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Baldur's Gate 3 has some really great character interactions that I think you guys might be really into analyzing. There's fantastic cinematography and visuals paired with some really great character arcs and relationship dynamics. It might be too hard to do it on this channel bc the game is mature, but it might be something to do on Patreon? Disney and Dreamworks usually have feel-good endings, but BG3 has more shades of gray and bittersweetness that might be a fun challenge to dig into.
As a sexual assault survivor, I can’t hear the lyrics “they have stolen the heart from inside you, but this does not define you,” without crying my eyes out.
Ive always thought that artistically why Tefiti looks like Moana is because Moana is the one who put the heart back and saw her for who she rly is under her pain. So she took a likeness to her, and i also am the one person who believes the thoery Moana dies when she shes in the sea storm and the gods made her a demi god like Moaui, and so some of her demi god power is what influenced tefiti. thats just my crazy head cannon tho.
The thing I adore about the scene at the end of the movie with Moana and her grandmother, is that the ADULT (even though she's dead) accepts responsibility. Fundamentally, Moana is still a child, and the responsible adult says, "If you need to be done, it's ok. It is not your responsibility to fix this. If you want to keep going, good. If not, go home and be loved because you did your best." My partner and I are suckers for responsible adults taking care of the children
@@avalon1007 Agreed, I loved that they acknowledged that Moana is still a child, and don't place all of the responsibility onto her shoulders. Moana and her grandmother's bond was so wholesome to watch.
Have you ever seen the show "The Owl House"? Because I feel like you might enjoy it, it's also got adults taking responsibility, and actually trying to keep the kids out of harms way instead of encouraging them to take part in the conflict. The kids do end up involved anyways, a lot of the time, but there is an effort put in to keep them out of it, which I appreciate :) Plus it's just a fantastic show in general, great if you enjoy found family, fantasy vibes!
My wife is a survivor of serial sexual assault. When we saw this in the theater, the key line was, "They have stolen the heart from inside you, but this does not define you. This is not who you are; you know who you are." It hit us both like a freight train, and I still cry like a baby at that scene. I'm also a History teacher, so the scene where Moana sees the vision of her ancestors and the Polynesian migration is just the cherry on top.
I was a foster parent and one of my kids was a young child at the time. During one of our many rewatches of this movie, at that exact moment, she told us she was like Te Ka and it broke our hearts. I still think about it every time I see that scene.
I’m a survivor who overcame a lot of the emotional scarring thanks to older survivors who embraced me and showed me the strength that I could learn to have for myself. This scene, and Moana’s lines to Te kā, always remind me of the support we can give each other, helping each other feel seen. I always tear up at how beautiful that is, to see this being taught to the next generation. Thank you, Cinema Therapy, for calling attention to that interpretation.
I still cry like a baby at that scene every single time I even think about it. Just mentioning it here, I've teared up... I also feel like I had the heart stolen from inside me. Whoever wrote this movie screenplay... they know. They are one of us. An abuse survivor.
I think my favorite part of this movie is after Moana and Maui face Taka for the first time and Maui left her, she's faced with the fact that, while the ocean chose her to help, that doesn't make her infallible. And then the grandma appears, and instead of giving a rousing speech of "you can do it, believe in yourself and it will work out." It was "We asked a lot of you. It's okay to go home and we will find someone else to do this. I will be here to support you whatever you choose. But ask yourself first, what do you want to do?" No pressure, just support and love. Letting Moana come to the conclusion she did on her own. Making that victory her own and not because she was told "you are the chosen one."
Right? She sees instantly that Moana has made up her mind and they can't keep her from what she's chosen, so it's time to show she's an ally and not an antagonist, for the sake of their relationship.
Her dad’s mom knew she could do it and supported her and then mom knew she had to go on this journey, accepted, and sent kindly to her destiny with that mom hug. Two generations I feel like there is a scene missing here, because as soon as Moana left her grandma, you her mom noticed and went to her mother-in-law and the agreed in their love, their people, and their people’s future that nothing and no one could stop that. So best to send her off with love, trust, and hopes of her two biggest allies. I also think there’s a second scene missing when the mother told the father that she had gone and he may have been angry, but knowing his daughter went off with love and her people on her mind settled that anger. you guys talk about perspective taking, and the mother did that with her daughter I’m sure she would’ve done the same thing to her husband calming him and making him realize she is the future and hast to find a way to save her people, no matter what or when so better sooner than later. And seeing her on the horizon at the end , washed it away.
I found it refreshing that Moana doesn't have a love interest. The film is perfect without it, and it would take away from the exciting main adventure of Moana discovering her destiny. Plus, Moana and Maui have an amazing bond, and they help each other to grow platonically.
That’s one thing I really love about this movie, it’s her and Maui having a strong friendship, that’s it. It’s really refreshing to see, but also really sad how we don’t get enough of JUST close friendships in movies. It’s almost always some forced romantic relationship, especially in more general audience/family movies like Moana😕
100% agreed. They're friends who encourage each other, warn each other, hold each other accountable, and fail and forgive. It's great just the way it is.
I have seen it mentioned, but I love Gramma Tala giving Moana permission to quit. So often we l hear, “Failure is not an option,” but failure shouldn’t be villainized since it will help us to grow. I also love that the main conflict is solved with compassion rather than fighting. It’s just such a beautiful ending.
They think the answer is to defeat the monster, until Moana notices the swirl and thinks to look a little deeper into the situation, and ultimately they discover that fighting was not the answer. And that plot twist got me the first time! It was such a cool twist imo! (So much so that I think another movie ripped it off lol, it was Moon Dune or something I think.)
I like how Taka isn’t actually evil so the story doesn’t have a bad guy. Taka transformed from a good person that was hurt into a misunderstood angry being. Maui has been bad, the parents have done things she didn’t like but nobody is a villain. Everyone is just misunderstood. That’s pretty amazing for disney, to have no actual villain to a story. It definitely makes it more relatable to today.
You could argue that Tamatoa is a villain, but he has such a comparatively small role in the film that it doesn't really count. He more serves to emphasize the film's theme of identity. Same goes for the mad Max coconuts
I hadn’t realized quite why “they have stolen the heart from inside you” always gives me chills until Jono explained it. Suddenly, it makes so much sense.
To highlight the genius of the music: in "How far I'll go" when she says "what is wrong with me" the "wrong" is in C major which normally doesn't occur in the harmony chosen for this song. However, when the final chorus starts on the higher note and she discovers how far she'll actually go - the C major becomes the driving note of the chorus and the final note as well - the actual sounds highlight her true destiny. I MEAN HOW COOL IS THAT!?
I happened to rewatch Moana around the time I was SA'd and didn't even realize how strongly the moment of Moana singing and giving the heart back would hit me. I felt incredibly seen and understood because It would have been so easy to completely lose myself in my feelings. The reminder that we can decide not to let the worst things define us was beautiful.
I remember Brian Hull talking about that in his first Moana Impressions video. "I'm curious about the chicken eating the rock. He seems to lack the basic intelligence required for pretty much... everything. Could we maybe just... cook him?" Then Brian says, "Anyone else notice the weirdness of Alan Tudyk, who voices Hey Hey, and also this old guy, who's talking about eating Hey Hey, so Alan Tudyk's talking about eating himself? That's kinda creepy."
My toddler LOVES this movie, and we've actually talked about Te Ka in a way to discuss feeling anger and hurt. I'm paraphrasing here, but the conversation usually goes: "Te Fiti was hurt. She was sad and angry. And it's ok to feel that way. But it's important to feel the anger and the sadness and then let go of the feeling, otherwise you forget who you are. Moana saw that Te ka was Te Fiti, so she talked to her. What a good friend she is. Te Ka realized she had been angry for a long time and she was able to take a deep breath and calm, down. Then she became Te Fiti again." I know the actually story has way more depth, but putting it at the level my toddler understands has helped her so much. She has been better about letting go of her sadness and anger, and she has even reached out to me when she sees me frustrated. "Mama you need to breathe with me. You can feel angry but then let go Mama. You can't be Te Ka." (omg y'all I love this kid so stinking much XD) Also, kudos to the writers for showing a strong female leader of a group. My kid's two big takeaways from the movie are the big feelings with Te Ka and Moana being a leader.
Most impactful moment that makes me cry: the ancestors' boats joining Moana when she accepts her mission. As an Indigenous person (to Turtle Island, not the Pacific Islands, but even still) hearing and seeing the approval of her family means the world. Especially when I hear the song in te reo Maori on RUclips I weep.
@supersasukemaniac there's also Hawaiian language covers of the songs, but I am referring to the Maori language covers I've seen. I'm not sure which language they're singing in the background in the songs for the film, so if anyone knows I'd be glad to hear it
@@supersasukemaniac Pacific/Polynesian languages are a language group, so similarities between them, with te reo Māori I think being the most spoken, due to New Zealand being the largest Pacific island and lots of effort by Maori to keep it as a living language. There is a full Maori version of Moana, it is available on Disney+ (at least here in New Zealand).
Alan mentioning that touching foreheads is so important in Polynesian culture reminded me of something in Encanto that made me tear up. Mirabel is explicitly 15 in Encanto. In Hispanic culture, it's the age where you transition from being a girl into being a woman. And Mirabel's journey is very much about not just being put into a place like a child is, but making her own place, like an adult does. I love the little cultural nods that are beautiful to people outside of the culture, and deeply meaningful to people from within the culture.
Being Polynesian, just the music in the scene with grandma would make me tear up because the music is just so beautiful. My grandma did hula and she passed away in 2020, when I hear Moana's grandma say "you come so far" I think of how far I come since I lost her. 😢
If I may, I strongly concur in this sentiment. My grandma had a lot of hardships all her life and sacrificed basically all her dreams to her family. I was never able to make it up to her but let her share in my passion (singing) as much as possible. She was musically inclined herself. So the best I can do today is dedicate the steps and milestones to her I get to take without her.
My 6 year old son (he's a bit neuro divergent) has a really strong affinity with this movie, he loves everything about it, sings all of the songs, he just adores everything about Polynesian culture, the music, the movement. Lots of love from Scotland ❤
I think the choice to have Te Fiti resemble Moana is symbolic. Taka was made out to be something that she truly isn’t. She was warped and hardened to be scary, but Moana saw through that eventually. Once she saw who Taka really was, Moana was faced with…herself. Moana was also made to be something she wasn’t until someone touched her heart. Te Fiti has Moana’s face because she’s her symbolic mirror. It also stands in for the completion of Moana’s arc. She always knew she was meant for more, and at the end of the movie, she gets to see herself as a goddess.
i'm surprised to see so many people spelling the names "te fiti" and "taka." i always thought since she started as "te fiti," the spelling of the lava form was "te ka."
