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Title: Open season 

Type: Film

Author/Director: Roger Allers 

• Open season is an animated film about a bear which has been kept in captivity since a cub resulting in the lack of survival skills. The ranger Beth takes responsibility for Boog and treats him as her child regardless of his species. Boog is content with the way he lives his life until he meets a deer by the name of Elliot. This movie makes it clear that Boog values his sheltered life by his relentless efforts to return to the township of ‘Timberline’. The forest animals live the duration of the film in fear of the upcoming hunting season. Whilst on the journey home, Boog grows an attachment to Elliot so despite finding the way home he stays in the forest to protect the friends he has made. 

This movie looks strongly into character development for Boog. He starts the film being dependent on Beth to care for him with a mindset that he has a perfect life. After meeting Elliot, he gets manipulated into leaving his bed to steal food from the mini-mart. The bribe was a chocolate bar which Boog couldn’t resist. At this point of the film Boog shifts from a trained animal to a savage. The opportunity to create havoc in order to fulfil his love for candy. As there are no expectations or consequences for most animals this allows Elliot to pursue the break-in of the mini-mart with no second thought. Boog recognises it is not right but he succumbs to his wild instincts and follows Elliot, except when caught Elliot runs away leaving boog to deal with his “mother’s” wrath. This is one of the reasons Boog is sent to live in the forest. Beth is heartbroken that she has to part with what she sees as her pet/child but she understands that it is the right thing to do. I feel this relates to me because like boog I am content with how I live now and the idea of moving out is a little daunting. For Boog, it is a little more sudden but it is his time to learn to fend for himself just as every young adult must. Moving away/out seems final as if it is the end of your childhood and ability to rely on your parents. I will have to learn how to make money for myself and pay my bills while maintaining a balance between work and play. Boog has to learn how to catch food and protect himself from the climate and hunters. Regardless of Beth’s immense love for Boog she eventually recognises it is time to let him go which is a struggle for some people. Many parents nowadays are happy for children to remain at home and within arms reach even after reaching adulthood. This results in undeveloped adults in society, it may be cheaper to live with your parents but that stunts the growth (of adolescents going into an adult) of independent action. Every adult should know how to pay the bills, cook a meal, budget for the week and buy the groceries. Incapable adults make a functioning society run rocky. Boog shows his inadequacy for survival when he struggles to find food for himself which shows us he was nurtured for far too long and will struggle because of this. It is natural for offspring to leave the parents but for humans, the time with our babies is around 18 years whereas for bears it is 2 years. Beth may have ignored the timeline due to her belief that he is where he should be which is what Boog thinks. In reality, a Bear belongs in its natural habitat and should be in the wild, that is what is right for his well being and development. 

Open season’s main message is to be open-minded and selfless. Boog was so against the idea of living in the forest that he tried everything to get back to the town of Timberline. It wasn’t until the end when he did get his chance to return home that he realised he was where he needed to be and he had made friends with many different kinds of animals. There were many times when the characters had to be selfless in order to improve the situation for somebody else. Beth showed selflessness when she agreed to free Boog regardless of her love for him but eventually this improved his lifestyle. Boog showed selflessness when he returned to the forest to help the animals with the hunters instead of returning home with Beth like he initially wanted. Recently I attended a course in Christchurch for Audio engineering, at first I didn’t think I should go. I am glad I did because even though it isn’t my thing at least had fun and know that it is not an interest of mine. I often try to say yes as often as I can due to my fear of missing out on something fun or beneficial. I would describe myself as an open-minded person and Boog shows this quality with his willingness to talk to any of the forest creatures. He could theoretically defeat any of them but he approaches them politely and treats them as equals. More often than not he is disappointed by the outcome of the conversation but still continues to talk to the animals.

            I have watched this film previously as a child but I still enjoyed the animation and the storyline. I would recommend to all ages especially children and feel the story promotes unusual friendships. 

