Julie has an unhealthy obsession with princesses. So of course she has been waiting for the new Polynesian Princess to debut. Andrew had a schedule conflict so it became a girl’s night out with Julie’s Mom Lauree and sister-in-law Kelly joining her. The ladies went out for dinner and then off to the 3D screening of Moana.

Official film synopsis:

Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one knows why.
From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder. Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity. Directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker (“The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “The Princess & the Frog”) and produced by Osnat Shurer (“Lifted,” “One Man Band”).

A Sketch of Moana. — Check out this cool concept art for Moana.

Julie's Thoughts

This film was pretty awesome. I loved the Polynesian influence. The story line. The characters. The music! Oh my gosh still stuck in my head (in a good way).

Moana opens with some beautiful island scenery. The 3D was pretty cool for a lot of the ocean scenes and landscapes. In true Disney fashion you are immediately introduced to the family dynamic, this one actually includes both parents and a cute grandma. Moana is a strong female lead who is torn between the duty of leading her people and her calling for the sea which her father does not allow. When her people’s livelihood is in jeopardy she makes the daring decision to go out into the ocean to find Maui a demigod to fix the curse.

Pua the pig and Hei Hei the chicken in one picture. — What movie is complete without animal sidekicks? Meet Pua the pig and Hei Hei the chicken.

I really enjoyed this movie. The scenery and culture was beautiful. The characters were lovable, and wow newcomer Auli’i Carvalho was amazing. Did you know filmmakers auditioned hundreds of talented young women throughout the Pacific Islands before finding her? The songs were really catchy. Some had an island flair while others seemed like pop hits. And even Dwayne Johnson sang. There were some good one-liners and of course some cute animal sidekicks, because what is a Princess without them? The story includes themes of family, adventure, finding yourself and helping other. I think Disney has another hit on their hands.

Guest Lauree said: “I visited New Zealand earlier this year and really enjoyed all of the symbolism throughout the movie. The girl who played Moana was an amazing singer, and who knew the Rock could sing too?”

Guest Kelly said: “This was my first 3D movie and the effects were really cool on the water. I really enjoy animated movies and this one had a cute story line with funny moments throughout. I liked her animal sidekicks too, so cute!”