not only does Moana feel like a worthy successor to Disney's most beloved animated classics, but it pushes the genre into 2016, introducing a smart, diverse, and convincing heroine who struggles against lava monsters and self-doubt
a vibrantly rendered adventure that combines state-of-the-art CG animation with traditional storytelling and colorful characters, all enlivened by a terrific voice cast
"Moana" works overtime to keep that damaging force out of the picture, and like its individualistic young heroine, the studio shows signs of growing up