Moana Blu-ray Review
We were late to the punch in seeing Moana, as we were traveling when it was released, and then didn’t get around to seeing it until it seemed a stand-alone film review was a bit stale. However, the movie made a pretty big impact on us, so I thought it might be worth covering it briefly before reviewing the blu-ray.
First of all, I think Moana was last year’s best animated film. If you recall all of the praise I heaped upon Zootopia in our review of that, this might come as a surprise. Well, two things happened subsequent to that. Moana was released and I was absolutely blown away by it; and, I read more critical analyses of Zootopia.
Let me preface this by saying that I still really enjoy Zootopia, and I’m not fully sold its critiques. At minimum, though, they present interesting food for thought, and demonstrate how the message is a bit muddled. I think the filmmakers unquestionably had good intentions, and presenting a nuanced allegory in the space of an animated film. Irrespective of any missteps, it’s a thought-provoking movie–and one that engages in some beautiful world-building.
More significant than that in my view that Moana was the best animated film of last year: Moana was simply better.
Moana continues the tradition of Frozen in portraying its heroine in a more empowered light. I’ll admit that I was not the biggest Frozen fan (it’s a good film, but it wouldn’t top my list of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ second renaissance-era films), and found this story to be more captivating, with catchier songs.
I think Disney is moving in a fresh direction with a princess film that looks nothing like a traditional princess film. Unlike Frozen, which teased a romance only to flip the script on that idea (to its credit, in its own unique way), Moana dispenses with romance entirely.
In so doing, it also tackles the issue of representation, which has been a growing point of contention for Disney in recent years. The end result is a film that treats viewers to a slice of Polynesian culture (albeit not without its own critics) in a powerful and visually-stunning story. The destination is a bit predictable and there are some pacing issues, but it’s mostly a treat from beginning to end, and it’s a lot of fun to watch the journey unfold.
Just as important to someone who grew up during the first Disney Animation renaissance and wore out my cassette tapes of those movies’ soundtracks, but the songs (by Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina, and Samoan singer Opetaia Foa’i) are incredibly catchy, humor-laden ear worms. I know this is highly subjective, but Moana’s music does far more for me than Frozen‘s. I’ve already listened to “Shiny” (my favorite) more times than any adult should probably acknowledge, and “You’re Welcome” (voiced by intergalactic treasure, The Rock) makes me laugh every time.
The end result is a movie that dethrones Princess and the Frog as my personal pick for the best Disney animated film of the last decade, and secures its place a rung above Zootopia. Between these two films and the also-excellent Kubo and the Two Strings, it was a very good year for animation. (I also enjoyed Finding Dory, and bet that would have been better received by fans and critics were it not a sequel to one of Pixar’s top films.)
Alright, moving on to the Blu-ray. Both the video and audio quality of this release are excellent. Pretty much exactly what you’d expect for a Disney release of this caliber. The vibrant, cool colors of the ocean really pop, and every texture is crisp. It looks nothing short of stunning.
For the Blu-ray, the audio mix is Disney’s DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix, and it sounds incredible, immersing you in the sounds and songs of the voyage. I’m sure our neighbors will disagree, but this is a movie that is meant to be watched on a giant screen and with the sound cranked.
Now, the extras. Given my obsession with the music of Moana, I started by watching “They Know the Way: Making the Music of Moana.” Clocking in at 12 minutes, this provides some insight into the collaboration of Lin-Manuel Miranda (who signed on before making it big with Hamilton), Mark Mancina, and Samoan singer Opetaia Foa’i. It briefly covers their travels to find inspiration, and record in New Zealand. Interesting, but too brief given how central music is to the film.
A more substantive look into the making of the film is “Voice of the Islands,” which is 31 minutes long, and details the trip the directors made to the Pacific Islands. It also features members of the Oceanic Story Trust that provided guidance on the project to ensure it was culturally authentic. This definitely enhances my appreciation for the film. (The Art of Moana does likewise, showcasing the cultural inspiration in the art design, right down to the smallest details.)
