Thank you to Disney Studios for hosting me during the Moana Event.
Moana sails into theaters on November 23, 2016. You should absolutely be making your plans to hit the theater as soon as possible. But you probably want a little more information than just “you should go and see it”, right? So what do you need to know before you go?
The music is catchy as heck.
Remember how kids just stopped singing Let It Go a little while ago? They’ll be back again with How Far I’ll Go and You’re Welcome. Both are ridiculously catchy and sure to get stuck in your head. You’re Welcome, in particular, is going to be heard over and over again. Trust me…I was just with a group of 25 women who had to sing “You’re welcome” every time they were compelled to say it. And I was the worst. You say, “Thank you.” I sing, “You’re welcome.” Over and over and over again. You’ve been warned. You’re welcome.
Don’t be late or you’ll miss Inner Workings.
The new short in front of Moana was inspired by the transparent human anatomy pages inside of encyclopedias. Inner Workings showcases the internal struggle between one’s pragmatic, logical self and the free-spirited, adventurous self. The music in the short is super catchy, too. You might be humming along to the tune of California Loco just as often as You’re Welcome or How Far I’ll Go.
Don’t leave early or you’ll miss the hilarious post credits sequence.
I don’t want to spoil it…but it’s good. Trust me. It’s worth staying put. OK…I’ll give one hint. It’s very shiny. But that’s it. I won’t say another word…
There’s a lot of love, but it’s not a love story.
Moana loves her family and she loves her island. Don’t expect a prince to run to her rescue, though, just because it’s a Disney film. One of my favorite lines in the film is about how Moana is not a princess. Moana is a hero’s journey. It’s also a love letter to the Polynesian people who helped inspire the film. Great care and attention to detail was paid by the filmmakers to ensure a film that was an accurate representation of Polynesian culture and mythology.
It’s perfect for the whole family.
I’m getting ready to see the movie again…for the third time. There’s plenty for adults to enjoy in the film. Kids, of course, will love it, too. There’s great music, laugh out loud comedy, loads of heart and plenty of adventure. Although there’s a visit to Lalotai, the realm of monsters, it’s a little more Heffalumps and Woozles than scary. (And I totally stole that comparison from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Twitter.) There’s also a scene involving a lava monster, but again, it was not overly scary. Any child old enough to handle a visit to the movie theater should be fine!
And those are the five things you need to know about Moana. You’re welcome.
From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes Moana, a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder. Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity. Directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Princess & the Frog) and produced by Osnat Shurer (Lifted, One Man Band), Moana sails into U.S. theaters on Nov. 23, 2016.
Stay tuned. There are tons of exclusive interviews and more coming soon! You can find all things Moana here, including full event coverage!