A Reminder of all the Good there is in the World

Rating: 9/10 (27 November 2016)

I find the concept of originality significant in most things in life. Everyone should be aware that this is somewhat of a fallacy in the world of movies as the basic principles of all stories have overlapping similarities. For something to be truly original, it needs to fundamentally change the basics of what has been established in storytelling.
Moana does not reinvent storytelling as seldom few movies ever will. In fact, it hinges on the Disney formula that we all know. But what it does do is take all the greatest aspects of amazing or significant movies and brings them together to create a remarkably coherent, funny, sad, empathetic, and heartwarming experience. And by doing so, it taps into a sea of emotion.
There were so many aspects of so many different films that I felt this movie drew from. Mulan, Pocahontas, The Emperor's New Groove, Hercules, The Little Mermaid, Zootopia, Finding Dory, Kubo and the Two Strings, Lilo & Stitch, Frozen (in a good way), even The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker although that's a game. All of these came to mind and seemed to inspire Moana in a way that I never expected or ever thought was possible, and that's just to name a few. I'm sure there's more that could easily be put on the list. And that's just part of what made it feel so special. That's not to say it didn't have its own originality either because it did. But by taking a little bit from a lot of different things, it turned it all into something it could call its own.
It's not perfect as nothing is. But the flaws that it has diminish very little from the overall journey. So much so that I forgot what parts I disliked after the credits rolled.
I'm sure people will disagree and feel that it was "just another Disney story" and that "it's all been done a million times before" because to be fair, it's somewhat true. It has all been done a million times and it IS just another Disney story. But what made it different to me was the fact that it remained enjoyable throughout almost the entirety of the film, never once felt like it lost its purpose, and kept me engaged with the desires and actions of the characters. It remained true to itself, and to its audience. And on top of all that, it pushed the boundaries yet again on how visually stunning animated movies have gotten year after year.
I think the most important thing was how it tapped into a part of myself that has changed over the years due to the nature of growing up, and I hope it does the same for other people. Everyone who grew up watching animated movies at a young age, 2D or 3D, is getting older and usually hides a special part of themselves that existed when they were younger. Very few things have the power to bring us back to a time where we enjoyed so much and had so little to worry about. I don't mean this in a strictly nostalgic way although it's hard to phrase it otherwise. It was more the aspect of being reminded that there are still simplicities in life that we overlook, like something as simple as being alive at a time in history where watching an animated film that took thousands of hours to create by hundreds more people is possible. Even with money as the basis for most everything which is created, this did not feel like a cash-in just to capitalize on children, voice actors, or traditional nostalgia despite all that's been said. That's what made it feel genuinely remarkable.
Moana was an experience that I won't forget.