It’s no big secret that I gush over Disney films. Very rarely do they disappoint me. I went into the MOANA screening knowing I would enjoy it, but not having any clue as to how deeply I would be moved by it.
It is truly a refreshingly unique film with SO much to offer.
Why do I love this film?
Is it the music? The amazing animation? The story? The culture? The several “I didn’t see that coming!” moments? The characters? The music? (did I say that twice?) I can honestly tell you that it is all of the above.
I think that it has become very important for Disney to find ways to tell new stories and to go out on a limb when telling them. To find heroes for us that are not expected, and relationships that are not predictable. I’m sure that this gets to be quite challenging with the amount of films that they release each year but kudos for them for getting it right (again).
MOANA brings us a completely new adventure. A new landscape, people and culture. It is quite obvious that Disney took great care in this new territory both on educating themselves on the culture and the geography. One of my very favorite things about John Lasseter is that he is a stickler for research and “getting it right” and clearly, his team stuck to this goal. In fact, Disney was so committed to the research and educational pieces in this film that they created what is now called the Oceanic Trust. This trust includes a variety of historians, anthropologists, cultural experts, dancers, etc. who contributed their strong knowledge and passion for the Pacific Islands and her people.
New Characters to love
More wonderful Disney characters to add to the “love” list…this movie really threw us some good ones:
Lessons for the entire family
The fact that the film is based on the Polynesian demi-god Maui meant that Disney had their work cut out for them in keeping true to the legends of Maui and what this story should look like to honor the history and culture behind it. As it turns out, all of that lends to some very education information sharing and I think that you will find this movie to be eye opening and moving for kids and adults alike! I’m always a fan of conversation starters, and this movie will definitely create some interest and excitement about the Polynesian culture.
And something that we can all relate to: Family. This film has a very strong family theme.
Who should see this film?
MOANA is rated PG. Great news… it’s great for the entire family. I have been asked about the “scariness” of this film. It definitely has it’s exciting moments, but nothing too dark or frightening, right along the same lines as the scenes in other Disney films of the same rating.
Easter eggs in MOANA
Something that all Disney fans love: Easter eggs. There are some fantastic Easter Eggs (Directors Ron Clements and John Musker – interview coming soon – have a long history and tradition of entertaining us these hidden gems) and for those of you that enjoy them, some will be quite obvious and there are others that you will need to search for. I will give you a few hints: a few of our friends from FROZEN make appearances, along with a few LITTLE MERMAID friends too!
The music. Oh my heart. The music!
I can’t write this review without mentioning again (see more videos in my post about the world premiere of MOANA here) how amazing the music is in this film. In fact, the very first voice that you will hear in the movie MOANA is that of Olivia Foa’i who is the daughter of Opetaia Foa’i. (shown in the video below) She has the voice of an angel, and honestly, I don’t know that I have ever felt that music contributed so much to a film before, but it certainly does in this case.
The MOANA soundtrack.
If you are a fan of this film, then the soundtrack is a must. You can order the MOANA soundtrack right now on Amazon and if you are like me, it will quickly become one that you listen to over and over again.
Bonus Features
As with all of our favorite Disney films, this dvd features some amazing bonus features and one of my favorite Disney shorts of all time: INNER WORKINGS. I can’t boast about this dvd enough… a must for any collection.
Just in case you are wondering what MOANA is all about, here’s a peek at the trailer:
The creative and frugal mind behind She Saved for over 12 years now, Keri Lyn shares her adventures in parenting along with her love for family travel, country living and brand marketing. A self-proclaimed “brand loyalist”, Keri Lyn is known for her strong and enthusiastic voice when it comes to the products and brands that she loves. Passionate about family and the challenge of raising good humans (through the teen years, no less!) Keri Lyn has also served as a brand ambassador to many brands including her time as a Hilton Mom Voyage travel writer and currently an O Mag Insider for O, The Oprah Magazine and the 2019 recipient the O-verall Contribution O-ward. Read more...
Disclosure: This event and trip to LA was an all expense paid journey sponsored by Disney. All thoughts, opinions and experiences are 100% my own!
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