Moana: a warm movie for the holidays

Moana takes a creative turn from dresses, fancy balls and matrimony with Prince Charming, to an epic adventure where the princess even says about herself, “ I’m not a princess.” This movie brings together ancient Pacific Island folk tales with a modern touch of humor and music that is enjoyable for all audiences.
Daughter of a Pacific Island chieftain, Moana sets out to protect her island from impending danger. Her father has set a rule that no one can go out beyond the reef. Moana discovers that the ocean has chosen her,that she is destined to go out into the ocean as she has longed desired to do. Only with the help of Maui—the demigod played by Dwayne Johnson—can Moana restore what was stolen to ensure the survival of her village.
Disney stands out in their talent for realistic visuals and life-like qualities of their animation. This isn’t Disney’s first time making a computer-animated feature of the ocean, but unlike Finding Nemo and Finding Dory, Moana is shot mainly from above the ocean waters.
The visual effects were captivating—from the realistic waves of the ocean to the dancing tattoos on Maui. Matching the fantastic animation that Disney always provides, the sing-along tunes, keep the film fun and entertaining along with giving homage to Pacific Islander culture. The humor was well accommodated for older audiences, as Disney seemed to poke fun at themselves for common trends from their past films.
Throughout the story, Maui and Moana had a comedic, “ older-brother-younger-sister” relationship which made the movie all the more humorous. As with all Disney movies, this movie is filled with many themes; you can bet that you will leave the theater feeling magically happy.
The Disney short before the film is as entertaining as the feature film. Moana deserves two thumbs up for originality in story and character development. Disney has had their share of re-run stories and spin-offs of original fairy tales, but Moana will hit home with its originality and witty humor