I had considered the 2 of them to just be kindred spirits, both loving the ocean & their people with all their heart, & fiction tends to mirror aesthetics to further reflect that connection. But I rather enjoy the poignancy & depth of your take, well said! 🤔👍
Moana makes such a good point about fishing beyond the reef and thought it was so unfair for her father to make it just about her. I get where he's coming from, it's a very human thing and the flashback to seeing his best friend drown is BRUTAL, but like....dude, your people are gonna die anyway, they're gonna starve and I don't see YOU coming up with any alternatives.
Same I was always super frustrated with the father. Like claiming he's keeping his people safe but at the same time willingly starving them. He's not even willing to ignore tradition, considering his traditions more sacred than the people he loves and cares for.
During the meeting at night he did start to lay out some alternatives before Moana burst in to declare that she found a bunch of giant boats... They didn't get very far in discussing the viability of those alternatives before the interruption but the man clearly had some concrete ideas he thought were worth considering first.
It’s only made worse by his refusal to communicate with Moana about why he’s adamant about no one ever leaving the island. Instead of opening up to her, he shames her and hides their ancestor’s history, which she has to learn about from her mom and grandma respectively. I almost wish he broke Te Fiti’s heart when he threw it just so he could actually face the truth about the dying island.
I think that's a valid view of him, but the chief has a lot of unprocessed trauma surrounding the ocean. He reacts aggressively because in his mind, if she goes, she WILL die, and he feels responsible and desperate to keep that from happening. Overall, he overreacts, but I think it's from a traumatic experience, so should be met with some more understanding, though he should own up to the overblown response and should tell her why. I also think his response is done for the narrative process, though it's a very human reaction.
That moment - the hero moment - the moment where Moana calmly walks into the sand while the lava monster is absolutely tearing toward her. The sand under Moana doesn't leave a footprint, while Te Ka is destroying the world in her frenzy to go and destroy this intruder. That moment. Without even seeing the entire movie (for the 5th or 6th time), that moment brings me to tears. Every. Single. Time. The music, the vocals, the visuals. It's a moment of beauty and terror, love and hate, compassion and rejection. It is, frankly, one of the most powerful moments in in movie history. (In my opion, obviously.)
i wouldn't call it compassion and rejection, i would say compassion and vengeance. that is te ka's singular focus: get revenge on the humans who stole her heart.
Being a person from a pacific island nation, having a movie with words that are familiar, accents that are part of our everyday and songs that are similar to the culture that was here first makes this one of my favourite stories. Not only is this a story that doesn't have to have a love interest but its a story from cultures that we don't get to see much of. Don't get me started on Lilo and Stitch, one of the best children's movies ever!
I know nothing about that culture or background but its always great to hear that people find themselves in these beautiful peices of cinema :') I hope you'll like Moana 2!
I've visited Hawaii a couple times, and I love what I've seen and experienced of the culture. I could see that reflected in this movie, even with my limited knowledge. The Wayfinders' song is my favorite in this movie
My two favourite Disney movies are lilo and Stitch and Moana. I had the privilege of living in Hawaii for a time and giving birth to my child there. He likes to wear Hawaiian shirts and loves talking about the place! It is such a beautiful place and going beyond the tourist places to the heart of the culture was a wonderful thing to experience.
"People who are angry generally don't want to be angry people" TRUE! And I love how this is portrayed by Te Ka destroying what Te Fiti made. It is very sad in a way that what it took to give Te Fiti/Te Ka her heart back was so much destruction but it's very real.
I like the fact that Moana sees Te Kā as Te Fiti even before the audience does. She sees the anger as righteous rage and the lava as an expression of despair. I grew up with massive anger issues. When I finally got an anger management course as an adult I suddenly had the tools at hand to change and grow better. It wasn't healing as much as a way to master myself. Not only anger but everything, because my anger was the cause of everything else that made me hurt. I think one of the many reasons I adore this movie is because it spoke to me about righteous anger on top of the visuals, the culture, the music, and the humor.
Hei hei's scream made me laugh so. damn. hard when I first saw this movie on a flight to Greece, a passing air steward had to ask if I was ok and did I need a drink of water. To this day, that one single scene will make me laugh, often to the point of tears, and will always make me feel better. It's magic.
The part I kept replaying was the section where Moana tells the ocean "Let her come to me." The journey she's taken and the growth she's experienced allows her to speak with authority to something powerful - the ocean - because it is now a partner with her in their mutual goal of getting healing to this hurting person. And she is willing to walk right up to someone who in their pain could very well do violence, but she's coming in vulnerability and compassion and power and in doing so, meets her in a way that allows new life.
As a Pacific Islander (Samoan 🇼🇸🇦🇸🇳🇿) and a HUGE fan of yours, I truly appreciate you looking at Moana once again. This movie was like watching the story of my life in the big screen. Moana’s dad is exactly what my dad was like when I was growing up. He wanted to protect me and my sisters from the craziness that is the world. I couldn’t see it when I was young, but I can now see how much love was behind my dad’s strictness. There are pros and cons to everything, so a pro to my dad’s decisions to be strict with me, kept me safe. But a con was that I wasn’t prepared to be independent and strong willed. I literally had to leave NZ for Japan, in order to begin living MY life. It was hard to learn how to adult. But I made it. Now I’ve been living in Japan for 12 years, and my dad has visited a lot over those years and has seen how much I have grown as a woman, how independent I have become. My dad taught me many good morals, respect, manners and gave me every academic opportunity. I appreciate my parents for loving me the best way that they knew how to, at that time. My youngest sister is still living at home and I have seen how much my parents have grown…as parents. Anyways thanks for reading 🙏🏾♥️
Other thing to consider for Moana's father is that he's a leader and the lives of people depend on his decision. He could tell them to sail and if people trust him they will follow but it could lead to disaster. So he acts more aggressive towards Moana in that scene, not because he's "jerk" but because of the overwhelming situation he's in. Maybe Te Fiti looks like Moana to show that there's a divine aspect to humanity and that even though we can't make flowers bloom with just our touch we have to power to make others "bloom" through our words and actions, showig kindness and compassion, like Moana's grandmother did
Baby Moana is the cutest, animated character I have ever seen. The scene where she meets and plays with the water for the first time and the water does her hair… UGH I just can’t help myself. It melts me every time.❤
Adore this movie. Thanks for doing this one. I've always taken the lyric "they have stolen the heart from inside you" as a nod to how humans take from the earth without a lot of thought on impact. It feels like a very powerful conversation about climate and how humans need to be responsible for restoration of native species to allow the earth to survive.
It could also be a reflection on Maui. Maui hurt te fiti because of his need to please humans, he wanted their love and adoration that he didn't care what it took or who would got hurt. humans took and took from Maui, fuelling his need to be needed. no one gave him the security that he was okay just as himself. he didn't need to prove he deserved to live. and Maui's need to please humans driving him to hurt others because of the need for that external validation. You fall in with the wrong crowd and desperately want to fit in, so you do things that you know aren't right but you need those people because you have no self esteem, it is all based on others perception.
My mom was one of those women who was never safe, even when she was supposed to be. She always seemed like such a cruel person but now that she is separated from my dad and has her dog to help protect her, she is finding herself and its been wonderful to have a relationship with her where she doesn't have to constantly be guarded or be in survival mode. She is finding herself finally, and it's been fantastic to watch and support her.
My most impactful moment in Moana, is when she's packing up to go, and she's packing a bag of food, the mother finds her, and helps her tie up the bag.. Her mother essentially saying "Go do the thing you need to do, you have my blessing" was EVERYTHING
25:15 Alan, I really love that u mention this. It’s integral to our culture and I feel moved when they replicate it on the big screen. Also fun fact: Aloha/aroha come from this concept of hongi/honi Alo/aro= Face Ha/hau=Breath “The presence of Breath/Life” Although, it’s not a direct or literal translation, it carries the essence of aloha. Life began and life ends. We only see Honi used with Gramma Tala and Tefiti. It feels very intentional.
This movie doesn't miss a beat. Excellent story telling from start to finish. I love what Alan says about the attention to detail. That's what got me most. He uses the example of the grandma talking about scars while walking by the ripped sail. The example that really stood out to me was the footprints in the sand as Moana and Tekah approach one another. I'm surprised Alan didn't jump on that mastery of animation and direction. The delicate footprints of Moana, who is finally centered, are clear and defined. Whereas the rage and anger of Tekah is exploding the sand, essentially crumbling the ground she's walking on. It always hits me as the greatest "Show, don't tell" moment. One if the best movie I've ever seen.
The line "They have stolen the heart from inside you, but this does not define you" is so powerful. That's why I find it so important to acknowledge surviviors/warriors, to believe their stories, and support them in any way that I can; however they want to be there for them.
I loved the moment where Moana chooses to continue. The ocean could have brought the Heart back up to her, yet she was allowed the effort of diving to retrieve it. All of this honors Moana's Agency and helps her dig in deep to persevere! Thanks for the tender presentation of this amazing movie
Moana's grandma makes me think of my Grammy who passes away before this film was released. She would have adored this film, and happily would label herself the village crazy lady. So for me, the scene that got me the most, was the moment when Moana is attempting to pass the reef, just as her grandma passes, and her grandma's spirit sweeps out from the island amd guides the boat as that Mantaray. I burst into ugly tears in the theater the first time I saw it.
This is a good time to talk about self-protective rage. I think a lot of us are in that feeling and have been for a long time. It's good to remind ourselves, that anger is so often protective. It's a very stigmatized feeling (even when it's subtley promoted as the only feeling some of us are allowed to have, it's still stigmatized) and it's hard to look in the eye.
23:43 this part was always such a gut punch for me. i'm glad you recognized how it resonated for women in particular, because the world does so much to break us down and then when we inevitably do break, that is how we are defined. it becomes our whole identity. i love that this scene says "the world broke you down and robbed you of your light, but that is not the sum total of who you are and you have the agency to define yourself for yourself." we are not taught to forge our own paths and find our own way through life and define who we want to be, we are taught to give and support and nurture everyone around us until we're a husk of a person, and then we're blamed for being burnt out.
"I am Moana (Song of the Ancestors)" is my absolute favourite of all Disney self-actualization moments, and one of my favourites of all time. It's sheer brilliance. The song and the "I am Moana!" is powerful as hell, but it wouldn't be half as powerful if it wasn't for the shot of Moana touching foreheads with her grandmother. The smile that transitions into just a moment of Moana mourning and almost starting to cry, and then back into a proud smile. "I will carry you here in my heart/You remind me/Come what may, I know the way/I am Moana!" It actually makes me tear up just thinking about it.
i love love that during where we are, there is a part where moana says "and no one leaves" and they reply "that's right we stay" and that is instantly the different thought process between them
I’m going to comment on this before even watching. First this is my favorite Disney movie. To me the most powerful scene is when Moana returns the heart to Te Fiti. In our lives we have people steal our hopes, our dreams, who we are till we turn into something else. They steal our hearts. Moana sees herself in that moment - I know who you are. I was going through a really difficult part of my life and this movie made me realize I had let others define me, they took my heart. I have the heart of Te Fiti tattooed on me to remind myself 0:28
That was Tarzan two for me. There’s a line in Tarzan two that says “if you feel like nothing, you can be anything. And that makes you something.” And ever since then, when I get depressed I remember that line. 💖 I’m happy you have Moana to remind you 💖
I got to meet Alan Tudyk at an ILM Holiday party. I told him I thought he would win the oscar for Hei hei the chicken and he nearly spit his drink out from laughing. One of my prouder moments.
