter,”

R: Maggie Gyllenhaal directs Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard and Jessie Buckley in the Drama. It’s no day at the beach when a woman on vacation confronts her past troubles.

Movie opening date information from Internet Movie Database as of Dec. 12 is subject to change.

Two Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes