Filed under: Movie Discussion Guide, Tools | Tags: Movie Dicussion Guide, Tools
(Chers amis, la traduction arrive!)
Movie Discussion Guide for A series of Unfortunate Events
Synopsis: LEMONY SNICKET’S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS follows the Baudelaire orphans–Violet (Emily Browning), Klaus (Liam Aiken), and baby Sunny (played by twins Kara and Shelby Hoffman)–as they are followed by the wicked Count Olaf (Jim Carrey). A distant relative and an awful actor, Olaf is determined to claim the fortune willed to Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, whose parents died in a mysterious fire. Enigmatic author Lemony Snicket (Jude Law) recounts the adventures of the three children as they change hands from the conniving Olaf to the reptile-loving Uncle Monty (Billy Connolly) to Aunt Josephine (Meryl Steep), who lives in fear of just about everything. An adaptation that condenses the first three books in the series–THE BAD BEGINNING, THE REPTILE ROOM, and THE WIDE WINDOW–into one installment, the film captures the darkly humorous tone of the popular children’s novels by Lemony Snicket (AKA Daniel Handler). Carrey clearly has fun with his intentionally over-the-top role as the villain, while the young actors embody their resourceful characters wonderfully. (…) By keeping the heart of the eccentric books intact, A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS proves to be an usually inventive and quirky Hollywood film.
Questions:
- Who has never had any bad things happen to them? Name a few of the bad things that happened to you. [Define what is a bad thing – is getting a bad mark because you didn’t study a bad thing, or losing hours of work because your computer has a short circuit a bad thing?]
- Do we always deserve the bad things that happen to us? [Go back to the definition of bad thing – like if you get the bad mark because you didn’t study vs because your computer short circuited]
- Sometimes we really don’t deserve the bad things that happen to us. How would you explain them happening to you? [God’s Will; with fire we test the gold…]
- What purpose do these bad things fulfill? What can we learn from these bad things? [Tests to become a better person, to learn, to become detached from this world and get closer to God]
- How do we really know if something happened because of us or because of God’s Will? [The concept of striving – did we do our very very best? If we did, then it’s not our fault – could talk a little about what does it mean to really do your best.]
- Near the end of the movie, Violette Beaudelaire seems to give up on saving herself from a marriage with Count Olaf. Has she really striven before getting to that point? Could she have done more? Until when should we persevere? At what point would perseverance become bullheadedness? [Wisdom of letting go vs. being obstinate]
- In the movie, what, in the end, helped get rid of evil? [Intelligence, effort, perseverance] Do you think that this is a good reflection of how we could get rid of evil in our lives?
Quote:
The wrong in the world continues to exist just because people talk only of their ideals, and do not strive to put them into practice.
Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 16
Filed under: Movie Discussion Guide, Tools | Tags: Movie Discussion Guide, Tools
(Chers amis, la traduction arrive!)
Movie Discussion Guide for Hairspray
Hairspray is “so filled with fun, music and good humor that you might forget that there’s a lesson underneath. The idea that the true character of a person is defined by inner qualities rather than outer ones like skin color, dress size or hairdo is delivered in a sugarcoated pill that goes down so smoothly that the closing song has to gently remind us that this is a lesson we have yet to master: “We’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got a long way to go.” (Source: here)
Synopsis: “Set in 1960s Baltimore, the story follows a plump young girl named Tracy Turnblad (played by impressive newcomer Nikki Blonski) on an amazing journey as her dream of dancing on the popular Corny Collins Show becomes a reality. The local television program is a shiny spectacle spear-headed by Corny Collins (James Marsden), a gang of young dancers, and producer Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer), a seductress ice queen whose manipulative ways ensure her daughter Amber (Brittany Snow) gets more than her fair share of screen time as one of the show’s stars. When Tracy shows up at an open call, Velma can barely contain her rage, and sets out to rid the show of Tracy and the talented black dancers who make up the show’s popular “Negro Day.” Thus begins a war of talent and a battle for justice, with those in favor of integration meeting many obstacles along the way. (…) With all the wacky comedy, it’s often easy to forget that the meat of HAIRSPRAY is a battle over racial integration. The film manages to create some touching moments in the midst of sparkling musical numbers.”
