I was eager to see how the movie puts all these pieces together. But when I heard the movie had songs—my excitement diminished. I thought it was going to be another boring Disney sing-along. 

Boy was I wrong. Someone get me an inhaler because my breath is taken away. Moana, voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho, felt lost in her identity. She felt a call to the ocean–to go beyond the reef of her island home–but her father held her back. Moana used her grandma’s words of wisdom to set out on a journey to carry out the mission her ancestors started to restore the heart of Te Fiti. She steps up to Maui, “shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea, hero of men” and convinces him to complete this quest with her. Along the way, Maui acts as a teacher and guide for Moana. The movie brings adventure and thrill when they battle against various types of monsters along the way.

The incredible character, Maui, is voiced by Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson. I had to double-check that when I heard him sing “You’re Welcome,” because it was outstanding—coming from a guy who can bench an island. You don’t expect it, but his charming and charismatic personality shines through here. Don’t even get me started on the rest of the music. From “How Far I’ll Go” to “An Innocent Warrior”, these songs bring an immense amount of emotion and drive to the viewers. After listening to “We Know the Way”, I wanted to build a boat and sail across the sea. The chorus and instruments and the drums bring the energy to this film. Half of these songs are on shuffle in my everyday playlist. 

Not only does this movie hold amazing music, but it also contains humor. Moana has a chicken as a sidekick, Hei Hei, who is extremely loyal. While he can’t find where his food is when it is placed right in front of him, he always finds his way back to her side. Another great sense of humor is portrayed when Maui is trying to retrieve his hook from Tamatoa, the treasure-obsessed crab. Tamatoa reaches for Moana’s necklace, which contains her grandma’s gift, and Moana exclaims “Don’t! That's my grandmas!” The crab mocks “That’s my grandma’s! And then yells, “I ate my grandma!!” Crab humor am I right?

Overall, this movie hits every requirement to be a Disney classic. A young girl has a call to adventure and has to overcome challenges to save the people she loves. I would not be surprised if this becomes the new Cinderella. Moana, a new Disney princess, teaches girls to be leaders, to chase after their dreams, and to find their purpose in life. The thrilling adventure of Moana will leave you talking for hours about it. The trailer exemplifies the action, adventure, humor, and heartfelt moments of this film perfectly.