I forget the songs already. Not every animation should have songs - Moana (2016) Discussion

[–] TutuAnimationPrincess 8 years ago

I loved the songs and so did many others. Just because you didn't doesn't mean Moana should not have been a musical. As for Zootopia, of course there weren't songs, very different film context. For all it's attempts to be deep and intelligent, it didn't quite succeed so I'll take Moana and it's songs over Zootopia and it's contrivances any day. Oh, and of course not every animated film needs songs, the vast majority of them don't aren't musicals.

"If life is getting you down and needs uplifting, then please come dance with me!"

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[–] Taylorfirst1 8 years ago

The songs were great and Zootopia was also great.

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[–] JonOsterFilm11 8 years ago

I agree, I absolutely loved everything about the movie, but the music wasn't just bad, it was completely forgettable. I mean you listen to something like "Under the Sea" form the Little Mermaid, and it sticks with you instantly. I left the theater and couldn't remember a single song from this movie. That being said, it was beautiful otherwise.

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[–] friendlyboy312 8 years ago

Could it be that when you were younger and you saw "the Little Mermaid", your brain was less polluted with heavy metals from the drinking water and pesticides in food, making it easier for you to remember things than it is now?

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[–] rofenloch 8 years ago

See, there are two kinda of memorable songwriting. There's the kind that sticks with you for the rest of the day and even if you stop singing them the next day, you'll always know what they are from the titles. Things like Little Mermaid and Sound of Music fall into this category. Then there's the songs that you really enjoy in the moment but don't have the staying power. This falls into that category.

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[–] stephlem89 8 years ago

See, there are two kinda of memorable songwriting. There's the kind that sticks with you for the rest of the day and even if you stop singing them the next day, you'll always know what they are from the titles. Things like Little Mermaid and Sound of Music fall into this category. Then there's the songs that you really enjoy in the moment but don't have the staying power. This falls into that category.

Hmm... I do kind of see what you're getting at there, but I wouldn't so much necessarily say it's about Moana's songs lacking staying power as it is that quite a few of them are mostly about the ambiance/sound of it rather than being one of those "instant singalong songs" :)

I mean, a few of them aren't even in English, and I for one LOVE that! But it certainly does make it more about the songs just sounding cool and being a beautiful reflection of the culture than anything else. And I don't think that's a bad thing at all- I've still been listening to the soundtrack constantly just because it IS so pretty, and the other languages only make me find it all the more beautiful. And Shiny is another good example in a different way- it's more a really COOL song than crazy catchy right off the bat. I loved the sound of it from the beginning, but it didn't start really becoming an earworm for me until I'd listened to it a bunch just because it was so cool and different, and then at some point I started getting in stuck in my head a bunch xD

And that's not to say there aren't some "instant sing alongs" in there also: To me Where You Are is SUPER infectious in very much the same way as Under the Sea is  and of course How Far I'll Go is beautiful (albeit admittedly not extremely stand-out from many other great Disney "I Want" songs) and You're Welcome is a super ton of fun off the bat. So yeah, there are those in there as well!

But with the songs in other languages, and things like I Am Moana and Know Who You Are and stuff, those aren't really *meant* to be huge "memorable" standalone songs I don't think, you know? I think they're meant to powerfully convey the emotion of those moments in the story, and I think they're incredibly effective at that.

Oh Bambi, I cried so hard when those hunters shot your mommy. - Kurt Hummel

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[–] redmiatazoomzoom 8 years ago

I liked this movie but the songs are very forgettable and in some cases seemed to muddle the flow. Felt like they were forced into the movie as an afterthought and many of the songs were extremely short like just some musical elements added in to make people think that this is a musical when it's really not.

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[–] stefan-79-235442 8 years ago

The songs where mediocre, cant see this come to the stage

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[–] Zaphenzo 8 years ago

Apparently people disagree. The soundtrack peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard 200, and two of the songs hit the Billboard Hot 100, at 52 (How Far I'll Go) and 83 (You're Welcome). They also both made the Billboard Digital Song Sales Chart, How Far I'll Go starting at 9 and continuing to this week at 30, while last week You're Welcome was at 42.

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[–] C-Younkin 8 years ago

Not every one of them does. But Disney was clearly going to replicate one of their golden age movies, which did have songs and did become classics, and I feel like they are really trying to give the fans of those films something back with movies like this and Frozen. Just because people don't like musicals doesn;t mean it's bad.

