Moana redefines a Disney classic

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I am a sucker for Disney films. Sinbad. Aladdin. Cars 1. Cars 2. Cars 3. You get the point; Those childhood movies that remind you that you are still a kid at heart, no matter what your age is. With a lot of controversy surrounding the portrayal of demigods and polynesian culture, I decided to go see why there was so much hype around Moana. And safe to say, I was not disappointed.

Moana ranks up there with Zootopia as two of the most recent Disney films with amazing storylines that I feel will have a lasting impact for generations to come.

Starring the infamous Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, along with the breakout acting job of Auli’i Cravalho, the movie includes a star-studded cast even beyond the screen, including an original score by Hamilton creator himself, Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Dual directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, and co-directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams, Moana is created with an adventurous plot and underlying themes of friendship and loyalty that all ages can relate to.

The story follows a teenage girl eager to find out her own destiny, whether to be the new chief of her island handed down by her parents, or pursue her love for the waters beyond the island’s horizon ventured by her ancestors.

In the midst of a changing America with the increase of female leading roles in movies such as Wonder Woman, the idea of a coming of age story in the eyes of a teen girl really sold the story to the American republic.

The animation in the film was impeccable. The waterworks (not talking about the tears I shed) were amazing. You can really see the enhancement of CGI and how it transcended the landscape of animated storytelling.

The music. Now that was amazing. The artistry of the score by Miranda sometimes mirrored that of Hamilton. The soundtrack was phenomenal as the theme song was catchy, and even had me singing along to it.

And don’t even let me get started on the plot. The storyline was well-written, as so many elements that were introduced in the start of the film began to manifest later on in the movie.

Is it the best film disney film ever? I would put it in there for debate. The way it managed to keep me engaged with the plot and fall in love with the characters made me want to rewatch it a million times.

Moana is available to watch over Netflix and other streaming services and its run time is 107 minutes.

If you are a sucker for good Disney films like me, or just like movies in general, then I would HIGHLY recommend seeing this film.