I will *forever* love the behind the scenes video of Alan Tudyk looking to the camera and deadpan saying "I went to Juliard" after recording a bunch of bawk bawk noises... haha.
‘The people you love will change you, the things that you learn will guide you.’ - That hit hard, and especially fits with the theme of Te Fiti’s ‘heartbreak’. She loved the people of the world, just as Maui did, but in desperately seeking the people’s approval, Maui hurt her deeply. The people she loved changed her, for the worst (Maui and everyone pushing him to do more for them without thought of consequences), and for the better (Moana, who sees her as a person beneath her pain). Moana changed for the people she loved, for her parents and tribe she embraced her responsibilities as future chief. For her grandma she embraced the Ocean’s mission and her passion. Platonic love for Maui taught her to face terrifying situations head on and to keep calm, that by being supportive of another by believing in them she can make a huge difference. The things she learned from all those she loved (taking responsibility, embracing her passion, wayfinding, supporting others) all guided her to the ultimate climax of overcoming Te Ka to meet a traumatised goddess on Moana’s terms. With compassion and understanding far beyond her years. For the rest of us, the people we love change us for better or worse, but with guidance through therapy and learning about ourselves, we can chart our own course and work on becoming the person we want to be.
22:50 Its true in maori mythology that humanity arent the creations of the gods, we are their descendants. So it makes perfect sense to me that Te Whiti and Moana look alike, they literally are related.
An extremely impactful, but more subtle moment in this movie for me... understated but it always makes me tear up, is when Moana is leaving the island, and is found trying to pack by her mother... and rather than try to reason or stop her, or saying anything at all, she just sees her and then, for all else she must be feeling in that moment, helps her pack. It maybe hits me hard for personal reasons, but I still think it's an extremely powerful moment all the same, yet often passed over for mention because of how many other potent moments this movie has.
There it is. I've been scanning the comments looking for this exact moment. So powerful and, like you said, underrated. It's such a fleeting thing, barely even given the time of day by the movie, but it means so much when you think about it.
What this movie taught me: That what people project onto you, doesn’t mean that you are that person. Do I still have those thoughts? Yes, but now I know how to be myself through it (even now people question my choice to get my ba in art, I don’t question it).
At 3:29 you can see how much saying that to Moana really hurt her mother. This movie has so many little things like this. When her dad is yelling at her, and looks at the 3 younger guys, im so glad he didnt change how he was acting. He still felt justified in what he was saying
This is truly one of my favorite movies, and there’s so much to unpack here: - The linking of who you are and where you are, a staple of the hero’s journey, now in the context of Polynesian navigation - which is all about finding your way without fixed landmarks. Oooo. - Plus, Polynesian voice actors! Polynesian landscapes, textiles, ship designs, language, legends! Love it, because a culture’s material expressions and its storytelling are completely entwined. - Can we talk about how absolutely beautiful the water is?? it’s said that Walt Disney had his animators study Doc Edgerton’s strobe photography of water droplets to get the motion just right. Walt is jumping up in his grave and cheering right now. - The clear, small voice on “I have crossed the horizon to find you,” while Moana stands calm and fully vulnerable, gets me every time. Compassion is as mighty a force as raging lava-goddesses and the sea itself. Thank you for revisiting this masterwork!
Yes!! I have often found myself in this place. I have kids with emotional struggles and disabilities. They often rage at me and say or do horrible things. We are getting help and trying every day to improve. But-it’s daunting. I tear up every time I see Moana bravely facing someone she respects and (possibly) fears some too.
Moana is set in the Southern Hemisphere. The North Star only appears in the Northern Hemisphere. The Southern Cross is used to find south by Polynesian wayfinders and in the movie
Favorite thing about this movie is how close Moana is with his grandmother. Moana: Are you going to tell Dad about this? Grandmother: I'm his mother. I don't have to tell him anything.
The scene where Moana restores Te Fiti's heart is so powerful to me that it had me crying in my university commons even through a Cinema Therapy video. I love this movie so much and thank you for bringing to my attention the deeper meanings I always felt but perhaps never fully understood until now.
The line that always gets me is the one you highlighted in Moana's reprise. When she sings "And the call isn't out there at all, it's inside me" it hits me right in the heart, every time and I can't help but tear up. It's like a reminder that the call to follow isn't an outside force, but your internal one, the one that will feel true because it comes from you. And then in the story too, it's like Moana recognizing that in herself helps her see Te Fiti inside of Te Ka, dealing with her trauma and seeing Maui deal with his, helps her recognize the trauma in others and embrace them with compassion. It's a truly beautiful twist that was unexpected the first time I saw the movie but feels inevitable once you know where the story is going. Also had a thought just watching this now, that I think when her Grandma visits Moana near the end, that she may also be, in part, the ocean itself. She came from the ocean, and her words could be read that way. Saying she "never should have put so much" on her could be the ocean's way of recognizing the weight of the burden she bore as her chosen one, and letting Moana know that the ocean is not disappointed with her, it understands and accepts Moana saying she tried her best. And saying she'd be with her the whole way back could be the ocean reassuring her that she'd be seen safely home. It's almost like in the movie Contact, the ocean chose the relative Moana would feel comfortable talking with, in order to convey that message.
I always cry when she gives her heart back to Te Fiti. As a survivor of SA, what he said fits me perfectly... It was like he stole my heart too and made me bitter, the understanding and love of the people around me made it heal again
I always well up when Moana sees Teka as Tefiti for the first time. Moana's courage in trusting herself, seeing the wound where Tefiti's heart was removed, and essentially risking her life to allow Teka to come to her feels so vulnerable and powerful. Moana recognizing through her experience with her parents, this is not who you are, this is what the world has turned you into out of a need for survival, yours and theirs, but underneath all of those defenses, this false self you've built to protect yourself and punish those who have harmed you - you still know who you are.
I must confess the first time I watched _Moana_ it was a torrented version (don't judge me) and somehow they had put the subtitles from the director's commentary on the movie. At three minutes in, when we see Te Kā as Gramma Tala is telling her story, the commentary mentions that Te Kā was originally going to be called Te Pō. I'm not Polynesian but I have learned some aspects of Polynesian (especially Māori) culture from books and lectures, and I know enough about Māori mythology that that spoiled the twist for me. Hine-nui-te-Pō, the Great Lady of the Night, is the Māori goddess of death. She was originally the life-giving goddess Hine-titama, the daughter of Tāne-mahuta, the god of light and the forest, who in the Māori pantheon is the leader of the gods. But Tāne-mahuta also took her to be his wife, and only later revealed that he was her father, upon which she fled to the underworld in shame and became the goddess of death. (Before you judge, go look up some of the incestuous shenanigans the Greek and Norse gods got up to for far less consequence.) Māui came along later, in the mythology. His mother cast him into the sea when he was born because she thought he was dead. He grew up to be -- at least in the Māori version, which clearly did _not_ inform this particular detail in the movie -- a man of small and wiry stature, who had to learn to live by his wits instead of his strength. But you do see the same need to prove himself always coming through. After fishing up the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand, which in Māori is even called _Te Ika a Māui_ (Māui's fish), and slowing the Sun, and stealing fire from the underworld, Māui decided that his crowning achievement would be to defeat Hine-nui-te-Pō and thus make humanity immortal. But this occasion proved to be his one great failure, and Hine-nui-te-Pō instead killed _him,_ and so humans remain mortal. The myth doesn't have a happy ending; Hine-nui-te-Pō is still the cold and dark goddess of death. (By the way, _Te Pō_ means "the night"; I guess they changed her name to _Te Kā,_ "the fire", when they decided to make her a volcanic monster.)
"He's kind and loving only when Moana is following him." Honestly, that is just how all my family members are and it makes it very difficult to be around them sometimes.
this movie came out 2 months before i went on a wild adventure; breaking my lease, quitting my job and putting everything i owned into storage.... traveling the country on my motorcycle for months, no home, no plans, just going. much to the dismay of my friends and family who told me it was too dangerous. the song 'how far i'll go' became my anthem for that trip, during the good times, and the many many bad times. this movie is unbelievably special to me bc of its call to adventure. i cry every time.
It took a long time after an abusive relationship, a house fire, losing everything, to learn through therapy and learning to listen to myself, to realize my own value and strength. To understand that I actually am and have always been the person that I really want to be. Be strong, friends, and be kind to each other and yourselves. All of my love.
I love how Allen noticed the stars showing up behind the Grandma. In Māori beliefs, when you die there is a spirit waka (boat) made out of the stars and the boatman has a net that catches the souls of the people who have died. Then at the beginning of the new year at Matariki, the souls are released into the sky to become stars. Just another way the creators showed how much research they did into the cultures of the Pasifika countries.
The grandma coming back to support Moana no matter her choice gets me EVERY time. Unfortunately not all of us can have that level of support and it breaks my heart that it's a reality of life.
Her most impactful moment for me was her reunion with her grandmother. Knowing you have the support from the one who always had your back is truly healing. She looks life Tefiti since she healed herself and understood others? Thanks for this again, like every episode, you've "therapied" us :)
The song Moana sings when meeting Te Fiti at the end of the film is one that I have used when doing work to access my inner child. The message is super powerful to think of it as a song singing to your inner child.
25:27 I see him tearing because of love & empathy. You can see the love with these acts. You don't have to share the same culture of something to see what they give
There's a theory that Moana's father was once chosen by the Ocean to restore the heart of Tefiti too, but failed on his journey. In the scene where Moana shows him the heart and he throws it away it seems like he is exposed to his failure again and therefore reacts so emotional.
@@LittleHobbit13 to add to the theory trauma typically causes blocks in the brain he seems to be focused on what happened and not why. Also the storyline is Moana's not her dad's so it makes sense why we dont have context so yes it's a theory but it also could have been his friends mission and he wanted to help not knowing the depth and well he is angry at the ocean for his friends death so who knows
Honestly, her grandma just showing up, hits me so hard every time, and the song they sing about finding who she is. Then the ending song when she's facing Te Fiti also hits me hard, like you said "They stole your heart from you" is a powerful message, and just...man. And I mean who doesn't love Tamotoa? Shiny is a banger.