Title: The fundamentals of caring

Type: Film

Director: Rob Burnett

• The movie fundamentals of caring were directed by Rob Burnett. Young Trevor has a debilitating disorder and has a very full schedule. His caregiver has trouble coming to terms with Trevor’s disinterest in living. Having lost a child of his own he feels like it is his obligation to help Trevor tick off a few items on his bucket list. Ben plan’s a road trip to see America’s most unusual attractions, on the way the meet two ladies. A teenage runaway; Dorothy and a pregnant woman. Trevor develops a connection with Dorothy which enriches his road trip experiences.

Trevors spends his days indoors watching tv and feeling sorry for himself. He has muscular dystrophy and has been given 7-10 expected years to live. In his eyes he has been dealt the short straw, therefore, he is useless. This links to society because many of us would rather complain and blame somebody else than overcome the problem. Experiencing things for Trevor is harder considering he is paralysed from the neck down and in a wheelchair but Ben tries his hardest to persuade Trevor that it is still worth it. It is common for victims of genetic diseases or any sort of injury write themself off as useless but they are missing out on some of the amazing things life has to offer. Trevor is obsessed with a game he plays, “ pick a number between 1 and 3500,” which at the start may be random but later in the film when Ben is talking to Dorothy’s dad, he says that Duchenne Muscular dystrophy affects one in 3500 which gives us a hint where the obsession comes from. This tells us that Trevor feels unlucky and as if he by chance of 1 in 3500 he developed his illness. Sort of like his attitude is out of so many people, “why me?”. Trevor was told he will never live to adulthood so Ben is attempting to revive his spirit and help him experience typical things, make him feel like less of a victim. 

I felt the films intended message was life is what you make it. Kindness is portrayed as well, each character benefits when a little bit of kindness is shown. For Ben it was the trip itself, for Trevor it was inviting Dorothy to ride with them and for Dot, it was returning the emotion towards Trevor. Each character put effort into the kindness even if it was minimal effort, all of which benefited themselves. I feel this concept relates to me because often I am so worried to offend or inconvenience someone that I ignore my emotions. I convince myself that I can handle the consequences and that I am able to control how I think about the situation. Whereas if I offended someone I cannot stop them from overthinking my actions thus I find it easier to cater to their needs. I wouldn’t say I am an overly kind person but I often practice this with small gestures. If my friends and I share the bill for an item and one half is more I will deal with it due to my phobia of seeming inconsiderate or rude. Trevor seems to have no regard for almost everyone’s well being thus he says what he wants when he wants, if everyone lived like that, then society would be in ruins. “But the thing about caring is, it’s inconvenient” this quote comes from the book and applies directly to my connection.

 In my opinion, Trevor was the character who had the most significant growth as a person. Before Ben became his caregiver he had a strict routine which mostly consisted of him sitting inside. The decision to embark on the adventure with Ben showed his change of heart towards living his life. His dark humour and sarcasm continue throughout the film but his willingness to accept help and try new things progressively matures.  

Overall I really enjoyed watching this movie as it is inspirational and has a side love interest between Trevor and Dorothy.  For a feel-good movie I would recommend this especially because it shows us that life is what we make it. 

Title: Before I die

Type: Written text

Author: Jenny Downham

• Before I Die is a book about Tessa Walker, an adolescent who suffers from leukemia. She’s made up a bucket list of ten things she needs to do before she passes on. She rapidly discovers that accomplishing the things on her list won’t be simple, just as understanding that all the seemingly insignificant details are what’s significant. 

Tessa’s Family has always been a little crooked. Her parents’ divorce took place before her diagnosis and her mum disappeared into the arms of another man for most of Tessa’s upbringing. Cal is her 11-year-old brother who harbours jealousy for the attention his older sister receives so he channels his attention into magic tricks and humour. The list worries her dad the most as he has spent all his time searching for a cure to prevent the inevitable. Tessa seems to a degree at peace with her fate regardless of not liking what her fate is, the list is her way of reviving her last couple of months before she dies. There are 10 things on her list; all of which are reckless for a healthy 16 years old which is where the worry her father has comes from. As a teen who spends most of her days in bed, Tessa is determined to change her routine. Sex is the first thing she ticks off with a stranger from a club while her best friend Zoe does the same. There has been some controversy in the presentation of these activities that Tessa takes part in but mostly all are commonly done things so it makes sense. Completing her list will normalise her last months as she doesn’t go to school, she is just a ticking time bomb. I can relate to Tessa in the way she wants to live like a normal teenager. It is hard seeing everyone doing things you haven’t done or the idea that you are behind your age group. I am also a big fan of making lists which is ironic for how unorganized I am. Lists are how I make sure I haven’t forgotten anything, almost like a plan. Tessa meets the boy who lives next door and eventually falls in love with him for the remainder of her days.

