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A Crash Course in a Century of Walt Disney Animation Studios
As exemplified by its greatest hits and catastrophic failures.
The film’s co-directors, John Musker and Ron Clements, cut their teeth on The Great Mouse Detective before telling the story of Ariel, a passionate teenager who wants to spend time on dry land after she falls in love with the dashing Prince Eric. So it’s no surprise that Moana is the last truly great Walt Disney Animation Studios film to date, taking its eponymous Pacific Islander heroine on a journey to restore the heart of the ocean while she learns some valuable life lessons and makes a new friend in the gregarious demigod Maui. Moana is the kind of film that Disney excelled at making once, blending instantly memorable songs (an underrated number is “Shiny,” performed by Jemaine Clement as a David Bowie–esque monster crab)with vibrant and colorful animation, a relatable story, and hilarious sidekicks.
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