I rarely bother to go view movies at the theater - now too noisy and full of asshats with cellphone addiction.. However... I took my grand-daughter to go see this this flick. The trailers on-line ensured that I knew this to be one of the few worth watching on a big screen. Visually - one of the most stunning productions I've viewed since the Bamboo forests of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This is animated, so an even bigger surprise. You will only be able to appreciate this facet of the movie on a big screen IMO. Story - Disney finally got one..if not right, pretty damn close. A young woman starts a Quest to save her people. She is not a Princess (my son regrets ever allowing his 4 Y/O to watch Frozen) as is the usual Disney princess-industrial sales machine. Rather, the main character is cast as a true Heroine. As she overcomes the many trials that a a Quest story delivers, the character growth is of interest - even for young viewers. This is to say, the story is much more than a simple coming-of-age tale. Culture - after the disasters of Poca-haunt-us and Mulan, the writers actually went out the Pacific Islands and talked with the Elders and some eggheads - to get the culture underpinning the story - if not correct, at least non-offensive. There is not single pan-Pacific culture - just as there is/was no pan-American (Indian) or even pan-African "culture". The writers were careful to run the script past multiple PI groups to ensure that if not entirely 'accurate' it would at least give no offense. What is accepted as a norm by one group could well be very offensive to another.... I was happy with the result, even tho my view is limited to my years-long study of the long-distance sailing voyages of long-past Polynesian voyagers. (a Sociologist's dream study for inter-group dynamics) The flick is "Safe" for children as young as 5, some scenes may be intense, but the outcomes are positive. The supporting characters are a delight - from Moana's Grandmother to the silly wall-eyed chicken... The voice acting crew did a good job. I would and do recommend this to any age (over 5) and warn you that the delight will stay with you...even more in these, the long dark days of winter. as always, YMMV.
As an aside The amatasi had sails made of woven pandanus leaves tied to 2 spars. The hull of the pictured amatasi is the va'a alo built of planks to hunt bonito fish. (Samoa) Vaka Tepuke sailing off the coast of Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, during the 11th Festival of Pacific Arts Fijian Outrigger Sailing Canoe Some elements are common, yet, each is decidedly different....
Great Review. I agree, Disney has finally started putting out good movies again. The wife and I saw the new Jungle Book when it came out, and we were impressed with all the gorgeous visualization, plus, its one of my Fav Kippling's. Your correct about the Princess industry, My poor brother has a 4 year old that has it bad. She told Uncle ( me ) and Aunty what she wants for Christmas, you guessed it, Princess crap, including very specific details of one Princess dress!!!! Naturally Aunty is a sucker for princess stuff her self, and a skilled seamstress, so guess what we got going on, YUP, Princess Stuff! Uggg, and worse, they decided I needed to make little princess shoes to go with this new outfit. YUP, Uncle's a sucker too. Never mind my brothers 2 year old Son, He wants a big truck like Uncle, so I made him a toy logging truck like I had back when I was a little dude! Glad you enjoyed the film, I hate movie houses, but we have one that does "adult Showing's" on thursday nights, and that keeps the kiddies and cellphones out.
I saw this movie previewed in a theater when we went to see the Secret Life of Pets. It looks good and I appreciate the review @DKR. The adult movies are all garbage now so the kids and I enjoy the PG movies better.
I realize this is off topic (good review by the way), but isn't that the movie I heard about around Halloween because Disney's marketing system was selling costumes that were condemned by the overly sensitive as racist or "racially insensitive"?
I heard the SAME SHIT up here. What a FVCKING joke some have become . them are little kids , & teach them well as we are one kid. Now them Cougars /Foxes , I'll be lookin !!
My daughter looks just like Moana in the movie (she's native american) she loves the movie and had a Moana doll for years. It's nice to see someone in the movies that she can relate to. That looks like her. Her mother told the story of getting Barbies when she was little. They were blonde haired and light skinned. She would darken thier skin with a marker and cut all thier hair off and glue on some of her own so they would look like her.