My grandmother passed away a few years before this movie came out. And she was just like Moanas grandmother. So when she comes back as a spirit I sob every time because I miss her it hits so close to home
I am a survivor of many instances of SA. Te Fiti had a piece of her literally stolen by a man, just like I have many times. Just like she did, I put up an armor of burning hot rage that slowly killed everything beautiful in my life. I wouldn’t let anyone close to me for any reason because they were going to hurt me too. I love that Moana didn’t understand at first, and tried to barrel her way in and make Maui fix what he broke. They tried to brute force it. Then Moana realized who Te Ka was, and knew a healing presence was the answer, and even better yet, she needed a woman’s gentleness to help her heal. It’s been a decade, but my armor broke apart too. My flowers started blooming again. All because of the healing presence of the women in my life who came to me with understanding, compassion, and reminding me who I am at my heart. This movie is everything to me.
I'd say the whole movie is incredibly impactful to me personally... My mom was very sick for a long time, and she would watch this movie at -least- once a day. I legitimately cannot watch it without crying at some point.
I love the way Moana acts during the final “fight” scene with Taka. Moana isn’t afraid, but she also doesn’t pity Taka at all. She just seems sad for her. She sees that Taka was wronged and was only acting out because of that, and she just wants to make it right. I think it’s a good lesson in looking past the cards someone was dealt, and understanding their behavior as a result of that. I think compassion without pity can be really hard to find, especially if someone failed and needs help getting past it.
Great episode as always, but if you guys aren't going to spend 5 minutes diagnosing Tamatoa with narcissism and prescribing therapy for a giant murder crab, then what are we even doing here?
“Know Who You Are” was my favorite and most impactful part. The way everything feels slow and fast and silent and loud…just hits right. The line of “this does not define you” also resonates a lot with me. People have not always treated me the best and a lot of the has been immediate family…I’m not perfect and sometimes that anger is in the forefront of how I act, but I still strive to be a good loving person to those I care about and those around me.
My favorite moment is when Moana discovers the ships and realizes her history. She doesn't know what it will mean or how it will change her, but she has learned something profound about herself, and goes tearing off to share it with everyone, because it is all their their histories, their shared past. I can't wait to see the new one.
I want to leave a more meaningful comment later, when I have time to process my thoughts within this context, but for now...can I just say how much I love that Maui's backstory is LITERALLY on his back?! It's kinda brilliant.
The ending scene and lyrics "they stole the heart from inside you but this does not define you" made me cry a lot. It really hit home emotionally even before I realized why.
I think the best part of Moana is that she acknowledges her role as a the chief's daughter and her duty to her people even if it isn't following her dream. She only goes after her dream when it also will help her people. She didn't just run off and get lucky proving herself right, she found the answer and it happened to match what she wanted. It's pretty much exactly what ruins most of the princess movies where the princesses complain about being princesses.
I love this movie. I always tear a liitle when Moana runs out of the cave with boats yelling "We were voyagers! We were VOYAGERS!" - so simple, the feeling of belonging, confirmation that her "call of the ocean" isn't just her, it's in her blood. Also, as weird as it sounds, this movie has the most beautiful scene of death, with soul of her grandmother becoming Moana's spiritual guardian. Besides, Grandma Tala is the peak of Disney's grandmother archetype, quite similar to grandmother in Mulan
One thing I think this movie does incredibly well is that it embraces multiple, cometimes conflicting, perspectives - it doesn't back down from that complexity despite being a disney movie. The song of the ancestors is a beautiful example of this, where in response to "do you know who you are" a quick succession of realizations happen for Moana. It starts by the dichotomy that has been set up the entire film: The girl who loves my island, and the girl who loves the sea - it continues to contrast this paradox against her history, moves to her place in that history, and culminates in taking ownership of her place within the web of all of this context when she truly comes into her own and sees that all of this is part of her, as much as she is part of it. She truly is Moana. To me, it's the climax of the film, and I love how strongly it creates individual movement for Moana while also tightly binding her to the rich history of her people.
I think that Tefiti looks more like Moana's mom, which reinforces her Mother Earth-type nature. I also love the moment with Moana's grandma's spirit. So often we think that we're letting people down in our lives when we "fail," but the simple truth that I've found is most of the people in our lives (if they aren't abusive, obviously) are rooting for us and are safe place for us to land, not a judging crowd. People who love us want us to succeed, but are compassionate when we fail. (If the people in your life aren't safe to fail around, it may be time to get new people.)
My favorite moment is the "know who you are" song. I always break into tears when I see it, and after a good amount of healing work, I finally understand why. For this, I'd like to to thank you guys. You gave me the gentle, encouraging nudge that I needed to start going to therapy. So I did, and kept using both CT and mended light videos as a "therapy booster" while working with my therapist. Six months ago I had arrived in such a good place that we agreed to end our regular appointments (she's still there if I need her, of course). My lava has been cooling down for a good while now, and I'm finally at the point where that protective shell is crumbling down and I'm beginning to flourish. So, my dear internet big brothers and your amazing team: thank you for the nudge, and for the therapy boosting content. You've really supported me on my healing journey. I'll be paying it forward and returning the favor. Love from Finland ❤
As a Samoan, the most impactful moment was meeting with Grandma’s spirit again. Big time. That really touched my heart❤ We do believe in spirits and respect our loved ones when they pass. It’s still there, in spite of Christian missionaries trying to change it completely
Something else I noticed is the movie is also about the cycle of pain. None of it is intentional, which i love. Everyone is trying to help themselves, but end up hurting others in the process. Maui was hurt, so took the heart, which hurt te fiti, which hurt the islands, which hurt the dad, who hurt Moana. She went on her journey in part to heal herself by proving herself right. That only ended up hurting those around her. Only once grandmother's compassion pulled her to light and made her journey about healing te fiti. The compassion of one person didn't just heal te fiti. It broke the cycle, which in turn, healed everyone.
The talk about "they" having taken her heart hit me hard - escaping from an emotionally abusive and controlling relationship a couple years ago has left me very reluctant to sincerely look for another relationship. The great thing about this movie is that it can apply to all of us - from the views of several characters. And there really isn't a bad guy (with perhaps the exception of Tamatoa). It's just a bunch of characters trying the best with what they have
You nailed it when you said that Moana was carrying on the compassion to Te Fiti that she received from her grandmother. I think that was the main driving reason behind why they made them look so similar as a way to represent the parallels between their struggles and how they both understand each other's pain as people who have been suppressed for being who they truly are. Great video!
The song between Moana and her grandmother is so powerful. No matter how many times I watch this movie or see clips of this scene... goosebumps, goosebumps all around every single time. Powerful stuff!
I love how Moana shows her mark for the island. It is tasteful and brief, with the striking symbolism of the shell indicating the end of that island's era.
I think the choice to make Te Fiti look like Moana is the movie's way of saying that Moana and her family are descended from Te Fiti. Love the episode BTW.❤
Side note, idk how many ppl actually watch the ads in the middle of the show, but I think they do such a great job for starting it relating to the episode they are doing. Like it's not bunch of the ads recorded separately and thrown in randomly. I like the attention and intention
One of the best movies from Disney from the last decade. Super beautiful film, the way she learns how to ride the ocean and discovers who she and puts the heart back is incredible. Hope the sequel is good. 🌊
I didn’t realize this until now, I think Te Fiti looking like Moana signifies that their connection to life and new life. As Te Fiti brings new life to the islands, Moana brings new life to her people. A return to old tradition, and a new purpose. Moana is also a very lively person. She wants to live the life that she has by experiencing what the ocean in the world have to offer. Te Fiti brings life to islands far beyond her own, and is the essence of life herself.
I think i have two favorite parts, the whole grandma who you are scene and song, because of how beautifully pivotal perspective change, and the final scene that fades out to the stack of rocks with the shell on top, because of how much it signified the mental and emotional change of a journey to self healing. You only fail if you give up; I want to love my life, not wallow in it.
You guys picked the 2 songs that get me from straight-faced to tears in 0.5 seconds 😭 In regard to Moana & Te Fiti looking like kin, I believe that’s the intention. Not necessarily that Moana is a direct ancestor, but to hi-light their similarities, and also a representation of the importance family & kin to Polynesian culture. Thank you, also for your thoughts of the incredible scene with Te’Ka & Moana. I had the same interpretation since I first saw the movie, and it’s one of the reasons that scene hits so hard every time. “This does not define you. This is not who you are. You know who you are.”
Thank you to Holzkern for sponsoring this video! Click my link www.holzkern.com/cinematherapy to save up to 30% site-wide in their biggest sale of the year-limited time only!
Baldur's Gate 3 has some really great character interactions that I think you guys might be really into analyzing. There's fantastic cinematography and visuals paired with some really great character arcs and relationship dynamics. It might be too hard to do it on this channel bc the game is mature, but it might be something to do on Patreon? Disney and Dreamworks usually have feel-good endings, but BG3 has more shades of gray and bittersweetness that might be a fun challenge to dig into.
As a sexual assault survivor, I can’t hear the lyrics “they have stolen the heart from inside you, but this does not define you,” without crying my eyes out.
Here's a suggestion: "I would love to see you guys make a video of a top ten therapy movies; a journey to self-healing." .
Ive always thought that artistically why Tefiti looks like Moana is because Moana is the one who put the heart back and saw her for who she rly is under her pain. So she took a likeness to her, and i also am the one person who believes the thoery Moana dies when she shes in the sea storm and the gods made her a demi god like Moaui, and so some of her demi god power is what influenced tefiti. thats just my crazy head cannon tho.
Gm. I'm requesting you react to Over the Moon.
The thing I adore about the scene at the end of the movie with Moana and her grandmother, is that the ADULT (even though she's dead) accepts responsibility. Fundamentally, Moana is still a child, and the responsible adult says, "If you need to be done, it's ok. It is not your responsibility to fix this. If you want to keep going, good. If not, go home and be loved because you did your best."
My partner and I are suckers for responsible adults taking care of the children
@@avalon1007 Agreed, I loved that they acknowledged that Moana is still a child, and don't place all of the responsibility onto her shoulders. Moana and her grandmother's bond was so wholesome to watch.
The grandma is one of my favorite characters in any story.
Have you ever seen the show "The Owl House"? Because I feel like you might enjoy it, it's also got adults taking responsibility, and actually trying to keep the kids out of harms way instead of encouraging them to take part in the conflict. The kids do end up involved anyways, a lot of the time, but there is an effort put in to keep them out of it, which I appreciate :) Plus it's just a fantastic show in general, great if you enjoy found family, fantasy vibes!
idk if you watched it or not obviously but i bet you would love Nanami from Jujutsu kaisen
@Owlsandoatmeal, yes I watched Owl House and loved it. I also love JJK, and I really appreciate Nanami (of course)
My wife is a survivor of serial sexual assault. When we saw this in the theater, the key line was, "They have stolen the heart from inside you, but this does not define you. This is not who you are; you know who you are." It hit us both like a freight train, and I still cry like a baby at that scene.
I'm also a History teacher, so the scene where Moana sees the vision of her ancestors and the Polynesian migration is just the cherry on top.
