Disney movies are typically classified as something only a child would enjoy. They are thought to only appeal to the 12-and-under crowd. But, as an avid Disney fan, I will tell you that with each movie I watch, that stereotype is further broken. With Moana being the latest Disney film in the theaters, I continue to be impressed by the way these movies suit all ages, not just children.

Walking into Celebration Cinema with the two kids I babysit, ages nine and twelve, I was quite excited to see what Disney would bring to me with their newest movie. Honestly, I think I was more excited to watch the movie than the children accompanying me. The sweet, traditional Hawaiian music filled the theater as the first images appeared on screen. I was in awe of the magical animation that I saw in front of me. I was amazed by the advanced graphics that were used to transform these images into extraordinarily realistic scenes.

Moana tells the story of a young Hawaiian girl who lives on an island with her family. The island is doomed for destruction because of a hateful act by the demigod Maui. Moana decides to take on the task of crossing over the forbidden reef and journeying to find the demigod in order to convince him to travel with her to restore peace to the island.

For some reason, I typically get distracted during movies. I don’t know why; it could be the most exciting film and I will still get bored during some parts. During Moana, there was one scene that proved to be less than appealing to me and caused me to get bored and leave the theater for a minute. After I returned, the film picked up, and I was again captured. The catchy tunes and beautiful animation were enough to keep me engaged for the remainder of the movie. There were almost no other parts during the film that I didn’t like. Overall, I really enjoyed the feel-good plot and the extremely likeable characters.

When it ended, the looks of the children I was with were approving, and they spoke highly of the story. I had nothing negative to say about the movie as a whole and neither did the kids. The entirety of the film was generally easy to follow and an entertaining story for kids of all ages to enjoy. Moana completely encapsulated the traditional Disney storyline of a coming-of-age girl wanting to take her own adventure.