12 Mile Road

I slept quite late last night. 3 a.m. to be exact. I watched this movie on TV. Why is it they put those movies that are worth seeing that late?

Do Meet the Robinsons

Today we went to the movies. We have wanted to for quite some time. The children wanted to see "Meet the Robinsons", but I wasn't quite sure it would be good for them. After reading some reviews in newspapers and on line, I concluded it'd be OK. Admittedly I am attracted to movies that the critics aren't terribly enthusiastic about. Same goes about books. If they are not the nomenclature's favorites, they have more chances to be interesting. I am glad we went.

"Meet the Robinsons" is the story of a boy who grew up in an orphanage. He was keen in creating numerous inventions that always turned out marginally wrong. While in an inventions competition, he is transported into the future by another boy who, as it turns out "will be" his son.

This cartoon, funny and action packed as it is, with beautiful colors and lovely expressions of the characters' faces, has a deeper meaning and it can be read on various levels.
First of all it teaches children to always move forward despite the obstacles. To persevere in their objectives and reach out for their dreams.
In the film, Lewis is looking for his birth mother. He believes that only if he finds her, will he find love and acceptance.When he travels in the future, he meets the Robinsons, who turn out to be his own (future) family. When he finally gets the chance to travel back in time and persuade his birth mother not to give him up at the orphanage, he realises that life is just how it is meant to be. It reminded me of this poem I wrote about the other day: "You are not an accident".

The film also alludes to the unity of time: past, present and future, as being one. This is a strong philosophical issue, and it surprised me that they made such a hint in a movie targeted at a young audience. It reminded me of the The Celestine Vision where it said that as we progress in time, we are entering a higher level of consciousness. Remember cartoons twenty or thirty years ago: light and fluffy and mostly silly. Whereas this is a different level of entertainment, funny and pleasant but also mature in the way it treats sensitive issues, often philosophical ones to which we wouldn't normally think children could be exposed.

On a lighter note: I loved the scene where people are using soap bubbles to transport them from one place to enother. Now that's eco-friendly!
So, if you haven't seen it yet, do. I'd like my children to have a copy of it to think about and offer it to their children as a legacy of faith and strength in their lives.