Questions:
- Have you seen either the original film or stage musical of Hairspray? How did this film compare? Was the message intact?
- John’s Waters, creator of the original Hairspray, likes to focus on society’s misfits and nonconformists. Who in the film fits this category, either according to their own perceptions or those of others?
- Hairspray deals with issues of social status. What is a social status, and do you think, in light of the Writings of your religion, that they are acceptable? Why or why not?
- What characteristics make the Turnblads a loving family? What about Penny’s family? Are her mother’s Christian values true? How does she exhibit Christian love?
- Were you shocked or offended by seeing things like “Negro Day” in the film? Why? How can satirizing injustices can help us see them more clearly? Or how can satire make light of them? (If needed: What is satire?)
- What is the symbolic meaning of the rope barrier between the dancers? What are some “rope barriers” in today’s society that still unfairly separate people? What can you and your community do to begin to breach these barriers like Tracy?
- What “rope barriers” do you see in your own life? Are they imposed by others or are they self-imposed?
- How did the Writings of your religion teach you to look below the surface and judge only the inner person?
- The film close with a song that states, “We’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got a long way to go.” In what ways is this true in the film? In what ways does it describe a situation in contemporary society or in your personal life?
- Do you believe God means for people of all races to live in harmony? Why or why not? How are all persons precious in the eyes of God?
Quotes:
As long as these prejudices last the world of humanity will not attain to poise and perfection. As long as these threatening clouds are in the sky of humanity, the sun of reality cannot dawn.
Compilations, Baha’i Scriptures, p. 277
O ye humankind! verily ye are all the leaves of one tree; ye are all the fruits of one tree; ye are all one. Hence associate with each other in amity; love one another; abandon the prejudices of race; forget forever this gloomy darkness of ignorance, for the Century of Light, the Sun of Reality, hath appeared.
Compilations, Baha’i Scriptures, p. 281
Filed under: Movie Discussion Guide, Tools | Tags: Movie Discussion Guide, Tools
Chers amis, la traduction arrive!)
Movie discussion guide for Hoodwinked
Hoodwinked is “an updated re-telling of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood.” The satire begins where the fable last left off, as there’s always more to every tale than meets the eye! Furry and feathered cops from the animal world, Chief Grizzly and Detective Bill Stork, investigate a domestic disturbance at Granny’s cottage, involving a girl, a wolf and an axe. The charges are many: breaking and entering, disturbing the peace, intent to eat, and wielding an axe without a license. Not to mention, this case might be tied to the elusive “Goody Bandit” who has been stealing the recipes of goody shops everywhere.” (Source: here).
Theme: Hoodwinking, i.e. being deceived
Could be used: after lesson 1 of Walking the Straight Path (The Crow and the Fox).
Discussion questions:
- What does ‘hoodwinked’ mean? Hoodwink: to deceive or trick somebody.
- Why do you think the title of the movie was ‘Hoodwinked’? Because the bunny deceived everyone; because the story of the Red Riding Hood deceives everyone into believing that the only thing that happened was the Wolf wanted to eat her and the Woodsman saved her.
- The opening line has the detective telling us that: “There is more to the tale that meets the eye. It’s just like they say: you can’t judge a book by its cover; if you want to learn the truth, you have to flip through the pages”. What does this mean?
- Can we be hoodwinked in real life? When people want to trick us or make us believe in something that isn’t real; some do it because they are mean, and others do it without even realizing it.
- Can we hoodwink ourselves? When we fool ourselves into believing something we are not (like the crow in lesson 1 of Walking the Straight Path).
- What’s the best way of ensuring that we are not hoodwinked? Independent investigation of the truth.
Quote: Truth is one when it is independently investigated; it does not accept division.
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(Chers amis, la traduction arrive!)
