10 July 2026
VAIANA: LA LÉGENDE (called MOANA in the U.S.) ***
What a charmer of a film for the whole family. We were expecting animation at the press screening, we were instead pleasantly surprised with a live-action version, with some brilliant CGI (computer-generated imagery) for Vaiana’s cute pets – Pig and silly Bird – and the magical water, boat and sky sequences.
This third film in the Moana franchise (begun in 2016) is a buoyant tale about love of home, family and pride in one’s heritage, telling the coming-of-age story of Vaiana (Catherine Laga’aia). She is the chief’s daughter on a Polynesian island, preparing to succeed her father as leader. She’s hesitant, but she’s also a headstrong girl with ideas of her own and a longing for the open ocean. She has to find a way to lead her people out of a curse that’s fallen on their peaceful island.
It’s a story about gumption and believing in one’s dreams, especially when her wise and loving grandmother (Rena Owen, the fine New Zealand/Maori actress) is on her side.
And then there’s Maui, the demigod, played by a wonderfully amusing and expressive Dwayne Johnson, who becomes an ally during Vaiana’s adventurous and possibly dangerous quest on the unknown ocean. She needs help, for she must find a home for the magic talisman given to her by her encouraging and protective grandmother.
The few songs along the way are exhilarating but also meaningful, hardly surprising when Lin-Manuel Miranda, of ´Hamilton’ fame, is responsible.
This is a joyous, uplifting Disney, one to share with loved ones.
In the meantime, check out the amazing summer program at the Grütli Cinemas. They are having a rich retrospective of great classics from 1920 to 2020, entitled LES ÉTOILES, from July to September.
With international masterpieces such as “Citizen Kane”, “Casablanca” and “Sunset Boulevard” to “À bout de souffle”, “The Leopard”, “Un Homme et Une Femme” and many others, by the likes of Chaplin and Keaton, you’ll be in cinematic heaven.
Pick up their summer program at the Grütli, next to Victoria Hall, or online.
You may well end up spending much of the summer in their cool, dark ‘salles’, (re-) discovering these unforgettable gems.
Superb **** Very Good *** Good ** Mediocre * Miserable – no stars
By Neptune
Neptune Ravar Ingwersen reviews film extensively for publications in Switzerland. She views 4 to 8 films a week and her aim is to sort the wheat from the chaff for readers.
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