Disney’s newest movie, Moana, came out on November 23rd and has since made over 240 million dollars. The story follows Moana, a Polynesian princess who is tasked with saving her island and the people on it. It’s a heartwarming story, and one of Disney’s next big hits. Here are seven reasons you should go see it as soon as you can.
1. The Animation
Disney’s team created a lovely movie, and the animation is absolutely incredible! From the ocean to Moana’s hair, everything is crafted so beautifully. It makes it a lot of fun to watch, and there must have been a dozen times my mouth actually dropped open because it looked so amazing. The colours are so vibrant, and the characters (especially the less-human ones) were animated magically.
2. The Culture
The team spent years researching and visiting the Pacific Islands, trying to create the most authentic film possible. Understandable, everyone was a little hesitant when Disney announced that they were doing another cultural-based film, especially with their track record of stereotypes and insensitive content. It seems like the work paid off however, because according to this interview with a number of Polynesian people, they generally seem pretty happy with it. The plot is based off of myths from the area, and all of the music, dancing, and ceremonies are inspired by Polynesia. While there are many different cultures within the Pacific islands and Moana wasn’t able to distinguish them all or go too in depth, they made it look wonderful, and it was a great chance to show of the beautiful Polynesian culture.
3. The Cast
Almost the entire cast is of Polynesian descent. First time actress Auli’I Cravalho, from Hawaii, voices Moana, while Dwayne Johnson plays the demigod Maui and is of Samoan heritage. Moana’s mother is even played by Nicole Scherzinger! Cravalho has a beautiful voice, and it was fun to hear The Rock singing. It was also very refreshing to have actors from the region playing the characters, and really added to the authenticity of the story.
4. The Music
The soundtrack for Moana is written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who you might recognize as the writer of the musical Hamilton. There may not be any huge hits like “Let it Go,” but the soundtrack is catchy and fun to listen to. It has the perfect tone for the movie, and it’s exciting to hear Miranda’s new work. All of the actors have amazing voices, and it’s probably one of the best soundtracks ever to blast in the car with your friends.
5. The Badass Protagonist
The Disney team wanted to create a princess who was trying to find herself instead of a relationship, and in turn they created one of the best characters ever. Moana is strong, brave, stubborn, and is the perfect role model for every kid. She’s a bit younger than most of the other princesses, and it’s great to see her actually act like a kid some times, but still grow and find herself.
6. Strong Female Reltionships
The princess being close with her mother and grandmother? In a Disney movie? It’s practically unheard of. It’s great to see a family in a Disney movie that actually has a good relationship, and still be strong by the end of it.
Moana is expected to be released on DVD in March, 2017. But it’s still in theatres now if you can’t wait any longer!
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