Moana

                                           The Intro:

      In the early 2000's people were talking about a downhill slope for Disney animation. It had just came off a 10 year excellent run with films such as: The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. This was called "The Renaissance Era." Some of you might say, the best run Disney has ever seen! After that, it sadly went downhill almost consistently, until in swept Princess Tiana with dreams to open up a restaurant while working 2 jobs, singing and dancing! The Princess and the Frog sparked a new era for Disney Animation called "The Revival Era!" Which have had some huge successes, like Tangled, Frozen and Zootopia! Moana, Disney's newest animated film, proved that Disney's Revival Era is still going strong, with a great storyline, stunning animation and beautiful music!

                                                                  The Plot:

        Moana follows a story of a Polynesian princess who is supposed to take over and lead her island. The people of her island are happy; but complacent. (I already wrote about complacency in another blog. Read it!) She feels like she needs to explore beyond the reef to save her people: the fish aren't coming in and the coconuts are drying out. Her grandma (who loves string rays) encourages her to explore beyond the reef, while her dad tells her not to. She takes off, without her dad knowing, and that's when the fun begins! Don't worry you have to wait for her to leave her comfort zone to enjoy, this one is infectious from the first second! The characters may not be as dynamic as Cruella DeVil or Goofy, however, Moana is a true hero! You will fall in love with Moana's sense of adventure, love for her people, her mentally-challenged chicken, her adorable pig and her wacky grandma! 

                

                                                              The Animation: 

        The animation is beautiful. The settings are islands and the Pacific Ocean. How can that not make for a beautiful movie? I am always partial to hand-drawn or traditional animation and this is computer. I was a little worried, I wouldn't love it. I always think how can computer animation compare with Aladdin, 101 Dalmatians or Princess and the Frog? Well, not only does it compete, it surpasses many. I think computer animation has officially reached a new level of showmanship! The animation truly made me go "Wow!" I need to watch it again, I'm sure I missed some details of the story because the animation had me intrigued.

                                                                 The Music:

        Okay, I'll be honest, I had heard ITunes clips of the songs previously and it didn't do anything for me. But, two of the songs have been in my head since I left the theatre and the whole time I've been writing this blog. Will you remember these songs like The Lion King or Cinderella? Will you hear them everywhere like "Let it Go?" Probably not; however, when Moana sings "How Far I'll Go" while she's embarking on her unknown journey, I seriously doubt you can keep from smiling!

                                                               The Directors:

        The team of directors are the same team that made The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Princess and the Frog. When I found out (like 6 years ago) they were teaming up to make a new movie I was so excited. Because these 3 movies, I love! When I found out it was computer animated some of the excitement left and I kept telling myself "but it's the awesome director team!" Then I saw a preview and I thought "I don't even think it looks good." I was worried Disney Revival Era was over. I'm so glad I watched it! It not only exceeded my expectations, it obliterated it! I do think it's the best Disney movie since Princess and the Frog! I was kinda expecting it to feel like a classic 90's Disney movie like Aladdin and The Little Mermaid. It didn't! It felt modern and I loved every minute! 

                                                           The Conclusion:

        My suggestion is take your family, friends, yourself to see Moana this holiday season! If you love Disney you will love it! Before the film there is a short called "Inner Workings" it's neat. And after the credits of Moana there is a bonus scene that pokes fun of Sebastian from "The Little Mermaid." Enjoy!