‘Tuck Everlasting’ and ‘Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie’ smart fare

Questions of mortality linger in ‘Tuck’

“Tuck Everlasting” is about a 15-year-old girl named Winnie Foster

(Alexis Bledel) who lives in the small town of Treegap in 1814. She

is one of those girls whose parents believe that finding a suitor and

becoming a lady is the most important goal in this part of her life.

It is not until she encounters Jesse (Jonathan Jackson), a

17-year-old boy, and the Tuck family that she realizes the truth of

what it really means to live. Jesse shows Winnie the best time she

has had in her life, and she falls in love with him. But his family’s

secret forbids them from being together.

Winnie is a young woman who has not yet experienced the joy of

life. She has hardly ever stepped outside the gates of her home and

is practically held captive by her parents. Jesse is a boy who has

seen the Eiffel Tower and has never once been afraid of an adventure.

Jesse is Winnie’s escort into the world, as she learns the reality of

living. Two opposites attract in this romantic adventure.

To me, this movie in a way relates to “Titanic.” There are the two

people from completely different backgrounds who fall in love and

somehow relate to one another. And yet, there is one big reason that

separates them from each other. They eventually come to a solution,

and never forget each other throughout the course of their lives.

I think this movie conveys many messages that everyone can relate

to, and has many questions that need answers. Why are we so afraid of

death when we know that if we live our life to the fullest, we will

succeed in what we think living should be like? Why is life

considered so valuable when it’s what you achieve during your life

that is most important? If you lived forever, would you be as proud

of your accomplishments as you would if you were mortal?

None of these questions have only one answer, and each response is

from the view of the beholder. But generally, life is what you make

of it.

“Tuck Everlasting” gives you different perspectives of the ideas

about life and death. It makes you think about what you really want

out of life, and what you have to do to get it.

“Tuck Everlasting” is rated PG for some violence.

* SARA SALAM attends Corona del Mar High School as a freshman.

Vegetables learn lesson of compassion

Take the Biblical tale of Jonah, change all the characters into

animated vegetables, include big musical numbers, add humor and the

result is “Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie.”

The movie begins with two adult vegetables driving several young

veggies to a music concert. A comic series of misadventures ends with

their van broken down and the veggie bunch stranded at a seafood

restaurant. There they meet “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything.” As

the veggies wait for a tow truck, the three pirates tell them the

story of Jonah as a way of teaching the veggies about mercy and

compassion.

Jonah is a prophet who travels around Israel, bringing messages

from the Lord to his fellow Jews. Then one night, God tells Jonah to

take a message to Nineveh. Jonah does not want to go. The people of

Nineveh are mean and nasty and they slap people with fish. Jonah also

feels that God’s messages should be only for the Jews.

Jonah disobeys God and pays “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything” to

sail him to Tar-shish, as far away from Nineveh as he can go. Of

course, God won’t let Jonah disobey him so easily.

The movie “Jonah” stays fairly faithful to The Book of Jonah from

the Old Testament. The VeggieTales movie just adds its own whimsical

twists along the way. The highlight of the film is the musical

numbers. The wonderful sing-along song “Billy Joe McGuffrey” starts

off the film. “Message From The Lord” and the gospel-style “Second

Chances” are bright and fun. Be sure to stay to hear the funny last

song during the end credits.

In fact, “Jonah” could probably have used a few more songs. There

are parts where the story line drags a bit that could have been

livened up with a clever song. Obviously, “Jonah” has a very strong

religious viewpoint. It is not necessary to be Jewish or Christian to

enjoy the film, but that is definitely the target audience for the

film.

It is also not necessary to be familiar with the Veggie Tales

video series, but once again that is definitely the target audience.

The very best children’s films, like “Toy Story” or “Mary Poppins,”

incorporate so much entertainment and wit that even adults without

children love watching them. “Jonah” doesn’t quite rise to that

level. “Jonah” is just a cute kid’s film with a nice message about

mercy and compassion and a few great musical numbers.

“Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie” is rated G.

* TRICIA BEHLE, 33, lives in Newport Beach and works as a

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