I was a foster parent and one of my kids was a young child at the time. During one of our many rewatches of this movie, at that exact moment, she told us she was like Te Ka and it broke our hearts. I still think about it every time I see that scene.
I hope everything turned out okay. I am sending so much love ❤@jannamagpie8324
My favorite line, too, for a different reason. Makes the movie divine
I’m a survivor who overcame a lot of the emotional scarring thanks to older survivors who embraced me and showed me the strength that I could learn to have for myself. This scene, and Moana’s lines to Te kā, always remind me of the support we can give each other, helping each other feel seen. I always tear up at how beautiful that is, to see this being taught to the next generation. Thank you, Cinema Therapy, for calling attention to that interpretation.
I still cry like a baby at that scene every single time I even think about it. Just mentioning it here, I've teared up... I also feel like I had the heart stolen from inside me. Whoever wrote this movie screenplay... they know. They are one of us. An abuse survivor.
I always thought that Moana's grandma and Mulan's grandma would be best friends.
They totally would.
Grandma squad
Add Uncle Iroh !
@@KerbalFacile OMG yes!
Tea parties and s**t talking galore!
I think my favorite part of this movie is after Moana and Maui face Taka for the first time and Maui left her, she's faced with the fact that, while the ocean chose her to help, that doesn't make her infallible. And then the grandma appears, and instead of giving a rousing speech of "you can do it, believe in yourself and it will work out." It was "We asked a lot of you. It's okay to go home and we will find someone else to do this. I will be here to support you whatever you choose. But ask yourself first, what do you want to do?" No pressure, just support and love. Letting Moana come to the conclusion she did on her own. Making that victory her own and not because she was told "you are the chosen one."
goated movie.
Favourite part by far: her mom finds her packing and helps her without saying a word.
Right? She sees instantly that Moana has made up her mind and they can't keep her from what she's chosen, so it's time to show she's an ally and not an antagonist, for the sake of their relationship.
Just reading that and remembering the moment gave me chills
immediate tears, every time
Her dad’s mom knew she could do it and supported her and then mom knew she had to go on this journey, accepted, and sent kindly to her destiny with that mom hug. Two generations I feel like there is a scene missing here, because as soon as Moana left her grandma, you her mom noticed and went to her mother-in-law and the agreed in their love, their people, and their people’s future that nothing and no one could stop that. So best to send her off with love, trust, and hopes of her two biggest allies. I also think there’s a second scene missing when the mother told the father that she had gone and he may have been angry, but knowing his daughter went off with love and her people on her mind settled that anger. you guys talk about perspective taking, and the mother did that with her daughter I’m sure she would’ve done the same thing to her husband calming him and making him realize she is the future and hast to find a way to save her people, no matter what or when so better sooner than later. And seeing her on the horizon at the end , washed it away.
I found it refreshing that Moana doesn't have a love interest. The film is perfect without it, and it would take away from the exciting main adventure of Moana discovering her destiny. Plus, Moana and Maui have an amazing bond, and they help each other to grow platonically.
That’s one thing I really love about this movie, it’s her and Maui having a strong friendship, that’s it. It’s really refreshing to see, but also really sad how we don’t get enough of JUST close friendships in movies. It’s almost always some forced romantic relationship, especially in more general audience/family movies like Moana😕
100% agreed. They're friends who encourage each other, warn each other, hold each other accountable, and fail and forgive. It's great just the way it is.
Oh I hope more than anything that they leave romance out of the sequel
Eventually they get to the strong friendship, but he is awful to get for most of the movie.
That's one of the things I love about this movie: their platonic bond 💯
I have seen it mentioned, but I love Gramma Tala giving Moana permission to quit. So often we l hear, “Failure is not an option,” but failure shouldn’t be villainized since it will help us to grow. I also love that the main conflict is solved with compassion rather than fighting. It’s just such a beautiful ending.
They think the answer is to defeat the monster, until Moana notices the swirl and thinks to look a little deeper into the situation, and ultimately they discover that fighting was not the answer. And that plot twist got me the first time! It was such a cool twist imo!
(So much so that I think another movie ripped it off lol, it was Moon Dune or something I think.)
Couldn't put it better
I like how Taka isn’t actually evil so the story doesn’t have a bad guy. Taka transformed from a good person that was hurt into a misunderstood angry being. Maui has been bad, the parents have done things she didn’t like but nobody is a villain. Everyone is just misunderstood. That’s pretty amazing for disney, to have no actual villain to a story. It definitely makes it more relatable to today.
You could argue that Tamatoa is a villain, but he has such a comparatively small role in the film that it doesn't really count. He more serves to emphasize the film's theme of identity. Same goes for the mad Max coconuts
*Te Ka
The coconuts are villains...on their epic "WaterWorld" raft.
I hadn’t realized quite why “they have stolen the heart from inside you” always gives me chills until Jono explained it. Suddenly, it makes so much sense.
Same here. Made me tear up!
@@nonono7x342 #cryingwithalan 😭
Same
Same!!
yeah, if you read up on the forklore of this god, its heartbreaking
To highlight the genius of the music: in "How far I'll go" when she says "what is wrong with me" the "wrong" is in C major which normally doesn't occur in the harmony chosen for this song. However, when the final chorus starts on the higher note and she discovers how far she'll actually go - the C major becomes the driving note of the chorus and the final note as well - the actual sounds highlight her true destiny. I MEAN HOW COOL IS THAT!?
The magical, musical mind of Lin-Manuel Miranda 😎
OMG this is so cool!!! I love this so much and yes I 100% am a choir kid
@@TurtleRainbowLin Manuel Miranda coming out with his musical genius!
The music theory that goes into this sort of thing is absolutely phenomenal. It makes my musician's heart happy.
SEA major?
I happened to rewatch Moana around the time I was SA'd and didn't even realize how strongly the moment of Moana singing and giving the heart back would hit me. I felt incredibly seen and understood because It would have been so easy to completely lose myself in my feelings. The reminder that we can decide not to let the worst things define us was beautiful.
I’m sorry you had to go through that, I hope you’re doing better now ❤
My favorite part about the chicken is they got Alan Tudyk to actually voice every one of those "buk, buk buk" sounds.
And the "You're so amazing" was actually ad libbed.
"I-- I went to Juilliard."
Alan Tudyk is such a funny actor, I'm not surprised yet absolutely delighted that he is the voice of an unquantifiable amount of buks. 😂
I remember Brian Hull talking about that in his first Moana Impressions video.
"I'm curious about the chicken eating the rock. He seems to lack the basic intelligence required for pretty much... everything. Could we maybe just... cook him?"
Then Brian says, "Anyone else notice the weirdness of Alan Tudyk, who voices Hey Hey, and also this old guy, who's talking about eating Hey Hey, so Alan Tudyk's talking about eating himself?
That's kinda creepy."
He went to Juliard... :/
My toddler LOVES this movie, and we've actually talked about Te Ka in a way to discuss feeling anger and hurt. I'm paraphrasing here, but the conversation usually goes:
"Te Fiti was hurt. She was sad and angry. And it's ok to feel that way. But it's important to feel the anger and the sadness and then let go of the feeling, otherwise you forget who you are. Moana saw that Te ka was Te Fiti, so she talked to her. What a good friend she is. Te Ka realized she had been angry for a long time and she was able to take a deep breath and calm, down. Then she became Te Fiti again."
I know the actually story has way more depth, but putting it at the level my toddler understands has helped her so much. She has been better about letting go of her sadness and anger, and she has even reached out to me when she sees me frustrated. "Mama you need to breathe with me. You can feel angry but then let go Mama. You can't be Te Ka." (omg y'all I love this kid so stinking much XD)
Also, kudos to the writers for showing a strong female leader of a group. My kid's two big takeaways from the movie are the big feelings with Te Ka and Moana being a leader.
I love this so much. You are a great mom and you have a great kid who is going to be a good citizen. ❤
Omg I'm crying and I'm not even a mom. If my future kid ever tried to help me that way, I don't think I'd be able to not cry in front of them
Genuinely surprised you haven’t reacted to this until now
That's exactly what I thought lmao
They made a Moana video a few years ago
Probably bc moana 2 is out they doing this
To me it always felt like a metaphor for trauma. “They have stolen the heart from inside you but this does not define you…this is not who you are.”
We did a video from a different perspective and with a guest ages ago, so we wanted to revisit it properly before the sequel comes out!
Most impactful moment that makes me cry: the ancestors' boats joining Moana when she accepts her mission. As an Indigenous person (to Turtle Island, not the Pacific Islands, but even still) hearing and seeing the approval of her family means the world. Especially when I hear the song in te reo Maori on RUclips I weep.
Oh it was the Maori language, I always thought it was native Hawai'ian
@supersasukemaniac there's also Hawaiian language covers of the songs, but I am referring to the Maori language covers I've seen. I'm not sure which language they're singing in the background in the songs for the film, so if anyone knows I'd be glad to hear it
@@infiniteideassquared9102 I believe it's tagalog!
@@supersasukemaniac Pacific/Polynesian languages are a language group, so similarities between them, with te reo Māori I think being the most spoken, due to New Zealand being the largest Pacific island and lots of effort by Maori to keep it as a living language.
There is a full Maori version of Moana, it is available on Disney+ (at least here in New Zealand).
@@infiniteideassquared9102 The English version of the movie contains song lyrics sung in Samoan, Tokelauan and Tuvaluan
Alan mentioning that touching foreheads is so important in Polynesian culture reminded me of something in Encanto that made me tear up. Mirabel is explicitly 15 in Encanto. In Hispanic culture, it's the age where you transition from being a girl into being a woman. And Mirabel's journey is very much about not just being put into a place like a child is, but making her own place, like an adult does. I love the little cultural nods that are beautiful to people outside of the culture, and deeply meaningful to people from within the culture.
Being Polynesian, just the music in the scene with grandma would make me tear up because the music is just so beautiful. My grandma did hula and she passed away in 2020, when I hear Moana's grandma say "you come so far" I think of how far I come since I lost her. 😢
If I may, I strongly concur in this sentiment. My grandma had a lot of hardships all her life and sacrificed basically all her dreams to her family. I was never able to make it up to her but let her share in my passion (singing) as much as possible. She was musically inclined herself. So the best I can do today is dedicate the steps and milestones to her I get to take without her.
My 6 year old son (he's a bit neuro divergent) has a really strong affinity with this movie, he loves everything about it, sings all of the songs, he just adores everything about Polynesian culture, the music, the movement. Lots of love from Scotland ❤
a Moana video with a jewelry sponsor and no reference to the banger song "Shiny" missed opportunity
I think the choice to have Te Fiti resemble Moana is symbolic. Taka was made out to be something that she truly isn’t. She was warped and hardened to be scary, but Moana saw through that eventually. Once she saw who Taka really was, Moana was faced with…herself. Moana was also made to be something she wasn’t until someone touched her heart. Te Fiti has Moana’s face because she’s her symbolic mirror.
