Moana (2026) releases 10 years after the original, is it any good?

It is movie time, my people, as Moana comes to life, like real life. Also, we have a movie that you are ready to stream from an Oscar winner. I love this movie, and it's in the perfect spot. But we begin with Gayle Daughtry, who uses her celebrity free pass. I had a celebrity free pass thing with my fiance, but he took it literally, so now I need to have sex with Jon Hamm to even out the score and save my relationship. Gayle Daughtry is on a mission to use her celebrity free pass in a mess of a movie that even has... Parody. Is it true? You know I was... And everything you'd want in a performance is ready to stream, as Jesse Buckley stands out in Hamnet. Will you be... The stories are true. The story has just begun. And finally, Moana is back on the big screen in a live action version that's exactly like the animated original. Kinda. Are you ready to be the hero? Let's go save the world. I got your back. Critically speaking, now. Rock yells as Maui. Welcome aboard Critically Speaking, a show that is all about movies. I am your host, Lee Thomas. And joining me this week, guest critic, one of my favorites, Harkin Theatres Movie Gals Association member, Terry, great to see you. Great to see you, and thanks for doing the show. Lee, I have missed you. Although, what a bonus. A few weeks ago, I got to see you in person. At the Odyssey screening on the IMAX Theater in New York City. I was so excited to see you. Just as excited to see you as I was to see Matt Damon on a boat. Yep, and that movie that we talk about, we're gonna talk about it next week, but that movie is something, isn't it? Oh, for sure. It's definitely an experience. Movie theaters and Harkin's Theater is where I work also. Based in Arizona, by the way. One of the largest independently and family-owned theater chains in the country. What a year they are having. We've got a lot to talk about, I know. Yeah, a lot of good movies. So hopefully we have some good ones that we talk about this week. So let's jump in and do what we do. Talk about the business of filmmaking or upcoming movies that have caught our attention. You know what we call it, our movie buzz. All right, now here's the thing everyone was talking about this week. She is an AI actress named Tilly Norwood, and now she is the lead in a feature film that they are going to call Misaligned. Now that title seems appropriate as the film's creators say this will be the first starring role for an AI actress. That's right, an AI performer. She is not real. And that movie will combine human filmmakers along with AI tools to generate a feature-length film. But will the audience show up? My answer to this question is simply yes, yes, wholeheartedly yes. I do think from fascination alone, Tara, that people will show up to watch this film. But like a regular movie, it has to have a good story and that she has to be a good actress for this to work. Tara Hitchcock, what say you? What do you think people will think of Tilly Norwood's first film? Yeah, I agree with you 100%. I think this is pretty much inevitable. I think there are a lot of audiences. I think about Alita Battle Angel where they did such an incredible job kind of combining CG with performance capture and real actors, and it was incredible to watch. I mean, you're never gonna convince me to talk about Hamnet coming out. I mean, Jesse Buckley won the Oscar for that. You'll never find an AI actress who's as good as Jesse Buckley, in my opinion. But I do think it's inevitable, and as long as they're also employing human beings, I think you have to kind of embrace it and not have a sense of humor about it necessarily, but just realize it's gonna probably be part of the deal. And in a way, already is. It is part of the deal, and I have to ask you, because we're both Critics' Choice Association members, do you think in the next few years we will be voting for a film that is starring an AI actress for Best Picture? I don't. I think that would be a separate category that we could create, but no, I don't see it competing with One Battle After Another and Dune Part 3 for one of our 10 nominations for Best Picture, at least I hope not. Well, as long as they don't have AI critics yet. You know what, though? I need to start learning AI. I have to get on Claude and chat GPT and know what I'm talking about and embrace it. Me too, me too. All right, let's jump in and do what we do. We are professionals. Let's talk about some movies. And we begin with a movie that is explained in its title. It's called Gayle Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass. Can I help you? Hi, we're here to see Jon Hamm. Do you have an appointment? No, but I'm Jon. Slattery. Yeah, I know. Yeah, two stars from Mad Men help Gayle Daughtry as she goes to cast in her free pass, her free sex pass in a movie that to me tried to be entertaining, but was not. I'll explain. Plus, there's this. The same, even though it is not animated. I'll explain why I think your kids and even you may sing along with the live action Moana, critically speaking, of course. Next. The biggest film this weekend is the third film in the Moana franchise. But this one is a live action reboot of the original 2016 film. And critically speaking, Moana is shot for shot, a recreation of its past with moments that we have come to love. And a tiny little human. Not too sure why they thought I needed you. You can take back the little human. And he's young when he goes in. Not sure why they decided that he need that hair as well. But once you get past the hair and the rock's bodysuit and the very obvious computer generated backgrounds for some of them, the solid story prevails because it is one that we already know. Her island is decaying and the food is running out. So a young princess goes on a journey to help with the help of a demigod named Maui to save her world. Now, yes, little