Christina Dull
English 150
April 23rd, 2018
Doctor Neary
Polynesian Princess Moana is an animated Disney movie that is directed by Ron Clements and John Musker and is about a young girl who lives in Polynesia, which is a part of Hawaii, Tonga, and Tahiti on the Island of Motunui. Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) lives on a small island with her family, including her father Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison), her mother Sina (Nicole Shcerzinger), and her grandmother Tala (Rachel House). Growing up, Moana had a very close relationship with her grandmother, who would tell ancient island stories to her and the children of the island. One of the stories that the grandmother would tell many times was the story of the island demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) …show more content…
One of the songs that really sparked my attention was the song called “We Know the Way” sung by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Foa’i, because the song tells a story and has a mix of English and Polynesian words in its lyrics. I thought it was amazing how the directors thought to incorporate some of the native language of where the movie takes place, which is in Polynesia. This was also one of my favorite songs because it tells the story of how Moana’s ancestors used to sail beyond the island reef, which is what she ends up doing because her grandmother tells her that she was the chosen one. Soren Andersen from The Seattle Times agrees with my views on the song because he states that “The picture’s “We Know the Way” is an ode to exploration and self-discovery that has the hallmarks of an instant classic” (Andersen). They placed this song perfectly in the movie when Moana is truly trying to figure out if she wants to listen to her grandmother and break her father’s rule of going past the island reef. While the song is playing there are flashbacks of Moana’s ancestors exploring beyond the reef. She is able to come to the realization that her ancestors were voyagers, but had to stop because Maui took the heart. Moana can now see that her people have forgotten who they truly are and that it is her responsibility to bring the heart back and return the island and …show more content…
Its soundtrack is one of the most beautiful and catchiest I have ever heard and I often find myself stuck with the music and lyrics in my head. The song “We Know the Way” is especially one of my favorites because of the message it portrays about sailing and because of its lyrics and how it incorporates some polynesian into it. The setting of Moana being in Polynesia and the way the creators depicted it is outstanding. Through the beautiful clear water, the luscious green grass, the vibrant flowers, the bright stars, and the colorful sunrises and sunsets it is easy to tell that the creators really took their time with making sure that the scenery is how it would look if the viewers were actually in Polynesia. The animation is also a key part in why Moana is so successful. The animators were able to make the characters move and speak flawlessly no matter what they were doing, from walking to dancing to sailing they all moved effortlessly. They were able to speak flawlessly with excitement, eagerness, or anger depending on the character’s mood. whether the character’s were singing or just talking, especially Moana’s character. The animators also made sure to bring the character’s tattoos to life especially Maui’s, which almost created a life of its own. Moana is a movie I have watched a bunch of times and that I will continue to watch because of the beautiful soundtrack, scenery,
English 150
April 23rd, 2018
Doctor Neary
Polynesian Princess Moana is an animated Disney movie that is directed by Ron Clements and John Musker and is about a young girl who lives in Polynesia, which is a part of Hawaii, Tonga, and Tahiti on the Island of Motunui. Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) lives on a small island with her family, including her father Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison), her mother Sina (Nicole Shcerzinger), and her grandmother Tala (Rachel House). Growing up, Moana had a very close relationship with her grandmother, who would tell ancient island stories to her and the children of the island. One of the stories that the grandmother would tell many times was the story of the island demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) …show more content…
One of the songs that really sparked my attention was the song called “We Know the Way” sung by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Foa’i, because the song tells a story and has a mix of English and Polynesian words in its lyrics. I thought it was amazing how the directors thought to incorporate some of the native language of where the movie takes place, which is in Polynesia. This was also one of my favorite songs because it tells the story of how Moana’s ancestors used to sail beyond the island reef, which is what she ends up doing because her grandmother tells her that she was the chosen one. Soren Andersen from The Seattle Times agrees with my views on the song because he states that “The picture’s “We Know the Way” is an ode to exploration and self-discovery that has the hallmarks of an instant classic” (Andersen). They placed this song perfectly in the movie when Moana is truly trying to figure out if she wants to listen to her grandmother and break her father’s rule of going past the island reef. While the song is playing there are flashbacks of Moana’s ancestors exploring beyond the reef. She is able to come to the realization that her ancestors were voyagers, but had to stop because Maui took the heart. Moana can now see that her people have forgotten who they truly are and that it is her responsibility to bring the heart back and return the island and …show more content…
Its soundtrack is one of the most beautiful and catchiest I have ever heard and I often find myself stuck with the music and lyrics in my head. The song “We Know the Way” is especially one of my favorites because of the message it portrays about sailing and because of its lyrics and how it incorporates some polynesian into it. The setting of Moana being in Polynesia and the way the creators depicted it is outstanding. Through the beautiful clear water, the luscious green grass, the vibrant flowers, the bright stars, and the colorful sunrises and sunsets it is easy to tell that the creators really took their time with making sure that the scenery is how it would look if the viewers were actually in Polynesia. The animation is also a key part in why Moana is so successful. The animators were able to make the characters move and speak flawlessly no matter what they were doing, from walking to dancing to sailing they all moved effortlessly. They were able to speak flawlessly with excitement, eagerness, or anger depending on the character’s mood. whether the character’s were singing or just talking, especially Moana’s character. The animators also made sure to bring the character’s tattoos to life especially Maui’s, which almost created a life of its own. Moana is a movie I have watched a bunch of times and that I will continue to watch because of the beautiful soundtrack, scenery,