Ultimately, “Snow White” is a cautionary tale for Disney: Not every animated treasure needs a live-action makeover. Revisiting a film as iconic as the 1937 original demands vision, purpose and heart — not just spectacle. This remake suggests that Disney may be running out of both ideas and magic.

Disney has done it again with “Moana,” an artistic and cinematic triumph. The film is Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 56th feature film. A musical set among the Pacific Islands, “Moana”...