6 The New Trier News The 385 Friday, December 9, 2016 Moana destined to be another Disney classic

(voiced by Rachel House) to tell Disney’s new family her the truth that she’s been hiding: flick has fans old Moana has been chosen by the ocean to reverse an age old curse that’s and new enthralled slowly been destroying all of the surrounding islands. With this newfound knowledge, Moana, who has never gone more by Jessi Zook than a couple hundred feet off her island and has no knowledge of “Moana” is a must-see movie sailing, must sail away to find Maui for any Disney-lover looking to be (voiced by Dwayne Johnson). transported back to their childhood. Maui, a demigod, is the one The movie follows Moana responsible for the destructive curse, (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho), who and is the only hope of reversing it. grew up with the expectation that Moana must somehow convince him she’ll follow in her father’s footsteps to make things right. and become the next chief of her What ensues for Moana is a life island village. changing, high stakes journey that Moana, staring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho, has surpassed expectations | Disney.co.uk/moana But there’s a catch: no one on forces her to find herself and define the island is allowed to go past the what type of leader she will be. of others. from the deep. intriguing South Pacific legends. But ocean reef a couple hundred feet out She’s pushed out of the only “Frozen” and “Brave”, two In many ways, it also had many above all else, my favorite part had into the ocean. comfort she’s ever known and into a major movies preceding “Moana”, strong connections to “Mulan”. In to be the music. No Disney movie The society has an inexplicable completely new world. The journey were similar in the sense that none both movies, the female protagonists is complete without the sporadic fear of the water. Yet, Moana has she goes on pushes her to redefine have been the “typical” princess- are forced to go against the existing outbreak of song and “Moana” was always felt a strange calling to the herself and what’s important to her. in-search-of-a-prince movie that expectations held for them in search no exception. Throughout the movie, ocean. Once her father (voiced by This movie lived up to Disney’s became popular in the ‘90s. of something more. the plot was enhanced (and clarified) Temuera Morrison) picks up on this, reputation of providing an adventure- Instead, “Moana”, like the In “Mulan’s” case, this was a through upbeat and comical numbers. he continually tries to stomp out the filled,Dragon’s heartwarming Race film that’s other two, was action packed and gender stereotype. In Moana’s, it was My favorite was hands down “You’re curiosity. captivating for someone of any age. empowering. Moana faced many expectations for her future as well Welcome” sung by none other than While his efforts seem to work, to Itthe received Edge a very impressive 97 challenges and, rather than depending as common beliefs about the ocean Dwayne Johnson. I had no idea nothing can truly sway Moana’s percent on Rotten Tomatoes, which I on others, pushed forward on her among her community. that he could sing, but the song was passion for the sea. think was well deserved. own. Moana has to risk everything in anything but a disappointment. For a time, Moana goes on with The movie itself was wholesome The prominent female order to do what she thinks is right, With so much preceding her daily life, but a few years down with a good message for kids in a protagonist was able to teach girls even when those around her may not “Moana”, I was half expecting it to the road her island’s surrounding similar vain to a couple of movies and boys alike that nothing should fully support that decision. be a flop, but the movie lived up to its waters are suddenly void of fish and that Disney has recently released. stand in their way and be a reason Despite the familiar themes in the hype and is definitely worth a watch the crops that were once plentiful It was all about pushing through to give up, whether it be physical movie, “Moana” became something if you’re looking for something to do are no longer. This deterioration challenges and learning to solve weaknesses, emotional restraints, wonderfully new through its quirky this weekend. leads Moana’s eccentric grandmother problems without enlisting the help or hot lava sea monsters coming up characters, incredible graphics, and New “” episodes lack authenticity

Despite 10 year affirmation that Rory managed to mom recovered from pretty much make something of herself was ripping at the seams. hiatus, the new story exactly what fans wanted to see. But an argument with every arc falls flat But as the show went on, the other major character was just too satisfaction of many fans, including much drama, and not characteristic by Helen Fagan myself, began to fade. Through the of the Lorelei fans learned to love in second and third episodes it seems “Gilmore Girls”. as if Amy Sherman-Palladino, the Instead of being so shocked that The Netflix original 4-episode show’s creator, is trying too hard to I couldn’t stop watching, I became series “Gilmore Girls: A Year squeeze the franchise for every last too shocked to the point where all in the Life” was a much-needed dollar. I wanted to do was turn off my continuation of the endearing story Though I realize Rory and computer. Lorelei and Rory always of a teen mom and her daughter Lorelei are fictional characters whose seemed real to me. Like many other navigating through life, laughing lives have always been overdramatic fans, I identified with their coffee every step of the way. to incite viewership and ratings, addictions and friend troubles. The Though this new story, fans many moments in A Year in the Life seemingly never-ending drama with of the previous series, the end of seemed simply too contrived. Lorelei came across to me as simply the show ultimately left fans where In the course of one episode that too fake. they were at the end of the original spanned only a few weeks, Lorelei Sadly, this drama only continued series—unsatisfied. stopped speaking to her mother, to the end of the series. The Netflix original series began keeping useless secrets from The series ends with gut- premiered on November 25. The Luke, got in an explosive fight with wrenching words. The final scene series consists of four 1.5 hour Rory, and left to “do shows Lorelei and Rory sitting on episodes, each a snapshot of Rory Wild” and hike the Pacific Crest trail their porch, conversing. Rory tells and Lorelei’s life during a single as seen in Cheryl Strayed’s memoir. Lorelei she has something to tell season of the year. her, and the series ends with the four The episodes are titled Winter, words that Sherman Palladino had Spring, Summer and Fall, and The final scene shows wanted to end the original series combined take the viewer through a with. year in the family’s life. Lorelei and Rory sitting In writing the series, those words The show is set in current time, on their porch... Rory probably seemed delightfully full- thus Rory is 10 years older than she circle. add drama to what should be a was in the finale of the original show. tells Lorelei she has merely satisfying ending, it exhausts Like “Gilmore Girls” did, the show the viewer instead of appeasing her. did not fail to be littered with current something to tell her, Though some fans may wonder pop culture references like Uber, and the series ends in joy about what comes next and long Hamilton, and Brexit. for a sequel, those words exhausted The first few episodes were with the four words me. All I could think about was, “Oh exactly what “Gilmore Girls” fans that Sherman Palladino god, this again.” needed. The show opens with Rory All in all, I was happy to delve returning to Stars Hollow for a few had wanted to end the again into the lives of Rory and days, and the viewers quickly learn original series with. Lorelei. But the series went too far of her remarkably successful writing in their quest to satisfy fans. Looking career and international recognition. Lorelei’s crisis was meant to back, I would have been happier if I For the fans who have watched shock viewers into continuing to hadn’t watched the sequel. Rory grow up from her days at watch to see if their loveable, strong Chilton through her years at Yale,