Whale Rider

Whale Rider; Fantastic tale of battling patriarchal power & evolving traditions while respecting the Māori people and ways. Castle-Hughes is phenomenal in every way, eliciting tears of joy & heartache, while also hitting comedic moments. Performances are great and beautifully honest and grounded; A+
 

Moana 2

Moana 2; Near impossible task of living up to the original ultimately fails on account of lesser songs, story beats and animation. Cravalho does some heavy lifting, as her vocals and humour guide the film through patchy moments, even when the script, lyrics and music aren’t up to the task; B+

Soul

Soul; If 2D/3D art expresses our interpretation of life, then Pixar is the filmic height of artistic representation. Taking abstract elements & weaving a narrative to explore them is a feat unto itself. A solid voice cast + music makes this mediation on life a simple pleasure; A

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Hunt for the Wilderpeople; Charming film with dynamic directing & unique blend of humour, pathos & adventure. Works on several levels; A-

Moana

Moana; Solid music and a focus on few characters allows Disney to hit another home run. Animation is top notch, story told beautifully; A+