I love this!!! I loved your breakdown of how the movie/story of Moana honors Moana’s inner voice and her desire to be part of her community. It’s refreshing. Coco is another movie that seems to set up a conflict between self and family but then resolves it in a way that brings more wholeness to the community and the self. ❤️🩹 And I love that last line: I am Moana! I can hear it in my head 🥲😭
I love Moana! Need to watch it again. As a writer/storyteller, I especially love how it doesn't follow some of the conventions of Western story structure. For example, at Moana's low moment when she's just been defeated and Maui has abandoned her, she understandably feels like giving up. But when her grandmother's spirit shows up to encourage her, she doesn't give her a pep talk like in a lot of stories - "get back out there, you can do it, just believe in yourself." Instead her grandmother says "I never should have pushed you so much. If you want to just go home now, I support you in that." It's *so* unlike most stories and gives Moana full agency to make her own decision to go back and face Te Ka, instead of being sort of "bullied" back into it. I've drawn so much writing inspiration just from that moment 🥹
I have so much to say about this. I watched Moana for the first time in a movie theater in Cambodia and the thing that made me so emotional was that it was the first Disney movie that felt more Cambodian to me than American. (actually, Coco was—I saw that in a Cambodian theater too) The culture, the family, the beautiful brown-skinned people, the coconut trees, the baskets, etc etc etc. I bought the movie when it came out and tried to find a way to do an outdoor viewing for kids with a projector but never could. :(
I haven't watched it in a few years and all of this beautiful stuff you wrote about it has more than convinced me that I'm overdue. Will rewatch it super soon.
Also, YES to the myths. (I write poems about this) Also, I could just sit here all day and talk about this movie and your commentary but I have to get to work (boo capitalism, etc etc)
Moana is my favorite Disney animated film for all these reasons!! I couldn't help but compare it to The Little Mermaid. It has so much more nuance and values community in a way TLM doesn't. I can't think of a better movie that demonstrates how honoring your inner voice actually benefits the world around you, instead of putting those two things at odds with each other. As much as I adore romance, the platonic relationships are the best thing about this film. Ok, one of the best. I love how you compare it to both dominant American culture and white evangelicalism. Dang it, now I need to rewatch the movie!!
What more is there to say?! "She does not deny herself but becomes most fully herself, and in doing so, it’s exactly what not only her island, but Maui (the demigod) and Te Fiti (the goddess who creates life) need as well." Isn't that a perfect example of the healthiest and most fulfilled life? Thanks for the uplifting analysis, Christine!
Even though I love princess & the frog (the music!) and the messages of the Frozen movies (sister love thawing a frozen heart, and listening to the magical voice inside) Moana will still always be my favorite. We actually watched it last night!!
Absolutely the best Disney movie. I tear up every time I hear “And the call isn’t out there at all, it’s inside me” for the exact reasons you mention. As evangelicals we weren’t taught to listen to our own voices. And the end where she sings to Te Fiti, “You know who you are” 🥹
I love this!!! I loved your breakdown of how the movie/story of Moana honors Moana’s inner voice and her desire to be part of her community. It’s refreshing. Coco is another movie that seems to set up a conflict between self and family but then resolves it in a way that brings more wholeness to the community and the self. ❤️🩹 And I love that last line: I am Moana! I can hear it in my head 🥲😭
I love Moana! Need to watch it again. As a writer/storyteller, I especially love how it doesn't follow some of the conventions of Western story structure. For example, at Moana's low moment when she's just been defeated and Maui has abandoned her, she understandably feels like giving up. But when her grandmother's spirit shows up to encourage her, she doesn't give her a pep talk like in a lot of stories - "get back out there, you can do it, just believe in yourself." Instead her grandmother says "I never should have pushed you so much. If you want to just go home now, I support you in that." It's *so* unlike most stories and gives Moana full agency to make her own decision to go back and face Te Ka, instead of being sort of "bullied" back into it. I've drawn so much writing inspiration just from that moment 🥹
I have so much to say about this. I watched Moana for the first time in a movie theater in Cambodia and the thing that made me so emotional was that it was the first Disney movie that felt more Cambodian to me than American. (actually, Coco was—I saw that in a Cambodian theater too) The culture, the family, the beautiful brown-skinned people, the coconut trees, the baskets, etc etc etc. I bought the movie when it came out and tried to find a way to do an outdoor viewing for kids with a projector but never could. :(
I haven't watched it in a few years and all of this beautiful stuff you wrote about it has more than convinced me that I'm overdue. Will rewatch it super soon.
Also, YES to the myths. (I write poems about this) Also, I could just sit here all day and talk about this movie and your commentary but I have to get to work (boo capitalism, etc etc)
GREAT STUFF HERE, FRIEND.
Moana is my favorite Disney animated film for all these reasons!! I couldn't help but compare it to The Little Mermaid. It has so much more nuance and values community in a way TLM doesn't. I can't think of a better movie that demonstrates how honoring your inner voice actually benefits the world around you, instead of putting those two things at odds with each other. As much as I adore romance, the platonic relationships are the best thing about this film. Ok, one of the best. I love how you compare it to both dominant American culture and white evangelicalism. Dang it, now I need to rewatch the movie!!
What more is there to say?! "She does not deny herself but becomes most fully herself, and in doing so, it’s exactly what not only her island, but Maui (the demigod) and Te Fiti (the goddess who creates life) need as well." Isn't that a perfect example of the healthiest and most fulfilled life? Thanks for the uplifting analysis, Christine!
Even though I love princess & the frog (the music!) and the messages of the Frozen movies (sister love thawing a frozen heart, and listening to the magical voice inside) Moana will still always be my favorite. We actually watched it last night!!
I love this, and I love Moana! I also really appreciated your note about myths---so freeing.
I love your comment "Your own voice is not to be trusted in evangelicalism." That is so exactly right.
Absolutely the best Disney movie. I tear up every time I hear “And the call isn’t out there at all, it’s inside me” for the exact reasons you mention. As evangelicals we weren’t taught to listen to our own voices. And the end where she sings to Te Fiti, “You know who you are” 🥹