Frozen vs Moana

This doesn't need to be in a 'Dome, but I was thinking a bit about this last night.

We saw Moana over the Thanksgiving break and haven't heard a peep about it from the kids since we left the theater. Frozen, on the other hand, was all my daughter and friends could think about for about two years. Even my son enjoyed the film.

This left me curious. Moana was clearly a more beautiful movie. The cast is great. Songs are solid. But why didn't it leave in impact with the kids? I think the answer is clearly...

Elsa

During the Frozen craze it was all about Elsa, not Anna. None of the girls wanted to be Anna. Anna, and Moana, are members of their respective societies and yeah, they may push boundaries and go their own way, but they're still working within parameters and need help from others.

Not Elsa. She doesn't give a rip and has the power to not care. She'll go off and make her own castle. She didn't need a Kristoff or Maui to explain her case to or seek assistance from. She has all the power herself. And a slight edge. She isn't evil, but answers to no one.

There isn't another character in the Disney princess universe like this. Closest characters would be actually villains. Here was a character that girls could look to that didn't need anyone and called the shots herself. The closest these princess films have to a Ripley or Furiosa.

This is why "Let it Go" is a more powerful set piece than anything in Moana and this is why Frozen captured a generation that Moana may not.

(that and stupid anachronisms like 'tweeting'...ugh!)

Anachronisms are in quite a few Disney pictures. The Genie riffs on Willard Scott, Arsenio Hall and Ed Sullivan, for example.

Frozen was a generation defining event. I think more than anything it tapped into the current superhero AND princess trends...Elsa's arc is effectively a mutant origin story. But with Anna it also brought forward the more down to earth princess concept from Tangled, Princess and the Frog and Brave. And then there is how it completely subverts the Prince Charming idea.

And it had the best songs since The Lion King.

Moana is great but it is in Frozen's shadow. I'd say that it is the Aladdin to Frozen's Little Mermaid.

Did Frozen have anachronisms? It may have, but I don't recall.

Would Frozen be Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast? Maybe BatB is still seen to be on this unreachable plateau?

Either way, Elsa has the power and complete independence that I don't think any of the other characters have.

Edit: did you catch the Frozen cameo in Moana? Maui turns into Sven for a brief moment.

This could have been a good one a year from here, because I only heard nice things about Moana.

Thing is, I haven't seen it yet, and it has been out for what - 1-2 weeks? I don't think you can trashdome a movie that's still fresh in the theater, just doesn't seem fair. You need to let it breathe a little or something.

Ha! This isn't a trashdome, just some reflections.

Sorry for the confusing title...

i'll try to take Emily to see Moana on Sunday. She wasn't a big fan of Frozen which makes me love her even more. I thought Frozen was fine.

I would pay cash money to see a caged death match between all of the Disney princesses. I'd wager my money on Pochahontas, Merida, and Mulan as the forerunners.

what?! Elsa knows magic, no?? But yeah, Merida would be a close second.

stoic wrote: I would pay cash money to see a caged death match between all of the Disney princesses. I'd wager my money on Pochahontas, Merida, and Mulan as the forerunners.

We actually so this all the time playing Disney infinity.

All the princesses available are Merida, Mulan, Elsa, Vanellope, Malificent and Tinkerbell (thrown in there because vagina), Anna, Jasmin, Rapunzel, Alice.



Malificent is a beast. Jasmin is pretty good. Rapunzel in a skillet chucking Gatling gun of doom. Merida owns faces. Elsa is OK. Fun stuff. Highly recommended for casual family fun.

Moana is highly entertaining and another winner for Disney, but it's also very formulaic. It's essentially The Little Mermaid again, and other Disney films. Plucky young girl wants adventure, but father holds her back, etc. Frozen was more original, the songs are *much* more memorable, and the cute snowman guy makes a better funny side character than a chicken (much as I love chickens).

2 years ago, my daughters' favorite characters were respectively Olaf for my eldest and Anna for my baby. My eldest is really into the quirky characters, monsters, dragons and animals, while number 2 is definitely more into the traditional girly stuff of princesses, makeup, girly animals, etc., though she LOVES Maleficent. Funny how that works out.

My girl is all Anna though. We used to have fun with the "Wake up, wake up" up to "Go play by yourself" Anna dialogue. But now everytime I nearly close my eyes she initiates the cycle...

Anna rules. I like her better than Elsa. She would probably be my Disney Princess girlfriend after Belle.

Except for how naive she is at first...the first time I saw it I thought "you're kidding me" before I realized that Hans was a con man.

I've been listening to Moana...the songs grow on you, but...they definitely have the Lin-Manuel Miranda sound if such a thing exists after just Hamilton.

"You're Welcome" makes me realize how much I liked Dwayne Johnson's performance.

Michael Barnes wrote: She would probably be my Disney Princess girlfriend after Belle.

What do you think about Emma Watson?

Those BatB previews - wow! They're faithful to the cartoon movie for sure, but on the other hand, what's the point of a straight-up remake? Maleficent was great in that regard.

The point of a straight-up live action remake is to make money in the same way as 20-year-old toy lines take money from young parents and their kids.