It was another Saturday movie date with my friends, and we unanimously decided to watch Disney's Moana. We had heard people around our school talk about the movie so much that we wanted to see why it was a popular conversation starter at every lunch table. As soon as we got to our seats, the black screen was replaced by Disney's distinctive opening sequence Cinderella's Castle, with the signature Disney logo appearing beneath it; then it was followed by a flipbook illustration of Mickey Mouse from Steamboat Willie. However, it was not accompanied by the usual instrumental of "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio; it was replaced by women chanting and singing in the Polynesian language. As soon as I heard the song, I knew this movie would be another Disney success.
Moana is an animated musical film released in 2016 by Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures; it was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker (a directing duo best known for Disney's Aladdin and The Little Mermaid). The film tells the story of Moana, the strong-willed daughter of the chief of a Polynesian village, who is chosen by the ocean to put back the heart of Te Fiti, the goddess who has the power to create life, specifically islands. When her island suffers the effects of the loss of Te Fiti's heart, Moana sets sail to search for the legendary demigod Maui in hopes of restoring the heart and saving her people. Moana delivers an inspiring story that is accompanied by excellent animation, a well-developed musical soundtrack, and an amazing cast of voices; however, there are minor details that do not make sense to the movie's overall plotline.
Although the film's intended audience is children, Moana can be appreciated by people of all ages because of its inspiring story that delivers the universal message that you must know who you are in order to know where you are going. This message is evident in the scene when Moana learns that her ancestors were voyagers because she realizes that in order to save her island, she must become a voyager herself. In addition, I believe that the film's main protagonist, a strong independent young woman, would inspire girls of all ages and all backgrounds to break the boundaries and do what their heart tells them. Through the use of well-developed and excellent animation, the creators of Moana were able to bring this inspiring story from a script to the theater screen.
The directors' choice to use 3D computer-generated imagery (CGI), instead of traditional and standard animation was a well-made decision because this method of animation added texture and dimension to both the settings and characters of the film. The benefits of using CGI are evident throughout the film, ranging from how the ocean is depicted to the texture of the character's traditional clothing. For example, through the use of CGI, the creators were able to make the ocean flow, move, and look like a real oce...
