A view of a Bridge
We just got back from seeing a wonderful movie a few minutes ago. I can't think of anything that would have made Bridge to Terabithia a better film. Anyone who hasn't read the book might think it is just a film about 2 kids and a magical place; that's certainly all the trailer would lead someone to believe. So I worried a little about exactly how the movie would handle the real story, and whether my kids would feel cheated or upset by the unexpected turn in the action. I needn't have been concerned. My kids (11, 8, and 6) all loved it. My 6-year-old whispered to me that "We're going to buy this on DVD, and when I grow up and move out of the house, I'm taking it with me." I'd say that's pretty high praise. I appreciated the film's sensitive handling of some difficult themes... bullying, grief, abusive parents, financial struggles... I loved what one reviewer from the NY Post had to say: "Since there aren't any dumb jokes or hip visuals, it's easy to get caught up in the simple messages: Be good to your sister, don't be a bully, use your imagination in a pinch." There's an especially good scene in which the 2 main characters are discussing Jesus/God/the Bible after attending an Easter service... one of them has never been to church before and the other has been raised believing in God. Which one do you think "gets it" more?
The film could easily provide you with hours of discussion with your family. I'm looking forward to talking to my kids about it some more.
There is a lot I could say, but I don't want to spoil it for people who haven't read the book or seen the movie yet. I just don't see how someone could walk away from the theater dissatisfied after seeing it.
If you'd like a professional's opinion, I liked this one.
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movie reviews
4 comments:
Your movie reviews are just one of the reasons I am glad I met you--I know what movies to spend my money on--and which ones to skip! Sounds like this is a great one--and hopefully will be in my future soon!
Hey, glad you were interested in Dekker's book! It was definitely intense...a great page-turner (at least for me.)
To me, he still feels a little sophomorish in his writing. Some of the characters seemed to step outside their personality in places (but I guess that was the point of the book!) But very enjoyable, nonetheless!
It also brought up some GREAT questions about the dual nature of man, sin, and confession. Let me know if you read another one and what it's like!
Thanks for providing this review. I had wanted to find out more about this movie, since the trailer is quite nebulous, but didn't want to visit critics' sites, as they virtually always give away too much information about the show. Given your praise, I think I'll check this one out.
Thanks for the review. I had wondered what this movie would be like . . .
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