Moana (2016)

[Ezen Baklattan]

Review.

Discuss.

Debate.

Celebrate.

[cannastop]

A very good movie, probably better than Frozen. The whole world is beautiful, and I found the action exciting. My biggest complaint is of the numerous and blatant cliches that were employed at the end. The attempts at meta humor fell flatter than Frozen's similar jokes.

 

Grade: B

[WrathOfHan]

This was a fun movie. Excellent performances by the cast and beautiful animation. The story treads on trite animation cliche sometimes unfortunately. The music was surprisingly decent. I can hear hints of Hamilton in it so Lin Manuel Miranda isn't totally off the hook with me yet, but it's a start. 8/10 | B

[CelestialFairyIX]

The heart, the soul, the storytelling, the character development, the twists, the turns, and everything about Moana from the very tip to the core makes Moana one of the greatest Disney/movie experiences of all time.  I had high expectations going in, and Moana not only shattered those expectations with ease, but set new standards of animation and storytelling.

 

The storytelling might be cliche to others, it may be linear, it may seem as though you were already a way-finder and could navigate through every nook and cranny, but Moana is simply dazzling and extravagant.  The trailers, the teasers, the posters, etc... they do not do Moana enough justice in showing the grandeur and the very essence of what Moana is.  Moana is simply heartwarming, packed with emotion and thrill, and sets itself apart by not only digging into its own premise, but by providing theater goers a sense of relief from everyday events.  

 

Moana is not just good, it is amazing!  Is it better than Zootopia?  No, but it has its own niche and no longer needs to be compared to Zootopia. Moana will be remembered for a very long time not only because of its easy storytelling and great music, but because Moana herself and Maui have cemented themselves as some of the greatest characters ever produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.  

 

Moana is the story that Disney has tried time and time again to tell, but never quite succeeded... until now.  Moana is a triumphant hark from Walt Disney Animation Studios.  Moana is Disney's call to all foes, challengers, and belittlers: we are at the top and we're not coming down.

 

A-

Edited November 24, 2016 by CelestialFairyIX

[Morieris]

 

It's beautiful. I have a feeling watching it on my television will be a better experience than our old screens.

 

"It's cliche" Sure, but i've seen so many people wrong about what actually happens, it's amazing.

 

"Moana is running away from her destiny -" Not really. She doesn't have a qualm with being chief, goes throughout her duties, and is praised for them. But she knows there's more out there, and it turns out that more is part of her history and heritage. I will agree that she doesn't really grow as a person. Her hunch is right about the ocean, and she does a great thing, but learning how to sail when the ocean is a friend of yours ... not a real big accomplishment? Maui had a really good point - "Why not just toss the heart into the ocean and let it do it's thing" and the reason (which isn't really spelled out but you see the climax and you know why) is a weak cop out honestly.

 

I don't argue that it's cliche, but  it happens. Every princess movie has been based upon or involves a cliche in some way or another yes I'm including Brave and Frozen.

 

It works a lot better when it's about Moana and Maui working through their self doubts and issues to help the world, but there could have been a more prominent antagonist force. The Kakamora are a distraction, Tamatoa - Jesus Christ - I can't believe they looked at this character and the voice acting and said "No, that's enough, that's all we need." but less is more blah blah blah Disney knows best. Nice pacing, but it is filled with a bit of lulling spaces.

 

"Where You Are" is my favorite. I knew the lyrics before setting foot into the theater and cried when I saw the matching visuals. 

"How Far I'll Go" (not reprise) is probably the worst song. It's sung beautifully, but the melody is bland, and it doesn't stick.

"You're Welcome" is better in this regard, and if it's one of the three they're pushing for an Oscar nom (along with HFIG and "We Know the Way", which is also fine)... are we serious? Are these the decisions we're making? Do we think City of Stars is that big of a threat that "Shiny" (which works far better with the visuals than without. It was honestly amazing.) or "I Am Moana" wouldn't win? 

 

I found the verbal humor oddly lacking. Not as topical as I was concerned about, but still too meta, and I didn't laugh that much, but I'm fine with it. Not everything is a laughfest. Heihei was more entertaining than I thought.

 

I think the story is stronger than Zootopia even if it isn't as creative - it doesn't have the downside of having to play coy with allegories. I think Zoo is funnier. But it's not a competition until Oscars night

 

Someone on reddit had a beautiful interpretation of the story - 

 

Quote

I loved that they tackled the idea that tragedy tends to rob people of who they are, and in a way this movie is about allowing yourself to be made whole again

 

That's what I'm rolling with, though I don't think it's quite what the filmmakers intended. More like "Others do not determine your role, you do" or something. Not so easily my favorite animated movie of the year (but I liked everything except Storks and kind of Boy and the World)

 

A-

 

 

 

[cannastop]

Didn't like these cliches:

 

Maui abandons Moana but swoops in at the end like he's Han Solo. And he gets a new hook so his sacrifice means jack shit.