It also stands in for the completion of Moana’s arc. She always knew she was meant for more, and at the end of the movie, she gets to see herself as a goddess.
i'm surprised to see so many people spelling the names "te fiti" and "taka." i always thought since she started as "te fiti," the spelling of the lava form was "te ka."
This was my interpretation too
I had considered the 2 of them to just be kindred spirits, both loving the ocean & their people with all their heart, & fiction tends to mirror aesthetics to further reflect that connection. But I rather enjoy the poignancy & depth of your take, well said! 🤔👍
That’s an incredible take! Love it!
@@dietotaku You are correct, the lava form's name is spelled Te Kā.
Moana makes such a good point about fishing beyond the reef and thought it was so unfair for her father to make it just about her. I get where he's coming from, it's a very human thing and the flashback to seeing his best friend drown is BRUTAL, but like....dude, your people are gonna die anyway, they're gonna starve and I don't see YOU coming up with any alternatives.
Same I was always super frustrated with the father. Like claiming he's keeping his people safe but at the same time willingly starving them. He's not even willing to ignore tradition, considering his traditions more sacred than the people he loves and cares for.
During the meeting at night he did start to lay out some alternatives before Moana burst in to declare that she found a bunch of giant boats... They didn't get very far in discussing the viability of those alternatives before the interruption but the man clearly had some concrete ideas he thought were worth considering first.
It’s only made worse by his refusal to communicate with Moana about why he’s adamant about no one ever leaving the island. Instead of opening up to her, he shames her and hides their ancestor’s history, which she has to learn about from her mom and grandma respectively. I almost wish he broke Te Fiti’s heart when he threw it just so he could actually face the truth about the dying island.
I think that's a valid view of him, but the chief has a lot of unprocessed trauma surrounding the ocean. He reacts aggressively because in his mind, if she goes, she WILL die, and he feels responsible and desperate to keep that from happening. Overall, he overreacts, but I think it's from a traumatic experience, so should be met with some more understanding, though he should own up to the overblown response and should tell her why. I also think his response is done for the narrative process, though it's a very human reaction.
That moment - the hero moment - the moment where Moana calmly walks into the sand while the lava monster is absolutely tearing toward her. The sand under Moana doesn't leave a footprint, while Te Ka is destroying the world in her frenzy to go and destroy this intruder.
That moment.
Without even seeing the entire movie (for the 5th or 6th time), that moment brings me to tears. Every. Single. Time.
The music, the vocals, the visuals.
It's a moment of beauty and terror, love and hate, compassion and rejection. It is, frankly, one of the most powerful moments in in movie history.
(In my opion, obviously.)
i wouldn't call it compassion and rejection, i would say compassion and vengeance. that is te ka's singular focus: get revenge on the humans who stole her heart.
@@dietotaku I'd accept that.
It's truly a breathtaking moment and a scene of masterpiece.
Being a person from a pacific island nation, having a movie with words that are familiar, accents that are part of our everyday and songs that are similar to the culture that was here first makes this one of my favourite stories.
Not only is this a story that doesn't have to have a love interest but its a story from cultures that we don't get to see much of.
Don't get me started on Lilo and Stitch, one of the best children's movies ever!
Lilo and Stitch is a great movie for any age!
I know nothing about that culture or background but its always great to hear that people find themselves in these beautiful peices of cinema :') I hope you'll like Moana 2!
I've visited Hawaii a couple times, and I love what I've seen and experienced of the culture. I could see that reflected in this movie, even with my limited knowledge. The Wayfinders' song is my favorite in this movie
My two favourite Disney movies are lilo and Stitch and Moana. I had the privilege of living in Hawaii for a time and giving birth to my child there. He likes to wear Hawaiian shirts and loves talking about the place! It is such a beautiful place and going beyond the tourist places to the heart of the culture was a wonderful thing to experience.
I always thought Te Fiti looks like Moana because people, when they heal, become like the people they once needed.
The child you would feel safe with the adult you 😭😭😭😭
Beautifully said
This is so so beautiful
The Oscar sinking down into the ocean edit was brutal 💀
"People who are angry generally don't want to be angry people"
TRUE! And I love how this is portrayed by Te Ka destroying what Te Fiti made. It is very sad in a way that what it took to give Te Fiti/Te Ka her heart back was so much destruction but it's very real.
I like the fact that Moana sees Te Kā as Te Fiti even before the audience does. She sees the anger as righteous rage and the lava as an expression of despair. I grew up with massive anger issues. When I finally got an anger management course as an adult I suddenly had the tools at hand to change and grow better. It wasn't healing as much as a way to master myself. Not only anger but everything, because my anger was the cause of everything else that made me hurt. I think one of the many reasons I adore this movie is because it spoke to me about righteous anger on top of the visuals, the culture, the music, and the humor.
Well said!
the Ocean being so. completely. done. with this damn chicken will never not be Hilarious
Hei hei's scream made me laugh so. damn. hard when I first saw this movie on a flight to Greece, a passing air steward had to ask if I was ok and did I need a drink of water. To this day, that one single scene will make me laugh, often to the point of tears, and will always make me feel better. It's magic.
The part I kept replaying was the section where Moana tells the ocean "Let her come to me." The journey she's taken and the growth she's experienced allows her to speak with authority to something powerful - the ocean - because it is now a partner with her in their mutual goal of getting healing to this hurting person. And she is willing to walk right up to someone who in their pain could very well do violence, but she's coming in vulnerability and compassion and power and in doing so, meets her in a way that allows new life.
As a Pacific Islander (Samoan 🇼🇸🇦🇸🇳🇿) and a HUGE fan of yours, I truly appreciate you looking at Moana once again.
This movie was like watching the story of my life in the big screen. Moana’s dad is exactly what my dad was like when I was growing up. He wanted to protect me and my sisters from the craziness that is the world. I couldn’t see it when I was young, but I can now see how much love was behind my dad’s strictness. There are pros and cons to everything, so a pro to my dad’s decisions to be strict with me, kept me safe. But a con was that I wasn’t prepared to be independent and strong willed.
I literally had to leave NZ for Japan, in order to begin living MY life. It was hard to learn how to adult. But I made it.
Now I’ve been living in Japan for 12 years, and my dad has visited a lot over those years and has seen how much I have grown as a woman, how independent I have become. My dad taught me many good morals, respect, manners and gave me every academic opportunity.
I appreciate my parents for loving me the best way that they knew how to, at that time. My youngest sister is still living at home and I have seen how much my parents have grown…as parents.
Anyways thanks for reading 🙏🏾♥️
Other thing to consider for Moana's father is that he's a leader and the lives of people depend on his decision. He could tell them to sail and if people trust him they will follow but it could lead to disaster. So he acts more aggressive towards Moana in that scene, not because he's "jerk" but because of the overwhelming situation he's in.
Maybe Te Fiti looks like Moana to show that there's a divine aspect to humanity and that even though we can't make flowers bloom with just our touch we have to power to make others "bloom" through our words and actions, showig kindness and compassion, like Moana's grandmother did
Baby Moana is the cutest, animated character I have ever seen. The scene where she meets and plays with the water for the first time and the water does her hair… UGH I just can’t help myself. It melts me every time.❤
And when she’s helping the baby turtle get to the sea is also the cutest and most wholesome thing 🥰
@ yes!!!
Adore this movie. Thanks for doing this one. I've always taken the lyric "they have stolen the heart from inside you" as a nod to how humans take from the earth without a lot of thought on impact. It feels like a very powerful conversation about climate and how humans need to be responsible for restoration of native species to allow the earth to survive.
To me it always felt like a metaphor for trauma. “They’ve stolen the heart from inside you, but this does not define you…it’s not who you are.”
It could also be a reflection on Maui. Maui hurt te fiti because of his need to please humans, he wanted their love and adoration that he didn't care what it took or who would got hurt. humans took and took from Maui, fuelling his need to be needed. no one gave him the security that he was okay just as himself. he didn't need to prove he deserved to live. and Maui's need to please humans driving him to hurt others because of the need for that external validation.
You fall in with the wrong crowd and desperately want to fit in, so you do things that you know aren't right but you need those people because you have no self esteem, it is all based on others perception.
My mom was one of those women who was never safe, even when she was supposed to be. She always seemed like such a cruel person but now that she is separated from my dad and has her dog to help protect her, she is finding herself and its been wonderful to have a relationship with her where she doesn't have to constantly be guarded or be in survival mode. She is finding herself finally, and it's been fantastic to watch and support her.
My most impactful moment in Moana, is when she's packing up to go, and she's packing a bag of food, the mother finds her, and helps her tie up the bag..
Her mother essentially saying "Go do the thing you need to do, you have my blessing" was EVERYTHING
25:15 Alan, I really love that u mention this. It’s integral to our culture and I feel moved when they replicate it on the big screen.
Also fun fact: Aloha/aroha come from this concept of hongi/honi
Alo/aro= Face Ha/hau=Breath
“The presence of Breath/Life”
Although, it’s not a direct or literal translation, it carries the essence of aloha.
Life began and life ends. We only see Honi used with Gramma Tala and Tefiti. It feels very intentional.
Thank you for this insight!
This movie doesn't miss a beat. Excellent story telling from start to finish. I love what Alan says about the attention to detail. That's what got me most. He uses the example of the grandma talking about scars while walking by the ripped sail. The example that really stood out to me was the footprints in the sand as Moana and Tekah approach one another. I'm surprised Alan didn't jump on that mastery of animation and direction. The delicate footprints of Moana, who is finally centered, are clear and defined. Whereas the rage and anger of Tekah is exploding the sand, essentially crumbling the ground she's walking on. It always hits me as the greatest "Show, don't tell" moment. One if the best movie I've ever seen.
25:03 “[…] people who are, genuinely don’t want to be angry people. They just want to be safe, respected, and loved.” Very real, not realised enough.
The line "They have stolen the heart from inside you, but this does not define you" is so powerful.
That's why I find it so important to acknowledge surviviors/warriors, to believe their stories, and support them in any way that I can; however they want to be there for them.
I loved the moment where Moana chooses to continue. The ocean could have brought the Heart back up to her, yet she was allowed the effort of diving to retrieve it. All of this honors Moana's Agency and helps her dig in deep to persevere!
Thanks for the tender presentation of this amazing movie
Moana's grandma makes me think of my Grammy who passes away before this film was released. She would have adored this film, and happily would label herself the village crazy lady. So for me, the scene that got me the most, was the moment when Moana is attempting to pass the reef, just as her grandma passes, and her grandma's spirit sweeps out from the island amd guides the boat as that Mantaray. I burst into ugly tears in the theater the first time I saw it.