Dear friends;
We have been given a lovely gift! A team of youth from Montreal have developed a couple of movie discussion guides which we have been given permission to post here. We will use a unique post for each movie for which we have been given a discussion guide, in the hopes that it will make future searches on the blog easier for all you devoted animators, especially if you are desperately looking for something at the last minute 
.
If you have other discussion guides, please feel free to send them in so that we can post them. Also, if you have used or are going to use these guides, please post your feedback so that the guides can be improved.
(Chers amis, la traduction arrive!)
As the school year starts and junior youth are choosing which activity to pursue and which they don’t deem necessary enough to continue, perseverance seems to be the biggest tool in need. In the three clusters that we surveyed, in Canada, the United States and in France, it seems too easy to get discouraged and, unfortunately, the sentiment spreads like wildfire within the group.
This post wants to be one of love and encouragement to all you faithful junior youth animators out there who are working so hard to help the next generation achieve its full potential. We asked a couple of junior youth animators for some of the quotes that are helping them through these sometimes very difficult times. We hope that the quotes below, taken from various sources in and out of the Baha’i Writings, will remind you that you are not alone and your endeavors, however small they might seem to you, are of utmost importance to the establishment of the Most Great Peace.
When the world says, “Give up,”
Hope whispers, “Try it one more time.”
~Author Unknown
Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.
~Dale Carnegie
Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.
~Author Unknown
When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.
~Franklin D. Roosevelt
Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.
~Josh Billings
Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow.
~Dan Rather
“The Sunday school for the children in which the Tablets and Teachings of Bahá’u'lláh are read, and the Word of God is recited for the children is indeed a blessed thing. Thou must certainly continue this organized activity without cessation, and attach importance to it, so that day by day it may grow and be quickened with the breaths of the Holy Spirit. If this activity is well organized, rest thou assured that it will yield great results. Firmness and steadfastness, however, are necessary, otherwise it will continue for some time, but later be gradually forgotten. Perseverance is an essential condition. In every project firmness and steadfastness will undoubtedly lead to good results; otherwise it will exist for some days, and then be discontinued.”
Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 143
“Convey the greetings of this imprisoned one to the beloved of God in the spiritual assembly of Kenosha. Say unto them: “The Cause is Great! Great! and the Kingdom of the Majestic Lord overshadoweth heaven and earth. Your spiritual assembly should be a source of joy to the world of humanity and be so illumined with light as to dispel the darkened horizons, withstand the power of tests, remain firm and constant, be not disturbed by ordeals and feel no difficulty in spreading 148 the light of guidance. If ye attain this attitude of firmness, the confirmation of the Divine will verily penetrate the world through your meeting. But this requires disinterestedness in worldly things and devotion to the Kingdom of ABHA, perseverance and effort are requisites and firmness is a necessity. I beg God to illumine the faces of each of you so that they may shine as stars in the high firmament.”
Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v1, p. 147
“This is the time of happiness; it is the day of cheerfulness and exhilaration. For, praise to God, all the doors are opened through the bounty of the Glorious Beauty. But one must show forth perseverance and self-devotion and consecrate his thoughts, until the tree of hope may give fruit and produce consequences.”
Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v2, p. 320
“Consider that the horizons of the world were enlightened through the light of the Beauty of His Holiness Christ; yet all the people were asleep, blind and sightless, except a few whose eyes were opened and perceived the lights. Now thou shalt thank God that a beam of the light came to thy sight. I ask God that thine inner sight may be illumined so that thou mayest discover the hidden mysteries of the Kingdom of God. If thou become so, thou wilt be an evident light and a divine angel in the celestial dominion; then it dependeth on the divine confirmation, according to thy perseverance.”
Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v2, p. 409
“O how I long that it could be made possible for me to travel through these parts, even if necessary on foot and with the utmost poverty, and while passing through the cities, villages, mountains, deserts and oceans, cry at the top of my voice: “Ya Baha El Abha!” and promote the divine teachings. But now this is not feasible for me, therefore I live in great regret; perchance, God willing, ye may become assisted therein.”
