The latest of Disney's "princess" franchise is "Moana", stars Auli'i Cravalho as the title character featuring songs written by the one and only Lin-Manuel Miranda. I had been waiting to see this film for a long time and my anticipation added to my overall excitement when I went to see "Moana". "Moana" exceeded my expectations in terms of the soundtrack, animation and overall story. I loved every bit of it.
My main attraction to "Moana" was the songs written by "Hamilton"'s Lin-Manuel Miranda. As a huge Hamilton fan, I knew the songs would be amazing and they were. I could definitely hear his influence in the film, which gave it a nice twist. The music is catchy, heartwarming and relatable: I was singing the songs in my car as I drove away from the theater.
One of my only problems with the film was the brief discussion of Polynesian history. I did not have any previous knowledge of the subject and it played an important role in the film. Moana's main mission in the film centered around a Polynesian island goddess whose backstory was briefly skimmed over. This ended up playing a large role in the end which led me to be a little confused. Since I'm assuming that most audiences would not know a lot about Polynesian gods and goddesses, I wish they would have explained it more to clarify the story.
Regardless, I loved "Moana" its a feel good film that puts the "girl" in "girl power". I wish a film like this came out when I was a child because Moana is a perfect role model. She is witty, charming and intelligent. She is a perfect example of the lesson that being independent doesn't mean being disobedient. Additionally, Moana is an animated character that looks like an actual person. Her body proportions look accurate as opposed to other Disney princesses in the past.
I recommend this film to anyone. "Moana" is family friendly, but I might even take my parents to see this over winter break. Everyone will find something to love about "Moana". I cannot wait to see what Disney will have in store for us next!