I feel this is a perfect way to describe my journey last month: assessments staring at me with crossed hands and eyebrows raised and assignments creeping up my neck with a sinister smile. Between these was a friendly hand fondling my shoulders and it was none other than the cultural programs. It was as if the black and white was mixed in a color palette and all I got was gray. I could feel neither happiness nor worry about the stress in the coming days.
After a solid 3 weeks of assessments(yeah you heard that right), I finally got my hands on popcorn to watch a movie. I was planning to watch a horror movie but didn't want to take the risk, especially at midnight. I had not watched any other movie and I was determined to watch one. Fortunately, there was only one left for me and it was called "Bridge to Terabithia". Apparently, I had downloaded this movie a really long time ago, probably after watching a short clip on Instagram.
Directed by Gábor Csupó and starring Josh Hutcherson as Jesse Aarons at his pre-teen age, the movie is an American drama and a recreation of Katherine Petersons's children novel titled under the same name. The movie sets out slowly in a typical Hollywood fashion and gives me the late 2000s vibes. Our protagonist is found to be a victim of bullying, both at school and at his household. There are also subtle indications of parents' negligence towards our character. Navigating through a dark tunnel, a thin light of hope bathes Jesse as Leslie Burkes, played by AnnaSophia Robb, enters into his life and soon enough they become thick friends. The main plot revolves around the creation of their own magical world called Terabithia in the woods behind their houses.
Though it's a movie for kids, it doesn't fail to teach us the core moral concepts that even adults lack in today's world. While Jesse is a boy of pessimism, Leslie finds good in almost all situations. One dialogue that sticks with me is "Close your eyes but keep your mind wide open" and it beautifully explains how one must always look for the light even in the deepest of caves. The movie is the perfect description of "Life's too short" and spits out the horrific fact of mortality while teaching us how often we take people for granted. What may seem to be in our hands today might get lost forever and the guilt of not realizing its worth is far greater than the actual loss of it.
It was a great eye opener and our generation must give it a try though I must warn that not many people will like this genre and the way the movie is directed. It doesn't have any thrills, rather a lot of childish elements that many may find boring or even annoying. As a guy who enjoys the feel good genre, it was kind of emotional but it definitely made me choke a bit and reflect upon myself a lot. I'd rate it a score of 7.5 out of 10. If anyone has already watched or taken up my suggestion, let me know how you feel about the movie!
