I have a confession – I’ve been suffering from Moana withdrawals. Since my schedule shifted, I’ve been commuting to work by myself instead of dropping off my kids in the morning. I now have space for podcasts, a phone call, or even some silence on my ride to work. What I didn’t expect was withdrawals from Disney musicals. Without a toddler in the backseat singing along, was it still okay for me to belt out “I am Moana”?

We watch a lot of Disney and Pixar. Over and over again. I’m loving the narrative Disney has been telling in recent years. There’s depth and beauty in the stories, and fierceness and drive in the characters. My heart swells as I introduce these to my children. And I hope someday they enjoy dissecting the plot lines and characters as much as I do!

I’m finding a contrast between the new wave of Disney films and the films of my childhood. For example, in the Disney movies I grew up watching the rebellion for the princess was based on a love interest. I’ve watched Merida (Brave) compete for her own hand in marriage, Rapunzel (Tangled) find her way back to her family and her destiny, and Elsa and Anna (Frozen) reunite a sisterly bond. The ooey gooey feeling you get at the end of these movies all have a tie in to resolution with family and identity.

Here are some of my favorite reoccurring themes I’ve noticed in recent Disney films. So you are properly warned, there are spoilers ahead.

1. Identity (in Moana) 

I’ll admit, I was reluctant to see this movie, but it quickly leveled up to one of my Disney favorites. There’s a deep undercurrent of this movie – identity. It’s a movie truly about finding out who you are, especially for Moana, Maui, and Te Fiti.

With these three characters there is a beautiful redemption that happens in the last few minutes of the movie where they secure the identities they have been searching for. They animate Moana to be both scared, bold, and confident as she sings to the character Te Fiti, who we believed was the monster Takai: “I have crossed the horizon to find you, I know your name, They have stolen the heart from inside you, But this does not define you, This is not who you are, You know you who are.” Identity is laced through the entire movie. Listen as you watch the movie again – nearly every song either declares identity or tries to figure it out.

Also, I noticed a few digs Disney pokes at their own identity. Moana is the next in line to lead her people, her tribe, and they look to her for leadership. She makes a distinction between leading her tribe and not being a princess. And even the final joke at the end was a toss back to how we use to think of Disney characters.

Watch the scene in Moana that gets me every time. 

2 – More Than True Love’s Kiss (in Brave, Frozen, and Moana) 

The movie Moana has an absence of a love story. Instead of the movie’s momentum aiming at happily ever after, the story encompasses deep and beautiful themes surrounding identity, calling, and belonging. I’ve seen an interesting pattern in a recent Disney films, distancing love story from the central plot theme.

In Brave (2012), we are introduced to a spunky Scottish princess, Merida, who is trying desperately to fight tradition and avoid an arranged marriage. We have an anti-love story. The story settles on the compassionate love between mother and daughter in the end. But on the way, an anti-love story for sure.

Next, the main love story in Frozen (2013) is one of a sisterly bond. Anna and Kristoff take a backseat to the driving storyline. And the majority of the movie is spent on a farcical love story between Anna and Prince Hans. It’s even comically poked at (“Wait, you got engaged to someone you just met that day?”) and straight up rejected by Queen Elsa.

Finally, in Moana (2016) the story doesn’t even go there. This is an interesting pattern we see before us and I’m curious to see what happens for upcoming Disney royalty. This new wave of ladies is spunky and strong.

3 – Keep Disney Weird (in Frozen)

It’s okay to be odd and not fit the mold. The quirkiness Disney (and Pixar) are beginning to show on screen is helping kids see themselves in the characters.

The validity of this for me comes straight from the voice actors themselves. Kristen Bell was excited to portray a quirky princess because as a child she was a “weird little girl.” She wanted Anna to be goofy, clumsy, and weird. She said she hadn’t seen a princess that was goofy and she embraced what she wanted to see in a movie as a kid.

 

These themes focus on overcoming resistance, connect to the truth of God’s character, and show us it’s okay to break from the ordinary. I’m proud to have these themes and stories become a fabric of my parenting. And if you find yourself driving next to me, I just might be singing along to the Moana soundtrack.

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