There’s also the short (Inner Workings) that ran before Moana in theaters, 25 minutes worth of deleted scenes, a quick look at the historical inspiration for costuming in the film, Maui Mini-Movie: Gone Fishing, two rapid-fire Q&As, and deleted song, and audio commentary.
It’s a pretty solid slate of extras. My one disappointment is that there aren’t music videos for every song. Now, I’m not singing I’d rock out to these videos, sing-along style myself, but I’m guessing this is something kids would love.
All things considered, Moana is a must own. Just like all of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ films from the last 10 years or so. Not only is Moana a really good movie, it’s a really re-watchable movie. It continues to astound me how the fortunes of the studio have once again been reversed (I’d put their recent work above Pixar!), and Moana sets a bar that will be tough to top.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you agree or disagree with our take on Moana? Would you put it ahead of Zootopia in terms of last year’s animated films? If you own the Blu-ray, what did you think of the extras? Share any questions, tips, or additional thoughts you have in the comments!
I loved the movie but was distracted by how much Moana looks like Rapunzel. I guess it’s just the way Disney is drawing is female characters lately–but it took me out of the movie a bit.
Moana took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, and then cried some more. The movie speaks to me in tha same way Beauty and the Beast did in 1991. My 2 boys and I are in the grips of being left by husband and dad. Moana and her journey of becoming a Wayfinder resonates with my kids and me. We say it all the time. When I am struggling with my college courses, I play the soundtrack or light my Wayfinder candle. I can honestly say, nothing will ever top Beauty and the Beast for me- EVER. Moana is now in 2nd place, its more than an animated movie. The music is pure joy. The real life applications are timeless. We’ll be watching it tonight, again!!!
Moana is my favorite Disney movie as of today. The music is genius and the movie is brilliantly designed. Baby Moana reminds me of my first born as a baby and when I saw this movie I thought , ‘Finally Disney made a princess for me!’ Dwayne Johnson did an amazing job with his role and I can’t more more surprised from him. The David Bowie style song had my heart from the first time I heard it and I find the entire soundtrack to be wonderful to run to. The main soundtrack gets me a good 5k and it’s keep me motivated for months now. The words in the female voices touch deeply to anyone who has ever struggled or fought to be better than who they were yesterday. Jason got it this morning and had it in my vudu account before I woke up for the day. I’m blessed to have someone who loves Disney as much as I. Moana has our hearts. Zootopia does not even touch this kind of magic.
I disagree slightly. I love Disney musicals, but I’d still put Zootopia at the top of this year’s animated movies. I’d actually put Frozen’s music a little ahead of Moana as well (although it’s close – We Know the Way is awesome, and How far I’ll Go/Shiny/You’re Welcome are all very good as well).
And for me, the pinnacle of the 2nd Renaissance is still Tangled. But Moana definitely is in the team picture. Really, with Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Wreck-It-Ralph, Big Hero 6, Frozen, and Moana that is an impressive line-up of movies in recent years.
I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said. Though I liked the music, I found the story a bit, well, forgettable. I have watched Zootopia countless times and found it to be a rewarding experience everytime. But while Moana was good, neither me nor my 5 year old are clammoring to see it again.
I personally think the story line in Zootopia is stronger but I much prefer Moana.
I think it looks better and the music absolutely makes the movie. All Disney movie in the past 10 years have been great but where Disney really excels is with ‘Princess’, musical films.
I did not enjoy the plot of Moana at all, and I found the story and message to be superficial (not many good life lessons for kids or even adults!) and unrelatable. But, that being said, I absolutely *loved* the music. The thought, care, and attention to detail that Disney put into the music – largely by hiring Opetaia Foa’i – is so inspiring and just resonates with why so many people love Disney. They spent all that time and money to make sure the music was true to its cultural roots, but also gave a nice modern twist on it – even though this was not something most viewers would have cared about! The “Making the Music” extra was great at showcasing that!