Compilations, Baha’i Scriptures, p. 536
(Chers amis, la traduction arrive!)
Dear friends;
Here is a list of movies that was sent in by a dedicated junior youth animator. He has already used many of these movies for his junior youth groups (he has three! amazing!) and has said these movies are the ones that were the best sources of great discussions. He has promised to send in some of the notes he took from some of the discussions. Until then, here is the list!
The Others
The Matrix
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Sicko
Bowling for Columbine
The pianist
Dead man walking
Vertigo
Frankenstein
Radio
Uptown Girls
Freaky Friday
I am Sam
Frida
The Last Samurai
Willow
What dreams may come
Life is beautiful
Lord of the Ring
Bend it like Beckham
Whale Rider
Finding Nemo
Princess Monokoke
Bamboozled
Bruce Almighty
Pay it Forward
Les battements d’ailes d’un papillon
Baraka
(Chers amis, la traduction arrive!)
Dear friends;
As the summer comes to a close, many junior youth groups are facing the challenge of integrating new members in their groups. The Kirkland JY group had the pleasure of welcoming a new member. The animators decided to add a component of games to break the ice between the junior youth, and then immediately went on to the lessons and the service activity, consulting with the new member about some of the obstacles related to it. The animators decided to do so because they felt that by immediately integrating the new member in the group’s activities, rather than doing a couple of ’slower’ ‘welcome’ sessions, the new junior youth would immediately be challenged into adopting a vision of service and become an integral member of the group.
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- The group counts and folds the milk bags it has collected
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- Gives a whole new meaning to bonding!
(Chers amis, la traduction est en cours!)
Dear friends;
It has been a little while since we have posted new material on this blog and for that we apologize. We have been dealing with various little wrinkles in the implementation and maintenance of junior youth groups in Montreal, and it has brought us some interesting perspectives that we’d like to share with you in the coming weeks.
Today we’d like to talk about the importance of unity of vision amongst junior youth animators, junior youth, their parents and the entire community. We have had a couple of situation where the animators were of one opinion, the junior youth of another, the parents of yet another and the community – yes, you guessed it, the community had an entirely different vision, too.
While we are happy to report that this lack of unity in vision did in no way affect the love that the members of each of the above groups have for one another, it did seriously encumber the efficiency of the establishment and maintenance of JY groups. This further emphasized the need for JY animators to be very deepened not only in the JY program and the new learnings coming out every day, but also the need for them to be deepened on the role of the JY program in the pattern of community life the Baha’i community is establishing and the role of that pattern of community life has in the establishment of World Peace.
“Vital to this development has been a heightened awareness of the spiritual nature of the enterprise, together with an increased understanding of those decision-making instruments that are defined by the principal features of the Plan.” (Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 2007).
The interlocking pattern of this process is best resumed in the following paragraph, taken from the Ridvan 2008 Message from the Universal House of Justice:
“Thousands upon thousands, embracing the diversity of the entire human race, are engaged in systematic study of the Creative Word in an environment that is at once serious and uplifting. As they strive to apply through a process of action, reflection and consultation the insights thus gained, they see their capacity to serve the Cause rise to new levels. Responding to the inmost longing of every heart to commune with its Maker, they carry out acts of collective worship in diverse settings, uniting with others in prayer, awakening spiritual susceptibilities, and shaping a pattern of life distinguished for its devotional character. As they call on one another in their homes and pay visits to families, friends and acquaintances, they enter into purposeful discussion on themes of spiritual import, deepen their knowledge of the Faith, share Baha’u’llah’s message, and welcome increasing numbers to join them in a mighty spiritual enterprise. Aware of the aspirations of the children of the world and their need for spiritual education, they extend their efforts widely to involve ever-growing contingents of participants in classes that become centres of attraction for the young and strengthen the roots of the Faith in society. They assist junior youth to navigate through a crucial stage of their lives and to become empowered to direct their energies toward the advancement of civilization. And with the advantage of a greater abundance of human resources, an increasing number of them are able to express their faith through a rising tide of endeavours that address the needs of humanity in both their spiritual and material dimensions. Such is the panorama before us as we pause this Ridvan to observe the progress of the worldwide Baha’i community.”
