MOANA
I hate to be a pessimist, and I admit I'm still jamming out to How Far I'll Go. That said, especially with Moana being a children's movie, I am critical of many aspects of the movie. This blog isn't to straight out diss the movie. I will start out by noting that the film has incredibly catchy songs and the animation is beautiful. That said, here are some of my concerns with the film. I should probably note before I begin the blog that I am Catholic, and my Catholic values and beliefs do play into my concerns. That said, I hope you won't brush these concerns away as having no basis outside of the faith.
One of the biggest things that stands out to me when I watch a film is its Themes. What does the movie stand for or support? What is the moral of the story? What is the movie glorifying and glamorizing? Here are the themes that stand out to me in Moana:
Independence: One thing I like about Moana is that it points to bravery and figuring things out for yourself. Children can't just be held back and guarded completely. And it is important for parents to not only explain what activities they don't want their children to participate in but also why they don't want their children participating in such activities. In the case of Moana, I don't think her parents are perfect (but what parents are)? It might have been helpful if her father had explained to her his reason for not wanting her to go across the reif. That said, when Moana did hear the sobering reason, it didn't stop her, did it?
Rebellion: Whether or not Moana had known the reason for her parents apprehension, she had an obligation to be obey them. The Bible and the Church speak very frankly about the importance of obedience. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right" (Ephesians 6:1). Of course there may be situations where parents may ask their children to do something drastic, in which case we must also recall the commands "thou shalt not kill" and "thou shalt not steal." But in Moana's case, her parents are not asking her to commit some mortal sin. They are forbidding her to perform an act for the sake of her own safety and well-being. Sounds a bit like a story in Genesis, doesn't it?
The story in Moana goes directly against the Genesis story, exalting a direct act of disobedience as glamorous and admirable and "the right thing to do."
Sadly, we live in a culture so focused on individualization and "you do you," that we are losing the concept of obligation, obedience, and right and a wrong. My concern is that movies such as Moana are telling children --right as their moral compasses are forming-- that disobedience is the way to go. Honestly, you can't even argue that Moana's disobedience to her parent only plays a small role in the story. No; the story, in fact, revolves around it.
(Portrayals of) Heroism: This is a lesser concern of mine, in the case of Moana, but I still think worth noting. There are many inspirational stories such as The Lord of the Rings Trilogy that inspire people to go out and do great things. This is good. This is empowering. We want to teach our children to be fearless. That said, I think it is also important to remind children that sometimes the greatest thing a person can do is a small act of love. Heroism comes not from performing great acts but in following God's Will for your life regardless of whether that means performing large or small actions. Being "the chosen one" doesn't always mean glamour, hyped up adventure, and praise coming from all around. Lets remind children that in order to be special they don't have to go out seeking fame and attention and to be "the one." Humility first. Act out of love.
Loyalties: This could be a confusing one for kids. In the film, Moana's father and grandmother are at odds. While Moana's father is commanding her to do one thing, her grandmother is encouraging her to do the opposite (even while knowing it is directly against the Moana's father's wishes). Confusing, right? So who is Moana supposed to obey? Hopefully, in most families, the parents and grandparents are not sending the children in two completely opposite directions. A note to grandparents: Your grandchildren are your children's children. As much as you may want to raise your grandchildren your own way, you are there to be a support and not a contradiction. Even if you don't 100% agree with the way your grandchildren are being raised, you bring that up with your children if anyone (not the grandchildren) and still respect your children's wishes. In Moana's case, her obligation is to her parents over her grandparents. But, how confusing is this for a 10-year-old?
In summary: As ever, Disney has thrown out another hit with catchy music and lots of color and adventure! It may be hard for you to completely separate your children from Moana considering how much her songs are played in day cares, preschools, grade schools, and she is pictured all over stores... (though that is for you to decide).
Regardless, I think it is important to be aware of the major overlying themes in Moana. Watch for the way these films may be affecting your children, and discuss the films with your kids at their appropriate age level. If your kids are watching Moana, maybe ask them what they like about the film or what they think of certain aspects. Watch that moral compass, look for positive influences for your kids (family time, Bible stories, books/songs/films with a good morals), and make sure priorities are straight in their life (Ex: The Ten Commandments before Moana).
