Moana

From the opening lyrics to the final shot, Moana was a fun glimpse into Polynesian life. Reminds me of Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron with its depiction of tribal peoples, people who depend on the land and environment to live. As one of the several catchy songs say, the island gives them everything they need. No need to go beyond the reef.

I'm glad that Moana and Zootopia, Disney's two most recent feature films, humorously refer to the archetypal Disney traits that appear in film after film -- i.e. an animal sidekick, the heroine bursting into song, following your dreams. Even if they do year after year, it never gets old. (... Well, maybe a little bit. I'm actually jaded by the happy ending trope in practically every work of film, literature, etc. out there. But that's beside the point.) Even if you can predict the ending of Moana, it's not quite what you expected. Disney has recently been changing things up a bit and having creative endings. Frozen, for example. Even if they weren't slightly creative, the story still enacts the Disney magic -- the ability to inspire, motivate, uplift, and ultimately enlighten further on mankind's communal desire to go beyond the norm. You don't have to do something amazing to make a name for yourself. It's not the hook that defines you, it's what you do that defines you and makes you who you are. Just don't follow hard tradition all the time. If someone says you can't achieve your dreams, he/she is most likely right. HOWEVER. That's only true if you don't give it your all. Those right now who are living their dreams gave it their all. If it's something you really want, after all, then naturally you'll give it the necessary effort and force of will. It won't be easy; life wasn't meant to be easy.

It's not as amazing as Zootopia, but Moana is still a genuinely good Disney movie. It has a superb single, a nice accompanying soundtrack, great characters, sublime animation with crystal- clear attention to detail, and wonderful themes and messages. I admit, I was expecting too much from Moana after seeing Zootopia, which is probably why I give Moana a 9. Zootopia hits the 10. If you haven't seen either one, I recommend seeing Moana first.

Why this movie has 7.6? Y'all crazy, this is a great movie, with amazing music. Yes is not perfect portrayal of polynesian culture and that's usually never the point with Disney movies.

Despite being a lifelong Disney fan, that is not to say that everything they've done is great. They've done many classics, their best revolutionary, though they had hit and miss periods in the 80s and the 2000s.

'Enchanted' and 'The Princess and the Frog' saw a return to form, while the likes of 'Tangled', 'Wreck It Ralph', 'Zootropolis' (aka 'Zootopia') and 'Frozen' were even better and there was a lot to like too about 'Big Hero 6'. Of the "2nd Renaissance"/"Disney Revival" period, 'Moana' is up there with the best of them and as one of Disney's best in about twenty years.

Maybe the momentum dips ever so slightly going into the final act, Maui's change of heart is a touch rushed and for me there was no real point to the pig character that induced more unintentional awkwardness than amusement. It was however difficult to fault 'Moana', because of how many things it did right and how brilliantly the things it did right were executed. There have been criticisms regarding a formulaic story, HeiHei the chicken being irritating and the portrayal of Maui being stereotypical, but these were criticisms that didn't bother me at all.

Firstly, the animation is phenomenal. Disney's best-looking film in a long time and one of their best-ever looking films, not just this but perhaps the most visually exquisite animated film this year in a year that also saw 'Your Name', 'Kubo' and 'Zootropolis' and even one of the year's best-looking films. The attention to detail is impossible to fault, whether it's the water, the trees or even Maui's tattoos, while the colours just pop out at you and everything is immaculately detailed with not an ounce of artificiality in the backgrounds, further boasting visually stunning sequences such as the climax, "We Know the Way", "Shiny" and with the coconut pirates.

The soundtrack has garnered a huge amount of praise, and for good reason. Love the evocative orchestration and instrumentation, with its seamless blend of South Pacific Culture, pop and Broadway. Likewise with the songs, which are along with 'Frozen' the best and most consistent set of songs from a Disney film since 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'. "How Far I'll Go" is an "I want" sort of song that's infectious, heartfelt and inspiring. "You're Welcome" sees Dwayne Johnson showing a quite wide range of emotions through a surprisingly good singing voice. "Shiny" is deliciously kooky and like something that David Bowie would be proud of, Jemaine Clement sings the heck out of it. "We Know the Way" sends chills up the spine.

Scripting-wise, 'Moana' encompassed a wide emotional range within me. There is something for everybody, never too complicated for children and never too childish for adults, tonally it's focused throughout, and it's very witty and thought-provoking. Throughout there are many opportunities to laugh, cry and be inspired. The story is, while not exactly original, beautifully paced and enthralling.

The whole Polynesian culture, faith and seafaring traditions included and explored generously but in a way that feels part of the story rather than just thrown in, and while there are elements that reminds one of Disney past and present this feels more affectionate than Disney just running out of ideas. The coconut pirates scene may seem like filler, but instead of being incidental and dull filler it was entertaining and visually dazzling, while the musical numbers bring the storytelling forward and say much about the characters' motivations and the climax is hair-raising.

Moana is has now joined the list as one of my favourite female Disney characters, while Maui is a fun, compelling character and the chemistry between the two being a large part of the film's humour and heart. Personally found myself entertained by HeiHei and that his existence and role in the story were justified. If anybody does find him dumb or annoying, this is a rare of those not being bad things for a character clearly intended to be that way from reading up about the film. The voice acting is top notch, with Auli'i Cravalho making a startling debut (voice and singing, goodness she has pipes). Dwayne Johnson, on paper an unlikely and eyebrow-inducing choice, is also splendid, as an actor he's grown a lot, while Alan Tudyk is amusingly zesty and Jemaine Clement bringing gleefully kooky menace.

In summary, knocks it out of the park in visual beauty and sheer entertainment value, Disney does it again with their latest classic 'Moana'. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Moana is a return to the classic Disney formula, the clichés and characters ripped from a number of other animated films. However, the pure beauty and skill of the production rises the old story into new heights.

Following from the success of Zootropolis, Moana follows a more traditional narrative we know and love; the princess who wishes for something more and is whisked on a supernatural adventure. We know this story so well yet Moana seems fresh and thrilling as if the plot was innovative. Perhaps this is due to the Polynesian setting or the morally ambiguous Maui, played perfectly by Dwayne Johnson, but most likely it is it the simple magic of Disney – the wonder for both children and adults has reached its peak with the perfection of the classic formula. For once, the clichés make the film more enjoyable. The quality of the animation helps too: it's clear they have reached the pinnacle of blending realistic textures with stylised designs, creating an aesthetic beauty that few other companies can match – Disney have mastered water to the point it looks better animated than in real life! Even the music has been perfected here, the annoying catchiness of Frozen's tunes replaced by memorable but effective songs that fit the culture and setting of our adventure. A childlike warmth was awakened in me and many other adult members of the audience as the film brought the emotional highs of the Disney renaissance without the modern subversion of the classic tropes. While Moana sometimes threatens this with pop culture references, the film thankfully keeps to mostly traditional values and morals; a step above many children's animated films released today.

Moana is good, old fashioned Disney magic; the traditional narrative and morals updated with stellar animation and an awareness that's effective but never overpowering enough to threaten the integrity of the Disney formula.

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The movie is still one of the best modern Disney movies. Its a real pleasure to watch with the kids. My daughter especially enjoys the Polynesian style and the catchy songs..even when i sing then out of tune. Worth a watch and a revisit from time to time.