If you did not get a chance to see any of the amazing movies that hit theaters over winter break, these movies are definitely ones that you should consider.
Moana
We finally have a new Disney princess movie since Frozen and it is such a great addition to the Disney collection. It is multicultural, nontraditional, and refreshing to the viewer. It stars Moana, a chief’s daughter, which is not the standard for Disney movies. Moana is drawn to the ocean, but her father continuously tells her to stay away from it. Everyone seems so content to stay on the island and not explore, except for Moana. One of the ways that this movie is different from other Disney princess movies is that she is not a princess. As a chief’s daughter, she would become a chief instead of a queen after inheriting the position from her father. The movie features Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson as the voice of the male main character. He is a demigod whose mistake is the reason for Moana’s mission to save her island. Moana features wonderful music written by Lin Manuel Miranda who is the mastermind behind the hit musical Hamilton. “How Far I’ll Go” is the “Let It Go” of Moana and it will definitely make you feel powerful like you can conquer the world. The movie has been nominated for two Golden Globes and it is a must see for audiences of all ages.
Hidden Figures
This wonderful film about three women who worked for NASA will touch the lives of audience members everywhere. This film stars Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae. It also includes Kirsten Dunst and Jim Parsons from Big Bang Theory. The film follows three women and their special skills. One is an aspiring engineer, one is able to handle numbers similar to a computer, and the last is an excellent programmer. They all have their struggles when it comes to the times as a result of being colored, female, and their particular skills. One has to spend forty minutes a day in the bathroom since there is no bathroom for her at her workplace while being a single mom. Another is worried about losing her job due to the IBM, so she creates a program and saves countless jobs for the colored women section of NASA. The last has to deal with the barriers of a woman aspiring to be an engineer and having to deal with the segregation. These amazing women broke barriers and were greatly rewarded for their contributions.
La La Land
This movie was a major hit at the box office and it was critically acclaimed at the Golden Globes where it won seven awards. This modern take on an old Hollywood glamour musical stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. The two stars carried the film very well and it goes into their journey of following their dreams in Hollywood. La La Land is an amazing way to escape reality, but it does not include your typical large dance numbers. Overall, it’s a great film to go and see if you love musicals.
Movies are a great way to take a step back and enter another world. Allow yourself some tiem to relax and enjoy a movie with some great friends!