Dear friends, let’s not forget the importance of the work we are doing:
“What all must acknowledge, irrespective of circumstance, are both the crying need of a humanity that, bereft of spiritual sustenance, is sinking deeper into despair and the urgency of the responsibility to teach with which we each have been entrusted as members of the community of the Greatest Name.” (Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 2007).
This is the reason why junior youth animators need to continue doing and redoing the main sequence of course of the Ruhi Institute as well as deepen themselves on the various Messages from the Universal House of Justice and the International Teaching Center. By applying a dynamic of action, reflection and consultation, which, in the case of junior youth animators, becomes a pattern of acting as junior youth animators, reflecting on their chosen path of service, and consulting on their learnings in the light of the guidance from the Baha’i World Center, we get closer to understanding the full scope of the path of service we have chosen to trod.
(Chers amis, la traduction arrive!)
Dear friends;
A couple of animators sent us emails reminding us that since the junior youth spiritual empowerment program is about turning to the Word of God to get inspiration, we should post not only experiences and learnings, but also quotes from the Writings that would help us further our understanding of the program. We would like to thank these animators for an excellent point, and encourage our readers to not only read the quotes, but engage in a process of deepening in their homes, with their friends, with the members of the Institutions in their cluster and their region as well as with those they are serving with as well as on this blog.
“O though whose years are few, yet whose mental gifts are many. How many a child, though young in years, is yet mature and sound in judgment! How many an aged person is ignorant and confused! For growth and development depend on one’s power of intellect and reason, not on one’s age of length of days.”
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha
One animator sent the above quotation with the following note (copied with permission, of course): “I transcribed this quote on the inside of my own junior youth book so that I’d never forget that often, although they are a lot younger than me, they are so much smarter and see things that I still can’t manage to see. They are teaching me as much as I am teaching them, but I really have to fight my ego and forget the whole concept of my being older and supposedly wiser. It’s very hard!”
“He urges you to make up your minds to do great, great deeds for the Faith; the condition of the world is steadily growing worse, and your generation must provide the saints, heroes, martyrs and administrators of future years. With dedication and will power you can rise to great heights!”
- Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi
The above quote particularly touched the hearts of animators during the last training. The youth felt humbled that they were being trusted to do so much, and aware of all their personal limitations that would come in the way of achieving their destiny. However, after a period of prayer and reflection, the animators came to realize just how much they were already doing and how scaling it up wasn’t going to be as difficult as they had anticipated. By the end of the training, all had shuffled their activities around and gotten rid of some others so as to be able to serve more.
Another animator sent an email about this quote, telling us about how she shared it with her junior youth group. Apparently they had been talking about the situation of the world and how although they want to help, because they are so young, no one trusted them to be able to do anything, no one really took them seriously, and when they came up with ideas and suggestions, adults would be so condescending that they preferred never to speak up again. This animator, in a brilliant stroke of genius, told them that there was one person who believed in them with his heart and soul, and read the quote to them. Then she told the junior youth (only one of them was from a Baha’i family) who Shoghi Effendi is and how he always put his trust in the youth. The junior youth were awed that the Head of a world religion would say such things, and proceeded to consult about how to break through the prejudices of adults to be able to fulfill this destiny.
“Blessed is he who in the prime of his youth and the heyday of his life will arise to serve the Cause of the Lord of the beginning and of the end, and adorn his heart with His love. The manifestation of such a grace is greater than the creation of the heavens and of the earth. Blessed are the steadfast and well is it with those who are firm.”
- Baha’u'llah
(Chers amis, la traduction arrive!)
Dear friends;
We received some questions as to the new design of the Montreal junior youth blog. This design seemed more appropriate to the team in the it’s more light-hearted. Also, we liked the image of grass, as the junior youth spiritual empowerment program is a grassroots project.
Yes, we know. Lame, cheesy but absolutely fitting, admit it.