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[–] stefan-79-235442 8 years ago

I like musicals. Frozen had good songs. I liked Shakira in Zootropolis , i loved Les Mis the movie. Nut the songs in Vaiana/moana where just not good. Wasnt nesccesary. And hated the crabsong

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[–] Saucy_Jacky 8 years ago

Really? I thought it had one of the better soundtracks for a Disney film. I've been listening to it on and off since I saw it a few days ago.

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[–] Mtaco 8 years ago

What? Maybe 5 animated films in the last decade or so have been musicals.

The music was good.

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[–] stephlem89 8 years ago

Still don't get the criticism myself... granted I'm biased because I adore Lin-Manuel Miranda and pretty much everything he does haha, but still, I've been listening to the music non-stop since the soundtrack came out and CONSTANTLY have many of the songs stuck in my head!

I just got back from finally seeing the movie, and the music is even more special in context, and I absolutely think it's one of my favorite Disney scores since The Lion King  It's gorgeous, and I'm not sure what people are wanting from the music that it didn't deliver on... most of it harkens very much back to the Renaissance era music, so if you likes the music in Little Mermaid, Lion King, etc., I'm not sure what there would be to find "forgettable" or to dislike about Moana's score?

Oh Bambi, I cried so hard when those hunters shot your mommy. - Kurt Hummel

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[–] QueenFanUSA 8 years ago

@stephlem89

So what did you think of the movie overall?

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[–] stephlem89 8 years ago

LOVED the movie over all!! 

I pretty much knew I would because I'd seen so many clips and everything haha, but yeah, it was just as stunning and emotional and powerful as I thought it would be 

And even having listened to the soundtrack so much, I had NOT picked up whatsoever on the twist with Te Fiti in the end! The Know Who You Are scene gave me soooooo many chills <3 As did the We Know the Way scene, Grandma Tala coming back in spirit as the sting ray, among a bunch of other amazing and gorgeous moments

Also, Moana is a freaking badass awesome character and I adore her <3

Oh Bambi, I cried so hard when those hunters shot your mommy. - Kurt Hummel

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[–] QueenFanUSA 8 years ago

Glad you liked it! Yes, there were a lot of wonderful moments in this film on so many levels.

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[–] cyf222 8 years ago

The difference between the Songs in the Lion King and Little Mermaid and those in Moana? The ones in Moana were mediocre and not memorable. I don't care if Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote them, Mozart wrote them, or Irving Berlin wrote them. They just aren't equal to the songs in past movies.

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[–] StrandedinLaLaLand 8 years ago

Look, other than "Let It Go", which has already dated itself and has become an annoyance, what other song from Frozen matters? None.

The soundtrack for Moana is pretty good. Give it a chance and get over Frozen. I mean, damn. It's not the best Disney movie ever.

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[–] TutuAnimationPrincess 8 years ago

Sound like it's you who needs to get over Frozen. Every song in that movie mattered just like every song in Moana mattered. Lets all show appreciation for both of these great musicals and not start pointless fights.

"If life is getting you down and needs uplifting, then please come dance with me!"

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[–] amandaef2000-917-397520 8 years ago

To be fair (as someone that likes Frozen) it is not the best walt Disney movie made. I loved what it tried to do but still not the best Disney movie ever made. Bolt I believed was even better made. It is also not as good as Moana or Zootopia. Of course this is only my opinion.

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[–] TutuAnimationPrincess 8 years ago

I don't really believe in a truly genuine best Disney movie as that would imply that heavy objectivity belongs in film critiquing, which it doesn't. My favorite Disney movie is Tangled, following by The Little Mermaid and Bambi. If I wanted to really try some sort of objective Disney list, it would probably be some combination of Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast. Still though, I could actually argue that both Tangled and Frozen could be justifiably in that conversation as well. I don't really feel Zootopia would be in that conversation, but it is still a rather new film so let's see what time does. Personally, I feel it's subject matter has been handled better in other films, but maybe that's just a preference thing.

"If life is getting you down and needs uplifting, then please come dance with me!"

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[–] OpinionsByLennon 8 years ago

Princess, out side of your bubble no one cares if you think Zootopia was SOOOO BADDDD! It's your opinion and you're entitled to it! But the overwhelming majority does disagree with you; likewise your opinion is that a opinion! I loved Zootopia! It was clever, well written, paced well, and had interesting characters that were easily to love and care about. And these are the opinions of many professionals also! People who others actually do listen to! Now I get this film doesn't have a princess and that's probably your thing. Perhaps you're a kid, if so maybe when you mature you'all see why this film was so important, why it won awards and why many loved it!

