"You Know Who You are...Who You Truly are." Moana Review

Moana

3.5/5

Directed by: Ron Clements and John Musker

Rated: PG

           Disney's famous directing duo has created another instant classic, and one worth owning and rewatching. Ron Clements and John Musker, directors of The Little Mermaid (1989), Aladdin (1992), and The Princess and the Frog (2009), return to Disney Studios to bring families their new original film. Moana is the story of a young woman living on an island, longing to explore what’s just beyond her reef. When disaster strikes, Moana must set sail on a dangerous voyage. She will face obstacles, meet new companions, and gain a deeper understanding of what she's been searching for her whole life, her identity.

           Most Disney films are mainly famous for their lead title characters, and Moana is a wonderfully rich character. Voiced by newcomer Auli'i Cravalho, Moana is a self taught sailor, a sensational singer, and a feisty fighter. She is a strong willed heroine, but she is also vulnerable, and encounters her fair share of almost unbeatable struggles. Though she has much to learn, before she can be the chief everyone on her island needs her to be, she's wise enough to remember and put into practice what she learns. It's enjoyable watching Moana grow as a character and a young woman, and it also makes her character infinitely more relatable than Disney's other prefect princesses. It would be a joy seeing Moana reappear on screen, and seeing how much further her character develops.
           Moana adds a brand new colorful cast of memorable characters to Disney's extensive list. Along with Moana, there is the great demigod Maui, voiced by Dwayne Johnson. He wants nothing more in life than to be thought of as a hero, a rather self centered goal. It's understandable why Maui is so self focused, considering his body is covered with tattoos of all his victories and adoring crowds. The only way Maui was able to achieve all of those wins was through the use of his magic hook. He used it to pull up islands from the sea floor, bring the sun in closer to make the days longer, steal fire from below the world's surface, and  create several other natural phenomenons. He even uses his hook to transform into any animal or creature. A creature Maui would not want to turn into is Moana's unintentional animal sidekick, Heihei. This dimwitted chicken, voiced by Alan Tudyk, offers some of the greatest comedy relief in Disney movie history. Though the animal is always over the top, Heihei's humor does not distract from the story's critical moments.
           Moana is an original story, rife with mythos, danger, excitement, and heart. The impact of Moana's story is heightened by the film's visual beauty. For a 3D animated film, each frame appears as rich and colorful as the scene's from Disney's earlier hand drawn films. Each of Moana's locations is meticulously crafted, and the results are stunningly gorgeous. The most unique element of Moana's visual storytelling, is its fascination with water. Each droplet is full of detail and life. Even though there are whole scenes where the screen contains nothing but ocean, the film never feels empty. The sea is not simply the medium of transportation on this voyage. The ocean is a vivid and inviting expanse. It is the gateway to discovery, both of the world and of the self. As long as the sea is on screen, audiences know Moana's adventure will continue.

           Moana’s music submerges audiences in a lively atmosphere of sound and verse. It's a splendid collection of catchy tunes, and empowering melodies. The lively orchestral score was composed by Mark Mancina, the musical composer of Tarzan (1999). Most of the songs and lyrics were written by Hamilton composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda. His iconic voice even graces two of Moana's original songs. Fans will recognize an uncanny amount of similarities between the songs in Hamilton and Moana. Though some of Moana's songs are considerable ear worms, surprisingly, none of them are annoying. In the vein of other great Disney films, Moana offers irresistible music that is sure to lead to uncontrollable humming and occasional spontaneous singing.

Verdict: Moana is an amazing original adventure, complete with memorable characters, a visually gorgeous atmosphere, and impactful toe tappin' music from Lin-Manuel Miranda.

"Stories are Wild Animals." A Monster Calls Review

     A Monster Calls

    3.5/5

Directed by: J.A. Bayona

Written by: Patrick Ness

Rated: PG-13

           Our story begins "with a boy, too old to be a kid, too young to be a man, and a nightmare" (Ness 2016). Conor O'Malley lives in a dreary spot in the U.K. He spends his days at school, where a bully taunts and beats him. He comes home to his grandmother's house, where he cannot touch anything, for her fear of destroying any piece from her delicate legacy. His mother is sick, and his father infrequently visits. So Conor, a young boy afraid and confused by his world, calls for help. That night a monster came walking.

           A Monster Calls is teeming with life, brought about through its tremendous cast. The monster is tremendously played by Liam Neeson. Through the use of motion capture, and practical effects, Liam Neeson interweaves fiery violence, and gentle compassion into this memorable performance. He supplies the monster with a gruff, deep, and strong voice. Even when the monster is whispering, his voice rumbles the floors, and makes the ceiling quake. In the same way Liam Neeson makes his fantastical character lifelike, and emotionally rich, all of the lead performing artists give their character's a sense of true humanity. Lewis MacDougall debuts, as Conor O'Malley. He handles the complexities of his character with an earnest openness, and sincere professionalism. Felicity Jones plays his mother with passion, grace, and humor. Sigourney Weaver is Conor's grandmother. Her commitment to her role, gives the character a beautiful balance between an evil witch and a loving parent. Every performance in A Monster Calls benefits the film.

           Another powerful element within the film is its unique visual design, which is showcased through the film's dual environments. The real world is often shown using gray and muted tones of color. The rain drips slowly from the sky, and the world is a  vast empty and dreadful place. When The monster arrives, he brings darkness, but one made of flaming reds and oranges. The stories he tells are illustrated, through wildly imaginative 3-D animated water color paintings. Their colors are rich, and inviting. In each of the film's environments are elements of uncertainty, terror, tears, and wonder. All of them give A Monster Calls an individually engaging and visually stimulating atmosphere.

           Perhaps the film's greatest flaw is its difficultly understood nature. The story is meant to confound and only be fully understood at its climax. This long awaited conclusion may prompt viewers to express aggravation at the film's slow pace, while it may give other viewers a much needed catharsis. Because of this pacing, younger viewers who should watch this film may be inclined to turn off this confusing story. Adults will likely ignore this rich fairy tale, because of its young protagonist and fantastical plot. No matter what the age, A Monster Calls unfortunately has a hard time reaching its audience. The niche this film successfully speaks to will cherish A Monster Calls, and return to it time, and time again.

           Though it is hard to properly state what A Monster Calls is about, director J.A. Bayona best describes this complex genre combining film. He says A Monster Calls is a "cinematicall story. It's about the bond between Mother and Son. It's a movie about truth. It's about love, and legacy, and it's about art."

Verdict: A Monster Calls is a unique film with a tremendous cast and a rich aesthetic, but it's complex story may offer audiences either unwanted confusion, or much needed catharsis.