[Morieris]

27 minutes ago, cannastop said:

Didn't like these cliches:

 

Maui abandons Moana but swoops in at the end like he's Han Solo. And he gets a new hook so his sacrifice means jack shit.

 

Better idea;

 

Spoiler

Moana restores Te Fiti's heart with only the help of the ocean, Maui returns too late. He doesn't get a hook. They both return to the island, with Moana insisting that her people will like Maui because of who he is and not just the magical stuff he can do for them.

 

Her parents see Moana and think, well, she found a demigod to help her, until Maui steps in with, no, I helped in the beginning but she is the one who did the badass stuff in the end. Surprise, everyone is excited to see him, end of the story remains.

 

Only problem is Maui wouldn't be able to pull up islands for them to find so maybe he gets the hook in the ending sequence.

 

Edited November 24, 2016 by Morieris

[AniNate]

For better and worse, I got a ton of nostalgia bombs watching this. Really felt like a 90s musical with 21st century technology. Visuals were absolutely breathtaking, lots of funny jokes, a winning vocal performance by Cravalho and some really well-done musical setpieces more than made up for a story that was pretty much beat-for-beat Disney formula. 

Edited November 25, 2016 by tribefan695

[filmlover]

Another delightful addition to Disney's canon that is filled with the magic of the studio's best efforts: gorgeous animation, great songs supplied by Lin-Manuel "Hamilton" Miranda ("How Far I'll Go" is destined to join their classic songs), plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, and a ton of heart. Newcomer Auli'i Cravalho makes Moana a terrific addition to the studio's line of strong female protagonists, while Dwayne Johnson continues to kill it in comedic roles. This is as good as Zootopia, Frozen, etc. and continues Disney's recent Pixar-esque run of quality animated films. A-

[BadAtGender]

Okay. Wow. 

[filmlover]

 

[Travod]

How Far I'll Go

You're Welcome

Shiny

 

There are no other songs in the movie as far as I'm concerned

[The Panda]

I hardly see how this was anymore cliche than any other Disney Musical.  I actually thought it was a breath of fresh air compared to others.  

 

The music felt a lot more wholesome than a lot of Disney musicals.  Lin did a great job tying the songs together and to the story, and the score was alive and vivid.  It's one of the rare times I'd actually consider a Disney animation a musical, as in many others there's a few times where characters break out into song but by the latter half of the movie the music becomes irrelevant.  It was nice for Moana to keep the music going from start to finish.

 

I definitely loved the characters of Moana and Mau'i, they worked very well together, and even the down moments felt energetic with the two of them.  

 

The animation itself was gorgeous, the world was alive and it created some of the best animated visuals that have been put to screen.  

 

The story itself could feel a little been there done that at points, especially near the beginning, however once the film gets on its fear into the adventure of it you're swept into it and stop caring about the cliches treaded.  In fact, I thought it did a good job of setting its heroine apart from others.  Moana is one of the best heroine's Disney has made yet.

 

The story feels like a Disney classic, and it's a great time and very enjoyable.

 

A

[Dark 33Legend of the Sith]

This will be a Disney Classic.  Beautiful to look at, fantastic songs, great characters and adventure. Fits right in the pantheon of  Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Tangled and Frozen.

 

A-

[lolifofo]

This is not a perfect film. It doesn't live up to its potential in the first two thirds in my opinion by not doing anything truly remarkable aside from spectacular animation. But the last third wraps up things really beautifully and makes you reflect very positively on the entire film. Now the more I think about it, the more I appreciate its simplicity and charm. The scene at the end with Te Ka is one of the most beautiful and intense in Disney or even animation history. I got goosebumps and teared up for the entire scene. The songs and music are quite nice and catchy, and they keep growing on me especially "Where You Are" and "You're Welcome." To my surprise, everyone sings excellently in Moana, even the Rock and especially Auli'i Cravalho (really beautiful voice).

Also I really love how Moana doesn't have a love interest, and it feels totally normal (as it should be) and not forced (looking at you, Frozen) that I didn't even realize it until days after watching the film. Oh and bravo to John Musker and Ron Clements. It's hard to believe that this is their first CGI film.

Overall, I'd give Moana A-. It's a really solid Disney film that diversifies their princess line and makes us appreciate and see the beauty in other cultures. I hope Disney keeps exploring different cultures in their future films. 

[That One Girl]

The songs and humor really kept the movie afloat.  The story was a lot more mediocre than I expected.  However, still an enjoyable movie that I really liked.

