15 Best Animated Movie Moments Of The Decade
6. Moana - How Far I’ll Go
Original songs in animated movies have been commonplace for decades now, especially when Disney is involved. It’s taken us to the top six to include one, although now we’re here Moana’s won’t be the only melody to make the cut.
How Far I’ll Go isn’t just here on the back of being a great song, although let’s admit it: that’s definitely what it is. The whole sequence of Moana struggling with her place on the island and venturing out to sea the way her ancestors did is essentially the tale of the whole movie told in a single scene.
Disney have gotten increasingly ambitious with layering their musical numbers with symbolism, and How Far I’ll Go is one of their best examples of that.
The lush terrain of her island is explored in sync with the song, but we feel along with Moana that there’s something missing.
The shot from the top of the mountain, where the shallow light blue water changes to the deep, unknown dark blue of the ocean, is a great piece of cinematography. The whole sequence is so free and fluid, and gets us firmly rooting for Moana right from the off.