This is a good time to talk about self-protective rage. I think a lot of us are in that feeling and have been for a long time. It's good to remind ourselves, that anger is so often protective. It's a very stigmatized feeling (even when it's subtley promoted as the only feeling some of us are allowed to have, it's still stigmatized) and it's hard to look in the eye.
23:43 this part was always such a gut punch for me. i'm glad you recognized how it resonated for women in particular, because the world does so much to break us down and then when we inevitably do break, that is how we are defined. it becomes our whole identity. i love that this scene says "the world broke you down and robbed you of your light, but that is not the sum total of who you are and you have the agency to define yourself for yourself." we are not taught to forge our own paths and find our own way through life and define who we want to be, we are taught to give and support and nurture everyone around us until we're a husk of a person, and then we're blamed for being burnt out.
"I am Moana (Song of the Ancestors)" is my absolute favourite of all Disney self-actualization moments, and one of my favourites of all time. It's sheer brilliance. The song and the "I am Moana!" is powerful as hell, but it wouldn't be half as powerful if it wasn't for the shot of Moana touching foreheads with her grandmother. The smile that transitions into just a moment of Moana mourning and almost starting to cry, and then back into a proud smile. "I will carry you here in my heart/You remind me/Come what may, I know the way/I am Moana!"
It actually makes me tear up just thinking about it.
i love love that during where we are, there is a part where moana says "and no one leaves" and they reply "that's right we stay" and that is instantly the different thought process between them
I’m going to comment on this before even watching. First this is my favorite Disney movie. To me the most powerful scene is when Moana returns the heart to Te Fiti. In our lives we have people steal our hopes, our dreams, who we are till we turn into something else. They steal our hearts. Moana sees herself in that moment - I know who you are. I was going through a really difficult part of my life and this movie made me realize I had let others define me, they took my heart. I have the heart of Te Fiti tattooed on me to remind myself 0:28
That was Tarzan two for me. There’s a line in Tarzan two that says “if you feel like nothing, you can be anything. And that makes you something.” And ever since then, when I get depressed I remember that line. 💖 I’m happy you have Moana to remind you 💖
I got to meet Alan Tudyk at an ILM Holiday party. I told him I thought he would win the oscar for Hei hei the chicken and he nearly spit his drink out from laughing. One of my prouder moments.
I will *forever* love the behind the scenes video of Alan Tudyk looking to the camera and deadpan saying "I went to Juliard" after recording a bunch of bawk bawk noises... haha.
‘The people you love will change you, the things that you learn will guide you.’ - That hit hard, and especially fits with the theme of Te Fiti’s ‘heartbreak’. She loved the people of the world, just as Maui did, but in desperately seeking the people’s approval, Maui hurt her deeply. The people she loved changed her, for the worst (Maui and everyone pushing him to do more for them without thought of consequences), and for the better (Moana, who sees her as a person beneath her pain).
Moana changed for the people she loved, for her parents and tribe she embraced her responsibilities as future chief. For her grandma she embraced the Ocean’s mission and her passion. Platonic love for Maui taught her to face terrifying situations head on and to keep calm, that by being supportive of another by believing in them she can make a huge difference. The things she learned from all those she loved (taking responsibility, embracing her passion, wayfinding, supporting others) all guided her to the ultimate climax of overcoming Te Ka to meet a traumatised goddess on Moana’s terms. With compassion and understanding far beyond her years.
For the rest of us, the people we love change us for better or worse, but with guidance through therapy and learning about ourselves, we can chart our own course and work on becoming the person we want to be.
22:50 Its true in maori mythology that humanity arent the creations of the gods, we are their descendants. So it makes perfect sense to me that Te Whiti and Moana look alike, they literally are related.
An extremely impactful, but more subtle moment in this movie for me... understated but it always makes me tear up, is when Moana is leaving the island, and is found trying to pack by her mother... and rather than try to reason or stop her, or saying anything at all, she just sees her and then, for all else she must be feeling in that moment, helps her pack. It maybe hits me hard for personal reasons, but I still think it's an extremely powerful moment all the same, yet often passed over for mention because of how many other potent moments this movie has.
There it is. I've been scanning the comments looking for this exact moment. So powerful and, like you said, underrated. It's such a fleeting thing, barely even given the time of day by the movie, but it means so much when you think about it.
@@maoman4855 To be fair, if they dwelt on it, it would lose some of its impact, I think.
What this movie taught me:
That what people project onto you, doesn’t mean that you are that person. Do I still have those thoughts? Yes, but now I know how to be myself through it (even now people question my choice to get my ba in art, I don’t question it).
At 3:29 you can see how much saying that to Moana really hurt her mother. This movie has so many little things like this. When her dad is yelling at her, and looks at the 3 younger guys, im so glad he didnt change how he was acting. He still felt justified in what he was saying
This is truly one of my favorite movies, and there’s so much to unpack here:
- The linking of who you are and where you are, a staple of the hero’s journey, now in the context of Polynesian navigation - which is all about finding your way without fixed landmarks. Oooo.
- Plus, Polynesian voice actors! Polynesian landscapes, textiles, ship designs, language, legends! Love it, because a culture’s material expressions and its storytelling are completely entwined.
- Can we talk about how absolutely beautiful the water is?? it’s said that Walt Disney had his animators study Doc Edgerton’s strobe photography of water droplets to get the motion just right. Walt is jumping up in his grave and cheering right now.
- The clear, small voice on “I have crossed the horizon to find you,” while Moana stands calm and fully vulnerable, gets me every time. Compassion is as mighty a force as raging lava-goddesses and the sea itself.
Thank you for revisiting this masterwork!
Yes!! I have often found myself in this place. I have kids with emotional struggles and disabilities. They often rage at me and say or do horrible things. We are getting help and trying every day to improve. But-it’s daunting. I tear up every time I see Moana bravely facing someone she respects and (possibly) fears some too.
Moana is set in the Southern Hemisphere. The North Star only appears in the Northern Hemisphere. The Southern Cross is used to find south by Polynesian wayfinders and in the movie
It's a metaphor.
@ Chur Bro
Favorite thing about this movie is how close Moana is with his grandmother.
Moana: Are you going to tell Dad about this?
Grandmother: I'm his mother. I don't have to tell him anything.
The scene where Moana restores Te Fiti's heart is so powerful to me that it had me crying in my university commons even through a Cinema Therapy video. I love this movie so much and thank you for bringing to my attention the deeper meanings I always felt but perhaps never fully understood until now.
The line that always gets me is the one you highlighted in Moana's reprise. When she sings "And the call isn't out there at all, it's inside me" it hits me right in the heart, every time and I can't help but tear up. It's like a reminder that the call to follow isn't an outside force, but your internal one, the one that will feel true because it comes from you. And then in the story too, it's like Moana recognizing that in herself helps her see Te Fiti inside of Te Ka, dealing with her trauma and seeing Maui deal with his, helps her recognize the trauma in others and embrace them with compassion. It's a truly beautiful twist that was unexpected the first time I saw the movie but feels inevitable once you know where the story is going.
Also had a thought just watching this now, that I think when her Grandma visits Moana near the end, that she may also be, in part, the ocean itself. She came from the ocean, and her words could be read that way. Saying she "never should have put so much" on her could be the ocean's way of recognizing the weight of the burden she bore as her chosen one, and letting Moana know that the ocean is not disappointed with her, it understands and accepts Moana saying she tried her best. And saying she'd be with her the whole way back could be the ocean reassuring her that she'd be seen safely home. It's almost like in the movie Contact, the ocean chose the relative Moana would feel comfortable talking with, in order to convey that message.
I always cry when she gives her heart back to Te Fiti. As a survivor of SA, what he said fits me perfectly... It was like he stole my heart too and made me bitter, the understanding and love of the people around me made it heal again
We need a Hero Therapy video on Maui looking at how his insecure attachment style affects him and his desperate desire to be loved.
SECONDED! I relate to him so much and would love a video about him
Yes PLEASE
I always well up when Moana sees Teka as Tefiti for the first time. Moana's courage in trusting herself, seeing the wound where Tefiti's heart was removed, and essentially risking her life to allow Teka to come to her feels so vulnerable and powerful. Moana recognizing through her experience with her parents, this is not who you are, this is what the world has turned you into out of a need for survival, yours and theirs, but underneath all of those defenses, this false self you've built to protect yourself and punish those who have harmed you - you still know who you are.
I must confess the first time I watched _Moana_ it was a torrented version (don't judge me) and somehow they had put the subtitles from the director's commentary on the movie. At three minutes in, when we see Te Kā as Gramma Tala is telling her story, the commentary mentions that Te Kā was originally going to be called Te Pō.
I'm not Polynesian but I have learned some aspects of Polynesian (especially Māori) culture from books and lectures, and I know enough about Māori mythology that that spoiled the twist for me.
Hine-nui-te-Pō, the Great Lady of the Night, is the Māori goddess of death. She was originally the life-giving goddess Hine-titama, the daughter of Tāne-mahuta, the god of light and the forest, who in the Māori pantheon is the leader of the gods. But Tāne-mahuta also took her to be his wife, and only later revealed that he was her father, upon which she fled to the underworld in shame and became the goddess of death. (Before you judge, go look up some of the incestuous shenanigans the Greek and Norse gods got up to for far less consequence.)
Māui came along later, in the mythology. His mother cast him into the sea when he was born because she thought he was dead. He grew up to be -- at least in the Māori version, which clearly did _not_ inform this particular detail in the movie -- a man of small and wiry stature, who had to learn to live by his wits instead of his strength. But you do see the same need to prove himself always coming through.
After fishing up the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand, which in Māori is even called _Te Ika a Māui_ (Māui's fish), and slowing the Sun, and stealing fire from the underworld, Māui decided that his crowning achievement would be to defeat Hine-nui-te-Pō and thus make humanity immortal. But this occasion proved to be his one great failure, and Hine-nui-te-Pō instead killed _him,_ and so humans remain mortal. The myth doesn't have a happy ending; Hine-nui-te-Pō is still the cold and dark goddess of death.
(By the way, _Te Pō_ means "the night"; I guess they changed her name to _Te Kā,_ "the fire", when they decided to make her a volcanic monster.)
"He's kind and loving only when Moana is following him."
Honestly, that is just how all my family members are and it makes it very difficult to be around them sometimes.
this movie came out 2 months before i went on a wild adventure; breaking my lease, quitting my job and putting everything i owned into storage.... traveling the country on my motorcycle for months, no home, no plans, just going. much to the dismay of my friends and family who told me it was too dangerous.
the song 'how far i'll go' became my anthem for that trip, during the good times, and the many many bad times.
this movie is unbelievably special to me bc of its call to adventure. i cry every time.
It took a long time after an abusive relationship, a house fire, losing everything, to learn through therapy and learning to listen to myself, to realize my own value and strength. To understand that I actually am and have always been the person that I really want to be. Be strong, friends, and be kind to each other and yourselves. All of my love.
I love how Allen noticed the stars showing up behind the Grandma.