chicken Heihei is there as well. I love Heihei. And the rock's hair takes a moment to get used to. So does everybody else's. But once you do get used to it, man, I think it settles in. And you come to love Catherine Lagaia. Lagaia, Catherine Lagaia. Make sure you remember that name. She's the new Moana. She's cute, she's tough, she's endearing. It also is refreshing to see the islanders in real human form and not animated. Plus seeing the rock voice a character that he originally did in animation and make him real. I actually thought that was pretty funny as well. There's also a cool connection in the film. Remember Ali'i Cravajo, that's her right there. She's the original voice of Moana. And not only is she an executive producer here, she does a duet called Along the Way with the new Moana actress. One hour 55 minutes, the film drags in the beginning and everyone's hair is noticeable, but the story rings true. I give this one a thumbs up. It's a B minus for me. Watching Moana was, you know what it was like Tara? It was like when you go to a friend's house and they have a toupee and they didn't tell you that they got a toupee and you act like everything is normal and you still have a good time at the friend's house. That's what watching the movie was like. Okay, first of all, listening to you pronounce names is this is why when I interviewed Catherine Lagaia, I asked her to pronounce her name for me because I knew it's a tough one to pronounce. Lagaia. Lagaia, yes. And if you go to Tara on TV, you can actually hear her pronounce it for you because I know. It's a tough name. It is, they're all tough. But you mentioned the bodysuit. You said, I think your line was once you get past the hair and the bodysuit, that was the problem for me. I could not get past the bodysuit. I couldn't get past the bodysuit. And in a day and age where we are spoiled with really great CGI and kind of mixing them with live action, I was disappointed. I loved her. I thought she did a great job and I do love The Rock. So you know what you're going to get with The Rock in this role and to see him perform some of this stuff live, great. Honestly, people don't care what I think on this because anybody that liked the 2016 Moana is going to go see this. I'm with you though. I did love the new song. I'm bummed. I mean, I guess I'll spoil it somewhat. I mean, it's toward the end of the film and I feel like they could have used it a little bit more somewhere else because it was shot for shot exactly what they did in 2016 which was so fantastic that I kind of fall into that camp. Why did we need to do another? But the bodysuit was really hard for me. She's beautiful and stunning and I can't wait to see what she does next time. She beat out I think 10,000. Give her this one a grade. I gave it a thumbs down but I want to give it like a thumb to the side. Okay, just move the thumb up a little bit. A little bit, just a little bit. Yeah, just, yeah, there you go. So like a C, maybe? C plus. C plus, all right, I can live with that. Say her name one more time. I work for a theater chain. Go see it in a theater chain. Say her name one more time, Tara. Say her name one more time. Catherine Lungaya. Lungaya, yep. I gotta lock that in. I'm gonna lock that in. Alihi Cravalho. There we go. I'm gonna come to you for answers every time, every time. Well, I just go to them because I would mess it up too. Lee Thomas, Tara Hitchcock. There you go, Tara Hitchcock. There we go. We'll move on to the next movie, Tara. And this one is a lot with its title that it kind of explains the movie. Gayle Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass. And critically speaking, I didn't know how they would fashion a movie around a moment. Here's one way. Use a psychic. You need to even the score. Level the playing field. If you are going to continue your relationship with Tom, you must have sex with your celebrity crush. Oh, that's not gonna happen. You don't think Jon Hamm would find you attractive? What are you saying? I don't. I mean, I think he would. And that psychic's reading sends our main character on a mission in this mess of a movie that's all about a sex pass. Now, here's the setup. Zoe Deutsch plays this newly married young wife that goes to Jennifer Aniston for a book signing, a Jennifer Aniston book signing with her husband. Aniston is his free pass, and he cashes it in. So she leaves her husband to go on this work conference to Los Angeles, and she makes it a point to find Jon Hamm to cash in her celebrity sex pass. Okay, simple premise, but the movie never really grounds itself to me. And yes, the humor is absurd with an unbelievable narrative, and leaving a raucously meandering kind of to an untethered story, like I never rooted itself in the characters that I like. Now, Zoe Deutsch, she plays Gail Daughtry, co-stars Maya Gutierrez-Riley and Ben Wang, along with John Slattery, the real John Slattery playing himself, and Jon Hamm playing himself. Having two Mad Men co-stars is pretty funny, but if this movie is for young adults, they probably didn't watch Mad Men, or if the slapstick humor is the point, I don't know if that's really for older adults. The story doesn't have enough humor to me. By the way, Ken Marino is co-star, and he's also the co-writer here. Yeah, it's a thumbs down for me. One hour and 33 minutes, and it still felt a little long, but I do love Jon Hamm, and on Jon Hamm power alone, I give Gail Daughtry and the celebrity sex pass still a thumbs down, but it's a D plus. It was just gonna be a D, or maybe even a C minus, Tara, but it's not an F. I'll go with a C minus, but what say you about this movie? I thought it was hilarious. I actually disagree with you. It did, it definitely at the end got silly. Maybe the last 20 minutes. Loved the fact that they somehow talked Jennifer Aniston and Jon Hamm into playing themselves in this. I thought that was so