One of the biggest things that stands out to me when I watch a film is its Themes. What does the movie stand for or support? What is the moral of the story? What is the movie glorifying and glamorizing? Here are the themes that stand out to me in Moana:
Independence: One thing I like about Moana is that it points to bravery and figuring things out for yourself. Children can't just be held back and guarded completely. And it is important for parents to not only explain what activities they don't want their children to participate in but also why they don't want their children participating in such activities. In the case of Moana, I don't think her parents are perfect (but what parents are)? It might have been helpful if her father had explained to her his reason for not wanting her to go across the reif. That said, when Moana did hear the sobering reason, it didn't stop her, did it?
Rebellion: Whether or not Moana had known the reason for her parents apprehension, she had an obligation to be obey them. The Bible and the Church speak very frankly about the importance of obedience. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right" (Ephesians 6:1). Of course there may be situations where parents may ask their children to do something drastic, in which case we must also recall the commands "thou shalt not kill" and "thou shalt not steal." But in Moana's case, her parents are not asking her to commit some mortal sin. They are forbidding her to perform an act for the sake of her own safety and well-being. Sounds a bit like a story in Genesis, doesn't it?
The story in Moana goes directly against the Genesis story, exalting a direct act of disobedience as glamorous and admirable and "the right thing to do."
Sadly, we live in a culture so focused on individualization and "you do you," that we are losing the concept of obligation, obedience, and right and a wrong. My concern is that movies such as Moana are telling children --right as their moral compasses are forming-- that disobedience is the way to go. Honestly, you can't even argue that Moana's disobedience to her parent only plays a small role in the story. No; the story, in fact, revolves around it.
(Portrayals of) Heroism: This is a lesser concern of mine, in the case of Moana, but I still think worth noting. There are many inspirational stories such as The Lord of the Rings Trilogy that inspire people to go out and do great things. This is good. This is empowering. We want to teach our children to be fearless. That said, I think it is also important to remind children that sometimes the greatest thing a person can do is a small act of love. Heroism comes not from performing great acts but in following God's Will for your life regardless of whether that means performing large or small actions. Being "the chosen one" doesn't always mean glamour, hyped up adventure, and praise coming from all around. Lets remind children that in order to be special they don't have to go out seeking fame and attention and to be "the one." Humility first. Act out of love.
Loyalties: This could be a confusing one for kids. In the film, Moana's father and grandmother are at odds. While Moana's father is commanding her to do one thing, her grandmother is encouraging her to do the opposite (even while knowing it is directly against the Moana's father's wishes). Confusing, right? So who is Moana supposed to obey? Hopefully, in most families, the parents and grandparents are not sending the children in two completely opposite directions. A note to grandparents: Your grandchildren are your children's children. As much as you may want to raise your grandchildren your own way, you are there to be a support and not a contradiction. Even if you don't 100% agree with the way your grandchildren are being raised, you bring that up with your children if anyone (not the grandchildren) and still respect your children's wishes. In Moana's case, her obligation is to her parents over her grandparents. But, how confusing is this for a 10-year-old?
In summary: As ever, Disney has thrown out another hit with catchy music and lots of color and adventure! It may be hard for you to completely separate your children from Moana considering how much her songs are played in day cares, preschools, grade schools, and she is pictured all over stores... (though that is for you to decide).
Regardless, I think it is important to be aware of the major overlying themes in Moana. Watch for the way these films may be affecting your children, and discuss the films with your kids at their appropriate age level. If your kids are watching Moana, maybe ask them what they like about the film or what they think of certain aspects. Watch that moral compass, look for positive influences for your kids (family time, Bible stories, books/songs/films with a good morals), and make sure priorities are straight in their life (Ex: The Ten Commandments before Moana).
To sum it up. Be supportive. Be understanding. Be involved. Put in the effort. Because your children are only yours for so long, and you just never know "how far [they]'ll go."
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