Review of Moana (2016) by Mstivers — 26 Nov 2016

This is Disney at is best, a fantastic combination of commercial appeal and art. The Disney princess is back, with not even a hint of a romantic interest to distract from her heroic (heroinic?) arc. As a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda, I am ecstatic about the songs.

The themes of islands, heroism, family, and tradition are right up his alley. The Rock is perfectly cast and gives a career-high performance. No one could have done his part better. I am not an expert on Polynesian culture, but everything feels perfectly authentic.

They've come a long way since the Tiki Room. And finally, the animation is another step forward for Disney. They've always excelled at rendering water, but the water is literally a character in the story here.