 

B+

[Kalo]

I can't believe me of all people is saying this, I really wanted to love this film, but in the end I could only like it, like it alot, but not love. absolutely gorgeous animation, with some truly stunning scenes and Moan herself is a great character, but there was to much unevenness for me, alot of humor that was simple not very funny and at times I drifted to near boredom, and I only liked about half the songs. B+ that may not seem low but it is the lowest grade I've given a Disney animation since The Princess and the Frog (well unless you count Winnie the Pooh). 

[Fullbuster]

 

MOANA, I SAW IT AND WHAT I THINK OF IT (NO SPOILERS)

 

Finally! I finally saw Moana!

 

That's a feeling that is not easy to describe..Earlier I told you that it was very likely I would think "OMG" or "OMFG" once out of the theater but no, that's not what I was thinking...

 

...There was no word in my mind because Moana is such an incredible, wonderful, divine, amazing, outstanding, magical movie that it was impossible for me to sum it up in just one, simple word, because there is no such word to describe what I saw

 

Yes, Moana's story is not innovative, there is nothing out of the ordinary in the Kingdom of Mickey, and I tell people who could complain about that : So what? We don't need something with amazing twists and never seen before, the important is for the story to be told in a convincing way, and Moana is doing the job better than everything else in the animated world : It's told in such a way, with such wonderful CGI, such a dynamic, lively soundtrack and powerful songs...It's just perfect. Moana is strong girl, she's strong-willed, witted, sweet She's not like Anna and Elsa of Frozen, she's a different kind of girl, she goes way beyond thezse 2 girls when it comes to courage and the challenges she has to face.

 

Undoubtedly, Moana is the most beautiful animated movie ever made, these effects, these modelisations, these colors, these expressions, these lights, it's absolutely FAN-TAS-TIC, just GODLY/DIVINE, if perfection has a name when it comes to animation you could call it Moana.

 

And of course, THE SONGS! These songs were more powerful and enchanting than I thought they would! Helped by these incredible CGI they bring such poetry, beauty..it's so heartwarming, after seeing this it's impossible not to be moved unless you're cold or insensitive. These songs make Moana more powerful, bigger than Frozen because these songs are on another scale, this time it's not about letting it go, about being free, it's about going beyond your own limits and the limits of your world, being able to think you can do everything. These songs are just amazing, "powerful" is really the word to describe them.

Something happened after the film ended, something I never saw in a theater before (and I watch movies in theaters in 3 different countries) : People applauded!!!

Moana is by far my favorite movie of the year, there is no competition there, Moana and Maui crush everything else. And it's now my favorite animated movie along with The Lion King. Yes, these movies have more in common than you could imagine, particularly when it comes to the songs or the overall way of seeing things.

 

I feel so good after seeing, so beautiful, so wonderful,so...well, it's even more than that

 

Thank You Disney!!!

Edited November 30, 2016 by Fullbuster

[Jake Gittes]

Entertaining but forgettable. Dug the music and especially the visuals, and the characters are pleasant enough, but they're also fairly one-note and the story is not much more than a generic self-actualization narrative, which is itself too often undercut by the ocean helping Moana at every opportunity. The climax reminded me a lot of ParaNorman, but with very little of its emotional power. I liked every post-2007 Disney movie except Frozen more. 

[Blankments]

Inner Workings has an interesting concept and fun artstyle, but for a short that's about following your heart, it really lacks a strong emotional backbone. But hey, it had a cool score!

 

Moana is another quality entry in Disney Animation's recent revival. Not to anyone's surprise, the sheer excellence of the animation continues to be improved on, and Moana is the most gorgeous CGI Disney film yet. The stunning vistas compliment some really fascinating hair. The best aspect is the character of the Ocean, which is always a beauty to just try to follow.

 

As for the film itself, it's good. Both Moana and Maui are fun characters to follow, although have major parts of their arcs skimmed over. Cravalho is a find, really owning the film despite Johnson almost stealing it on several occasions. Heihei is an animal sidekick who works in how silly he is, and the Ocean, as already mentioned, is just incredible. The story is fairly simple, as Disney musicals typically are, and that's fine because it allows the audience to go along with the ride. Some of the dialogue might make you cringe, but outside of one really awful Twitter joke, it's excusable in the same sense of the 90s vernacular from the Renaissance.

 

But for Disney musicals, the music is just as important as the film quality itself, and with Moana, it's a mixed bag. "You're Welcome" and "How Far I'll Go" are by far the best songs in it, which makes their frequent reprises welcome (no pun intended). Others, such as "Where You Are" or "Shiny," are ambitious but kind of fall apart. That said, the music is a marked improvement from Frozen, which has maybe two really great songs in it, surrounded by forgettable music. For all the failures of the two previously mentioned, they're at least memorable.

 

It might sound like I'm being harsh on the film, but I'm not trying to be. As already stated, the animation is absolutely stunning and the music is catchy in the best sense. Moana is a joy to watch, sure to make you smile multiple times throughout viewing it. Another Disney musical that will be enjoyed by generations to come. B