In Māori beliefs, when you die there is a spirit waka (boat) made out of the stars and the boatman has a net that catches the souls of the people who have died. Then at the beginning of the new year at Matariki, the souls are released into the sky to become stars. Just another way the creators showed how much research they did into the cultures of the Pasifika countries.
The grandma coming back to support Moana no matter her choice gets me EVERY time. Unfortunately not all of us can have that level of support and it breaks my heart that it's a reality of life.
Her most impactful moment for me was her reunion with her grandmother. Knowing you have the support from the one who always had your back is truly healing. She looks life Tefiti since she healed herself and understood others? Thanks for this again, like every episode, you've "therapied" us :)
The song Moana sings when meeting Te Fiti at the end of the film is one that I have used when doing work to access my inner child. The message is super powerful to think of it as a song singing to your inner child.
25:27
I see him tearing because of love & empathy. You can see the love with these acts. You don't have to share the same culture of something to see what they give
There's a theory that Moana's father was once chosen by the Ocean to restore the heart of Tefiti too, but failed on his journey. In the scene where Moana shows him the heart and he throws it away it seems like he is exposed to his failure again and therefore reacts so emotional.
Feels like a reach, 'cause he's been that emotional about her going out on the ocean for YEARS without any knowledge of the Heart being around.
@@LittleHobbit13 to add to the theory trauma typically causes blocks in the brain he seems to be focused on what happened and not why. Also the storyline is Moana's not her dad's so it makes sense why we dont have context so yes it's a theory but it also could have been his friends mission and he wanted to help not knowing the depth and well he is angry at the ocean for his friends death so who knows
@@FanTDM2003 Still feels like a reach to me. Others can feel differently.
@LittleHobbit13 understandably so it's Moana's movie that's why it's just a theory a film theory
Honestly, her grandma just showing up, hits me so hard every time, and the song they sing about finding who she is. Then the ending song when she's facing Te Fiti also hits me hard, like you said "They stole your heart from you" is a powerful message, and just...man.
And I mean who doesn't love Tamotoa? Shiny is a banger.
My grandmother passed away a few years before this movie came out. And she was just like Moanas grandmother. So when she comes back as a spirit I sob every time because I miss her it hits so close to home
The song where Moana is walking between the parted waters to return the heart while singing… CHILLS EVERYTIME
I am a survivor of many instances of SA. Te Fiti had a piece of her literally stolen by a man, just like I have many times. Just like she did, I put up an armor of burning hot rage that slowly killed everything beautiful in my life. I wouldn’t let anyone close to me for any reason because they were going to hurt me too. I love that Moana didn’t understand at first, and tried to barrel her way in and make Maui fix what he broke. They tried to brute force it. Then Moana realized who Te Ka was, and knew a healing presence was the answer, and even better yet, she needed a woman’s gentleness to help her heal. It’s been a decade, but my armor broke apart too. My flowers started blooming again. All because of the healing presence of the women in my life who came to me with understanding, compassion, and reminding me who I am at my heart. This movie is everything to me.
I'd say the whole movie is incredibly impactful to me personally... My mom was very sick for a long time, and she would watch this movie at -least- once a day. I legitimately cannot watch it without crying at some point.
I love the way Moana acts during the final “fight” scene with Taka. Moana isn’t afraid, but she also doesn’t pity Taka at all. She just seems sad for her. She sees that Taka was wronged and was only acting out because of that, and she just wants to make it right. I think it’s a good lesson in looking past the cards someone was dealt, and understanding their behavior as a result of that. I think compassion without pity can be really hard to find, especially if someone failed and needs help getting past it.
Great episode as always, but if you guys aren't going to spend 5 minutes diagnosing Tamatoa with narcissism and prescribing therapy for a giant murder crab, then what are we even doing here?
“Know Who You Are” was my favorite and most impactful part. The way everything feels slow and fast and silent and loud…just hits right. The line of “this does not define you” also resonates a lot with me. People have not always treated me the best and a lot of the has been immediate family…I’m not perfect and sometimes that anger is in the forefront of how I act, but I still strive to be a good loving person to those I care about and those around me.
My favorite moment is when Moana discovers the ships and realizes her history. She doesn't know what it will mean or how it will change her, but she has learned something profound about herself, and goes tearing off to share it with everyone, because it is all their their histories, their shared past. I can't wait to see the new one.
I want to leave a more meaningful comment later, when I have time to process my thoughts within this context, but for now...can I just say how much I love that Maui's backstory is LITERALLY on his back?! It's kinda brilliant.
The ending scene and lyrics "they stole the heart from inside you but this does not define you" made me cry a lot. It really hit home emotionally even before I realized why.
I think the best part of Moana is that she acknowledges her role as a the chief's daughter and her duty to her people even if it isn't following her dream. She only goes after her dream when it also will help her people. She didn't just run off and get lucky proving herself right, she found the answer and it happened to match what she wanted. It's pretty much exactly what ruins most of the princess movies where the princesses complain about being princesses.
I love this movie. I always tear a liitle when Moana runs out of the cave with boats yelling "We were voyagers! We were VOYAGERS!" - so simple, the feeling of belonging, confirmation that her "call of the ocean" isn't just her, it's in her blood. Also, as weird as it sounds, this movie has the most beautiful scene of death, with soul of her grandmother becoming Moana's spiritual guardian. Besides, Grandma Tala is the peak of Disney's grandmother archetype, quite similar to grandmother in Mulan
One thing I think this movie does incredibly well is that it embraces multiple, cometimes conflicting, perspectives - it doesn't back down from that complexity despite being a disney movie.
The song of the ancestors is a beautiful example of this, where in response to "do you know who you are" a quick succession of realizations happen for Moana. It starts by the dichotomy that has been set up the entire film: The girl who loves my island, and the girl who loves the sea - it continues to contrast this paradox against her history, moves to her place in that history, and culminates in taking ownership of her place within the web of all of this context when she truly comes into her own and sees that all of this is part of her, as much as she is part of it. She truly is Moana.
To me, it's the climax of the film, and I love how strongly it creates individual movement for Moana while also tightly binding her to the rich history of her people.
I think that Tefiti looks more like Moana's mom, which reinforces her Mother Earth-type nature. I also love the moment with Moana's grandma's spirit. So often we think that we're letting people down in our lives when we "fail," but the simple truth that I've found is most of the people in our lives (if they aren't abusive, obviously) are rooting for us and are safe place for us to land, not a judging crowd. People who love us want us to succeed, but are compassionate when we fail. (If the people in your life aren't safe to fail around, it may be time to get new people.)
My favorite moment is the "know who you are" song. I always break into tears when I see it, and after a good amount of healing work, I finally understand why. For this, I'd like to to thank you guys. You gave me the gentle, encouraging nudge that I needed to start going to therapy. So I did, and kept using both CT and mended light videos as a "therapy booster" while working with my therapist. Six months ago I had arrived in such a good place that we agreed to end our regular appointments (she's still there if I need her, of course). My lava has been cooling down for a good while now, and I'm finally at the point where that protective shell is crumbling down and I'm beginning to flourish. So, my dear internet big brothers and your amazing team: thank you for the nudge, and for the therapy boosting content. You've really supported me on my healing journey. I'll be paying it forward and returning the favor. Love from Finland ❤
As a Samoan, the most impactful moment was meeting with Grandma’s spirit again. Big time. That really touched my heart❤ We do believe in spirits and respect our loved ones when they pass. It’s still there, in spite of Christian missionaries trying to change it completely
Happy 24th Birthday to the voice of Moana Auli'i Cravalho
Something else I noticed is the movie is also about the cycle of pain. None of it is intentional, which i love. Everyone is trying to help themselves, but end up hurting others in the process. Maui was hurt, so took the heart, which hurt te fiti, which hurt the islands, which hurt the dad, who hurt Moana. She went on her journey in part to heal herself by proving herself right. That only ended up hurting those around her. Only once grandmother's compassion pulled her to light and made her journey about healing te fiti. The compassion of one person didn't just heal te fiti. It broke the cycle, which in turn, healed everyone.
The talk about "they" having taken her heart hit me hard - escaping from an emotionally abusive and controlling relationship a couple years ago has left me very reluctant to sincerely look for another relationship. The great thing about this movie is that it can apply to all of us - from the views of several characters. And there really isn't a bad guy (with perhaps the exception of Tamatoa). It's just a bunch of characters trying the best with what they have
You nailed it when you said that Moana was carrying on the compassion to Te Fiti that she received from her grandmother. I think that was the main driving reason behind why they made them look so similar as a way to represent the parallels between their struggles and how they both understand each other's pain as people who have been suppressed for being who they truly are. Great video!
The song between Moana and her grandmother is so powerful. No matter how many times I watch this movie or see clips of this scene... goosebumps, goosebumps all around every single time. Powerful stuff!
I love how Moana shows her mark for the island. It is tasteful and brief, with the striking symbolism of the shell indicating the end of that island's era.
I think the choice to make Te Fiti look like Moana is the movie's way of saying that Moana and her family are descended from Te Fiti. Love the episode BTW.❤
Side note, idk how many ppl actually watch the ads in the middle of the show, but I think they do such a great job for starting it relating to the episode they are doing. Like it's not bunch of the ads recorded separately and thrown in randomly. I like the attention and intention
I wish you could react to "the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse" one day. It's such a beautiful movie ❤
The book is beautiful! i didnt realise theres a movie, Thank you! ❤
@SupergirlUK Yes, the book is also phenomenal!
Yes yes yes yes yes!
One of the best movies from Disney from the last decade. Super beautiful film, the way she learns how to ride the ocean and discovers who she and puts the heart back is incredible. Hope the sequel is good. 🌊
We hope so too!
I didn’t realize this until now, I think Te Fiti looking like Moana signifies that their connection to life and new life. As Te Fiti brings new life to the islands, Moana brings new life to her people. A return to old tradition, and a new purpose.
Moana is also a very lively person. She wants to live the life that she has by experiencing what the ocean in the world have to offer. Te Fiti brings life to islands far beyond her own, and is the essence of life herself.
I think i have two favorite parts, the whole grandma who you are scene and song, because of how beautifully pivotal perspective change, and the final scene that fades out to the stack of rocks with the shell on top, because of how much it signified the mental and emotional change of a journey to self healing. You only fail if you give up; I want to love my life, not wallow in it.
You guys picked the 2 songs that get me from straight-faced to tears in 0.5 seconds 😭
In regard to Moana & Te Fiti looking like kin, I believe that’s the intention. Not necessarily that Moana is a direct ancestor, but to hi-light their similarities, and also a representation of the importance family & kin to Polynesian culture.
Thank you, also for your thoughts of the incredible scene with Te’Ka & Moana. I had the same interpretation since I first saw the movie, and it’s one of the reasons that scene hits so hard every time.
“This does not define you. This is not who you are. You know who you are.”