Clara said it all week. We made several attempts to see Happy feet at the theatres and finally succeeded at the IMAX yesterday. The movie was full of energy and life. The IMAX experience was amazing... as it always is. One thing jumped out at me. The fundamentalist, religious themes and the way the "elders" and the "old guard" utterly rejected the newcomers' ideas with no consideration. I know I am pushing it to look deeply into a family cartoon but I think the religious theme was there along with the "save the earth" undercurrent of the entire flick.
Strangely, watching this film reopened wounds created by Branch's baptist's "group of elders" 2 years ago now. The ideas of inclusion versus exclusion cut deeply then and remain in my heart now. Tolerance, compassion and the battle between a desire to seek new ways or entrench in the old are central to everything I do now. Even Alyssa, somehow made the subliminal connection to Branch's from this movie. There was something about the connection to singing, our "heart songs" and music being a unifying force that struck home for all of us. She asked about returning their to worship and see friends on the way home. I am not ready to do that yet, but perhaps soon.
This was a good family film, entertaining and thought provoking. The polyvalent story was beautiful and thought provoking. Ultimately, the look on Clara's face as she said Happeeee when she saw the poster as we left... made it worthwhile all around. I do wish it was easier to sustain the Happeee emotions.
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