funny. I didn't quite get the mailman breaking the fourth wall thing. That was the only thing I didn't even see the need for. Yeah, I didn't get it. That was, oh my gosh, Ben, these two co-stars made it for me. You mentioned Ben Wang as Caleb, kind of the agent who gets let go, but Miles Gutierrez-Riley as Otto, the best friend. I laughed out loud. Lately, I feel like it takes a lot to make me laugh. I laughed out loud several times. You're right, though. For people that never saw Mad Men and don't quite get the John Slattery, because that whole storyline about how he's not getting his text returned by Jon Hamm. I mean, there was a lot that I found very funny. It just got a little silly toward the end for me. I give it a B. I give it a thumbs up. Maybe, yeah, I really thought it was clever and fun and different and just made me smile. It got me laughing out loud several times. I found myself in the movie going, what's the, he's gonna, I just found myself getting a little lost in the point, but I did laugh a few times. All we need to find Jon Hamm. That's the only point, right? I think Jon Hamm is a doll. He's such a good dude, isn't he? Oh my gosh, he makes any scene. I mean, you go back and watch his SNL hosting gigs. I mean, he just makes everything. Oh, he makes everything. And he never takes himself too seriously, yes. Good stuff. All right, let's move on. Another film out this week is directed by and stars Olivia Wilde, and she cares a lot. I care, I do care a lot. I, I care so much, I'm so sorry. I'm getting emotional. I don't know why, but I, thank you. Thank you for saying that. It has great energy. This is a movie about a dinner party that spirals into an unexpected places when a couple, played by Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde, invite their enigmatic neighbors over, played by Edward Norton and Penelope Cruz. This movie already has 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. It's called The Invite. It's rated R in theaters only now. When we come back on our movie watch, because you can watch it at home now. Critically speaking, next. All right, now to the movie watch. How many times did I look at my watch during your movie? And it's none for this week with Hamnet. What do you see? I see you grown and very strong. And I see you in London working with your father. Yeah, his father's William Shakespeare, but the story named after the son, Hamnet, is more than a tragedy. It's actually a classic love story. And the entire cast is great. Paul Mascow, 12-year-old, Jacoby Jope as Hamnet. But the standout here is Jesse Buckley. I called it as soon as I saw this movie. I said it's an Oscar-worthy performance. You can now watch this performance directed by Chloe Zhao. At home, it is on Netflix, two hours and five minutes, time well spent, obvious thumbs up. What say you, Tara, about Hamnet? Yeah, one of the best movies of the entire year. You're right, everybody's just incredible. You could have called Jesse Buckley, to your point, the minute it came out. I didn't see any performance that topped hers. The last 15 minutes, I haven't sobbed that hard, I don't think, since Manchester by the Sea. You know, my sister actually watched it on the airplane, and I said, what are you doing watching that on the airplane? Get ready to explain yourself to everybody looking at you, because you're gonna be bawling at the end. It's just beautiful. It's a well-done movie. Just beautiful on so many levels, yeah. All right. Loved it. There it is, I appreciate that one. So it's two thumbs up, and Hamnet is streaming right now on Netflix. Next up, Detroit's own Sam Raimi evolves his horror franchise with Evil Dead Burn. What's wrong? This is a sequel to the 2013 Evil Dead, 2023's Evil Dead Rise. It's about a grieving woman mourning the loss of her husband, whose family home, with her in-laws, she's there. Everything doesn't go well. Evil Dead Burn is rated R in theaters only right now. When we come back, a Hugh Jackman biopic is my pick of the week. Critically speaking, that. All right, it's time for the pick of the week. The person, place, or product we think you should pay attention to, and for me, Song Sung Blue. It's a movie starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. They play real life musical interpreters as a husband and wife cover band artist. Now the film is based on a true story, and the title, Song Sung Blue, is not only about Neil Diamond's music about his song, but it's also about how difficult life experience becomes. I appreciate the duality. I gave this movie a B minus when it was in theaters, but now Song Sung Blue is my pick of the week, and it is on Netflix right now. Netflix doing some good stuff, Tara. I enjoyed that movie. Even though they promoted it weird, the movie was good. What's your pick of the week? Look at you changing your tune, get it? Yeah, I like that, I like that. My pick of the week is an HBO show starring Jason Bateman, David Harbour, Linda Cardellini. It's called DTF St. Louis. I love this show. I'm not the only one. 13 Emmy nominations this past weekly. I don't even want to tell you really anything about it. Just know that Jason Bateman is a St. Louis weather guy. David Harbour plays the ASL interpreter who works for the station. It is a love triangle, it is a murder mystery, it is so much more. David Harbour will burn me off to have his performances, I think, ever on HBO. And also the Dune 3 trailer is my other pick of the week. Oh, nice. One of the best trailers I've ever seen out this week. I appreciate you so much, my friend. Thank you so much for doing this show. And I appreciate you guys as well. As long as they keep making movies, we'll keep critically speaking about those films. Next week, brace yourselves. Tara brought this up earlier. The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan's star-studded movie is in the number one position, so save me a seat.