Life of Moana.

Rating: 8/10 (19 February 2017)

Finding Sing to have a catchy chorus,I asked a family friend about other recent animated films. Impressed by Disney's recent run,I was intrigued to hear high praise from this pal of their newest title,which led to me going to meet Moana.
The plot:
Told by her dad that she must not cross the ocean on her own due to tragic events that happened in his life, Moana Waialiki finds the ocean calling her to retrieve a mystical pounamu stone that demigod Maui had stolen from lava demon Te Kā. Seeing the fields and wildlife start to die out,Moana decides (and is secretly supported by grandmother Tala) that the stone must be returned to Te Kā in order to save the island. Joined by her pet rooster Heihei,Moana sets sail to discover Maui, Te Kā,and Moana's own coming of age adventure.
View on the film:
Nervous about just being a "celeb voice" flatly reading lines, Dwayne Johnson shows that he had nothing to worry about,as Johnson gives an utterly magnetic performance as Maui that connects with Johnson delivering one-liners with a speed he showed in his WWF days,which are joined by an unexpected dramatic thoughtfulness that Johnson carries Maui's care for Moana with. Making her debut performance, Auli'i Cravalho gives an enchanting performance as Moana,via Cravalho voice swimming with a Disney Princess passion to protect the island,with a feisty kick for Moana to take her own path to solve the crisis.
Given the challenge of coming up with "classic" Disney songs, Lin- Manuel Miranda goes for "talking songs" where the characters explain what they are doing,which whilst breezy,do suffer from a lack of catchy lyrics. Keeping Moana on her own in a small boat for a good amount of the movie,the screenplay by co-writers/(with Jared Bush/ Pamela Ribon/ Aaron & Jordan Kandell) co-directors Ron Clements/Don Hall/ John Musker/ Chris Williams sail a gripping Road Movie wave,lit by crisp dialogue opening up Moana's self-discovery.
Combining CGI with hand-drawn animation,the directors draw an utterly lush landscape,shimming with exquisite "fresh" water effects and smoothly designed,emotive faces. Jumping out of the water,the directors cleverly use the hand-drawn elements to give the movie a depth which makes the fiery action land with a bang,as the life of Moana is found in the ocean.