A Bridge to Terabithia
I’ve just watched A Bridge to Terabithia a few weeks ago. What can I say? Is it a children movie? Yes, the main performers are still very young. They have very wonderful fantasies (which I’m sure, will lead the audience to miss their childhood fantasy again). But, no, the dialogs and the theme are just, very mature.
The film talked about real world problems and how they can face it, a child’s loneliness in his very own life (even when he is in his home, alongside his family), the meaning of tolerance and forgiveness to others, and a bunch of other interesting matters. It even talked about spiritualism.
Well, even though I do not completely agree to the writers' thinking, I find some interesting discussion topics based on the movie in Christianity Today (Peter T. Chattaway, posted on February 16, 2007). Here they are:
- Leslie remarks that Jess and May Belle have to believe in Jesus but don't like the story of his death and resurrection, whereas Leslie doesn't have to believe in Jesus but does like the story. Do you like the story? Do you think you have to? Would you like it more if you didn't think you had to?
- Leslie, waving her arms at the world in general, says, "I seriously do not think God goes around damning people to hell. He's too busy running all this!" How would you answer Leslie? Does God "go around" condemning people? What would you say to Jess when he says he is worried that someone he knows has gone to hell?
- A recurring theme in the film is to "close your eyes and keep your mind wide open." How open should a mind be? How do you know if it is too open?
- How did your attitudes towards the characters change over the course of the film? How do the attitudes of the characters toward each other change? Point to specific examples, such as Leslie's relationship with Janice, or Jess's with May Belle.
How would you answers to those discussion starters?
