About 10 years ago, when I was 8-years-old, a schoolteacher friend of my mother's gave me a book to read, and that book was Bridge to Terabithia. I was absolutely enthralled by the novel, and found myself crying at the end, the first time a work of fiction had made me cry. The magic and wonder of the book stuck with me the past decade, so you can imagine my excitement when I found out it was being turned into a movie!
I went in with high expectations and was not in any way disappointed. The movie version of Bridge was incredibly true to the book, and the young actors portraying Leslie and Jess did a fantastic job. One of my favorite parts was Zooey Deschenal as the music teacher, the way she got the kids singing those songs was fabulous, those scenes were my favorites. They were so well done, with the children looking like they truly cared about what they were singing, putting all their feeling into it.
The most powerful aspect of the film was the portrayal of the imagination children possess. My friends and I found ourselves crying when Jess finally "kept his mind wide open" as Leslie suggested, and saw Terabithia for the first time. It broke my heart to realize that, at 18, I no longer possess the imagination and creativity that Jess and Leslie did at their young age.
Terabithia was shown as the perfect escape mechanism for the two kids, to get away from their bullies and family troubles. It was amazing how their fantasy world, where they were a brave King and Queen, gave them the courage to stand up to their bullies.
The moment Jess found out he was going to the museum with his teacher, I broke down, because I knew what was coming. When Jess' father breaks the new of Leslie's death, your heart all but breaks. The scenes that follow can be very difficult to watch, particularly when the kids are next shown in music class, singing a mournful sort of tune very sadly, Jess with his head on his desk, fighting back tears.
The movies wraps up beautifully with Jess bringing his ever-present little sister Maybel to Terabithia, having finally built a bridge into he and Leslie's secret kingdom. He tells her she is the princess, and that her subjects, the Terabithians, were all very excited to see her.
The whole movie was so powerful, and has a devastating effect on those of us who miss the innocence of childhood, when all one needed to have a good time was the head on their shoulders.
10 out of 10.
I went in with high expectations and was not in any way disappointed. The movie version of Bridge was incredibly true to the book, and the young actors portraying Leslie and Jess did a fantastic job. One of my favorite parts was Zooey Deschenal as the music teacher, the way she got the kids singing those songs was fabulous, those scenes were my favorites. They were so well done, with the children looking like they truly cared about what they were singing, putting all their feeling into it.
The most powerful aspect of the film was the portrayal of the imagination children possess. My friends and I found ourselves crying when Jess finally "kept his mind wide open" as Leslie suggested, and saw Terabithia for the first time. It broke my heart to realize that, at 18, I no longer possess the imagination and creativity that Jess and Leslie did at their young age.
Terabithia was shown as the perfect escape mechanism for the two kids, to get away from their bullies and family troubles. It was amazing how their fantasy world, where they were a brave King and Queen, gave them the courage to stand up to their bullies.
The moment Jess found out he was going to the museum with his teacher, I broke down, because I knew what was coming. When Jess' father breaks the new of Leslie's death, your heart all but breaks. The scenes that follow can be very difficult to watch, particularly when the kids are next shown in music class, singing a mournful sort of tune very sadly, Jess with his head on his desk, fighting back tears.
The movies wraps up beautifully with Jess bringing his ever-present little sister Maybel to Terabithia, having finally built a bridge into he and Leslie's secret kingdom. He tells her she is the princess, and that her subjects, the Terabithians, were all very excited to see her.
The whole movie was so powerful, and has a devastating effect on those of us who miss the innocence of childhood, when all one needed to have a good time was the head on their shoulders.
10 out of 10.