Disney’s Moana is now playing in theaters everywhere

My daughter has been trying to get me to take her to see Disney's Moana ever since she saw the Moana toys hit stores this summer. She was 100% positive that the movie had to be out if the toys were, and she tried her best to persuade me to take her. So, when the Seattle pre-release rolled around, I knew I had to make it work even with our busy holiday schedules.

In my mind I thought I was doing her a favor, but it was only minutes into the film when I realized that I was really glad I didn’t miss it. It had all the heart I’ve come to know with Disney films, all the laughter, and all the beautiful animation.

In short: you should definitely see it.

The movie is set in the Pacific Islands and the animation of the lush islands surrounded by turquoise water and coral reefs were simply gorgeous. Seeing the beautiful island scenery immediately took me back to the Cook Islands where my husband and I spent our honeymoon, and it was my first real introduction to the Polynesian culture and its mythology.

I loved the way that the film played homage to this culture, its music, and its spirit. The vibrant characters really drew me in and I found myself cheering for characters I never thought I would. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson {voicing the demigod “Maui”} was funny and arrogant, yet he and his tattoos were oddly charming at the same time. And, did I mention the amazing music? Much of the music in the film was done by Lin-Manuel Miranda {of “Hamilton” fame}, and it was so much better than I had even expected. 15-year-old Hawaiian teen Auli’i Cravalho {the voice of “Moana” of the Waialiki clan} just blew me away with her vocals, and the tunes had a Broadway feel to them that made them so catchy and fun.

In the movie, the Waialiki clan is threatened by extinction because their island and the surrounding waters are dying. Moana’s grandmother tells her the ancient tale of demigod Maui removing the heart of an island god. She also says that the sea has chosen Moana to right this wrong and return the islands to their glory. What follows is a riveting journey of our young heroine as she teams up with the reluctant Maui to save her people and their beautiful home. As much fun as the main characters were, we also really loved the supporting cast that included Moana's Polynesian friends and family as well as some of Moana's pets. We especially fell hard for the only true "villains" in the story, including the feisty Kakamora, a coconut-armored pirate group, and Tamatoa the crab {hilariously voiced by Jemaine Clement} that all had wonderful supporting roles.

Overall, the film wasn’t just for kids and was equally entertaining for us adults as well. From the rich culture, the amazing music, the laugh out loud moments, and the positive message of following your heart, our whole family truly enjoyed Moana. MOANA is now playing in theaters everywhere and I would highly recommend seeing it with your family over the long weekend.
 
Behind The Scenes of MOANA – “Working With Water”:

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