(I didn’t like Frozen very much either, although the music there was good too – but nowhere near as deep and carefully thought out as the songs and background music in Moana!)
Jermaine Clement was delightful in Shiny.
I immediately went and ordered the sheet music for the movie’s songs after seeing it, my kids and husband and I enjoy playing and singing all the songs. My favorite movie of the decade by far, not just favorite Disney film.
I really disliked most of the lyrics of Frozen. I found them crass and low-brow and not funny or clever, and this was re-emphasized when I saw the new castle projection show at WDWMK and saw Anna singing “can’t tell if I’m elated or gassy”. That irked me a lot.
My daughter and I listen to the soundtrack every morning and I’m sure we’ll be watching the movie frequently. I have to say that Shiny was my least favorite song, but it has grown on me a great deal. Logo Te Pate is my favorite, I don’t know how anyone could listen to that song and not be put into an instant good mood.
We also don’t get the love for Frozen (the music is mostly terrible) and Moana is my wife’s favorite and in my top few. Love the music and animation and story.
And Hei-Hei is just hilarious.
My son is obsessed with Moana! We listen to the songs and clips on YouTube all the time. (I think I liked Zootopia a bit better, but not much). We just recently saw Frozen for the first time (I know how absurd that sounds), and was surprised by the actual animation quality. I didn’t think the quality of the animation was all that great, especially compared to Big Hero 6 (which came out the year after Frozen).
I was wondering everybody’s thoughts on the quality of animation in Frozen. It reminded me more of a Disney Jr show than the quality you see in Big Hero 6.
Maybe we’re just oddballs.
Ok, so I love following the blogs and feel compelled to be the kid in class who needlessly shares. Here are my favs, and I was born in ’82!
Song: I’ll make a man out of you.
Animated movie: Beauty and the Beast
Animated short: Mickey’s Christmas Carol (no doubt!)
Movie: Swiss Family Robinson
TV series: Zorro
WDW park: Magic Kingdom
very like moana, best animation for me 😀
Surprised at your love for shiny! My friends and I all have different favorites but we all collectively hate shiny. I also find the entire crab scene of the movie random and not beneficial to the movie. I think this movie just barley edges out zootopia for me because of its soundtrack. I really do love both though, and love how clever zootopia is. So far neither are in my top 10 Disney films (Pixar not included) but that could change with time. Frozen, princess and the frog, and big hero 6 all have spots on that list.
A big part of what I love about Shiny is that it’s a total non-sequitur. It is a total change of pace for what could have turned into a formulaic journey, and between its absurdity and it’s catchiness, it just works for me.
Yes. This. My husband enjoys the David Bowie vibe of the song greatly. That being said, I’ve had various songs from the soundtrack stuck in my head all day.
I loved that scene with the crab – it was my favorite! The song and dance was great, the crab was a very interesting character and the way they animated that scene was spectacular! To each his own.
Quite frankly I thought the whole “Shiny” sequence was the worst part of the film. It does however captivate my 5 year old son. So there’s that.
I cannnnnnnnot wait to buy tmrw!
Yes! “Shiny” is my kid’s fav song and they know ALL the words, even if they don’t actually understand some of them. “You’re Welcome” is my favorite, and there are about 4 others we really like too. The other day my 7 year old used “smite” in a sentence. So movies can be educational, right?
Your review flips my reaction upside-down: I liked Moana a lot, but in spite of the songs (which earned a forgettable “meh” from me) rather than because of them. And for me, Frozen is still at the top of the CGI era mountain.
Still, that’s why they make ice cream in chocolate AND vanilla.
“Still, that’s why they make ice cream in chocolate AND vanilla.”
Haha, indeed!
Finally, someone who will stand with my against the armies of “Shiny”‘s detractors! That was my favorite song too, thanks in no small part to Jemaine Clement, who made Tamatoa hilariously evil. I completely agree that Moana is better than Frozen by a factor of ten, and by that standard I need to get my boyfriend’s three year old niece a copy so she can understand her Elsa-fueled mistake. (I may use different words when introducing it…)