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[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] OpinionsByLennon 8 years ago

Okay then Julia. I'm Lennon a 43 year old gay male that's originally from Atlanta but moved to Europe some years ago.

I must say it surprise me knowing that you're the second gay female I've met right here on this very site making rounds and telling everyone that Zootopia isn't as they, critics, the box office, etc think it is and when I'm asked I'm never given a very good answer other than it's not a perfect film or some other random reason. Regardless that's your choice and I'm not going to try and stop you. But that doesn't mean I will not speak up when I feel something is completely wrong! If that makes me a child, so be it!

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[–] TutuAnimationPrincess 8 years ago

Very well then, do as you will. I've given several in depth explanations on my problems with Zootopia over this past year but you always ignored them. I don't discredit this film's box office records or critical appeal, I just don't care about such things. Lastly, I do far more on these boards than talk about Zootopia, but you wouldn't know that because that's the only film that seems to exist to you. I have been trying to keep myself away from conversations about that film because I would rather talk about the films I love. Unfortunately people like you keep dragging me back in to the conversation. Nice to meet you just the same Lennon, I hope at some point you dial back this crusade of yours.

"If life is getting you down and needs uplifting, then please come dance with me!"

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[–] SeekersLegacy 8 years ago

Um, actually Frozen does have memorable songs. You get over it. The majority of people today still actually like Frozen and consider it a good film.

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[–] cyf222 8 years ago

When I walked out of Frozen, I remembered "Let it Go", "For the First Time in Forever", "Love is An Open Door", "Do You Want to Build a Snowman". I couldn't, and still can't, remember any songs from Moana after watching it. The songs were so generic and forgettable. By your own argument, what songs from Moana matter? Absolutely none.

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[–] Zaphenzo 8 years ago

When I walked out of Frozen, I remembered "Let it Go", "For the First Time in Forever", "Love is An Open Door", "Do You Want to Build a Snowman". I couldn't, and still can't, remember any songs from Moana after watching it. The songs were so generic and forgettable. By your own argument, what songs from Moana matter? Absolutely none.

"You're Welcome", "How Far I'll Go", "We Know the Way", and "I Am Moana". I like "Shiny", too, but I could see why someone wouldn't. Though it is pretty important to the movie, as it's when Maui gets his hook back and it's what Tomatoa says in the song that causes Moana to ask Maui about his past.

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[–] stephlem89 8 years ago

You say that like it's fact, but... memorability is entirely subjective.

I for one had some of the Moana songs practically memorized before I even saw the movie, I enjoyed them that much!! (In fact there's really not a single song on the soundtrack short of maybe one of the demos that never made it into the film that I find NOT memorable.)

Yes, I'm a huge fan of Lin's, and I was always going to go in very excited about the music, but trust me, if I had truly found the music mediocre or not memorable, regardless of how talented I find Lin to be I wouldn't be FORCING myself to listen to the Moana soundtrack all the time.

When I saw Frozen, I came out having enjoyed the music quite a bit, but not feeling any particular desire to get the soundtrack. The songs were catchy, but I didn't feel any desire to hear them over and over again... I watched the Let it Go scene on youtube a few times (as much because I loved the animation as because of the song itself), and same goes for Love is An Open Door, but beyond that, the music was nice and that was about it for me.

The Moana soundtrack, on the other hand, is something I think will easily become a classic for me when I want to reach for some great, enjoyable Disney music. Literally, there's not any song on there I wouldn't happily listen to on repeat. My only thing is that I wish there were MORE on there, but beyond that, it's all really gorgeous imo. Just because it may not necessarily all be as super "sing along-y" as Frozen's music was, that doesn't make it boring or forgettable.

I'm not saying you have to agree with me by any means, but also don't expect everyone else to take it as some kind of fact that "absolutely none of the songs matter", because for many of us that's simply not the case.

Oh Bambi, I cried so hard when those hunters shot your mommy. - Kurt Hummel

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[–] cyf222 8 years ago

That is one common theme I gather from the posts. The people that enjoyed the songs in Moana listened to the soundtrack even before seeing the movie. I have never bought a soundtrack for a Disney movie, and am just going by my movie experience. By my movie experience, the songs were lacking.

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[–] Zaphenzo 8 years ago

I only listened to How Far I'll Go before the movie, and just the single version. The movie version is actually quite different (and better, imo). But since, I've listened to the soundtrack about a million times. But I also have Spotify, so I don't really have to buy the soundtrack, per se. Just throw the songs on my Disney playlist.

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