 Her best friend Zoe accidentally gets pregnant which shows how unexpected things can happen at any time and we just have to deal with the consequences. Her father struggles with not having control over Tessa’s decisions but has to be available to rescue Tessa up when things don’t go her way. This is often like when you make plans for a day then wake up to rain in place of the desired sun. No one on earth can control the weather, the only thing we can do is hope it goes our way then adapt to the final outcome. Much as Tessa’s father can only guide her and hope she makes the right decision for her than support her decision and Zoe having to deal with the pregnancy. This is a hard concept for most people to grasp, it feels easier to try demand an outcome especially by parents who sometimes don’t understand the situation fully. It would be wrong of Tessa’s dad to restrict her freedom and limit her last experiences in order to abide his version of how she should live.

This book portrays the main message of trust. Tessa’s desire to live her days to the fullest leans a lot of trust for her body not to malfunction and trust in herself to be brave enough within the moment. Her dad has to trust her with her actions and judgement. Tessa is desperate to live long enough to see the birth of Zoe’s baby so she puts her trust in the ‘universe’ in hopes of it not claiming her before the due date. She also gives her trust to Adam       (the boy next door) not to break her heart before she goes and with her body. Overall Tessa has to give out her trust most as she is the significantly most vulnerable. 

I really loved this book even though it is heartbreaking at the end. Tessa was such a hopeful and strong-willed character so I am glad she received the love she longed for from Adam as well as being able to hold Zoe’s baby. I felt so lucky to be healthy and alive as I am just about the same age as Tessa. 

Title: Ketchup clouds

Type: Written text

Author: Annabel Pitcher

• Ketchup Clouds is a novel about a young girl who is confessing her crime by writing letters to a man on death row. She keeps her address and identity safe by calling herself ‘Zoe’ and with a fake address. She writes many letters to him leading up to his scheduled execution as she knows he couldn’t tell her secret as he will be dead. She grows a deep connection with him regardless of the fact he can’t reply. She has no confirmation he is even reading them but she feels set free by the possibility of having told someone. This book is full of suspense, the reader just wants to know what she did while she is explaining her love story with two boys. She meets Aaron at this party and instantly is attracted to him but loses him in the crowd. She stumbles into Max morgan at the party and they make out leading to the dating in the following days. After numerous encounters with Aaron, Zoe begins to develop a ‘thing’ with him which is effectively cheating. After a couple of days Zoe figures out they are brothers and decides she must tell max about her love with the older brother; Aaron. On the night of the Spring fair (while Max is heavily intoxicated), Zoe decides to break up with him. After an epic chase scene through the rain, both brothers and Zoe find themselves at the edge of the river. Max loses control and tries to grab Zoe which results in Aaron pushing him back into the river. Max died and they told the police that he slipped. 

            Nothing I have done is to that calibre but I have lied to get out of trouble numerous times, Even if it meant passing the blame. Last week I knocked over my lamp and it smashed, I was afraid of my mum getting mad so I told her my cat knocked it over. It was a small lie but saved me from a small consequence. Zoe and Aaron had a choice of telling the truth and facing manslaughter or lie and deal with the guilt. 

Mr Harris is a vital character for the development of Zoe as she confides in him to free her of her sin. Aaron moved to Bolivia to travel as a way of freeing himself by running away despite his love for Zoe he knows he must let her go. ‘I’ll tear it up and throw it away, just like I’ve done with all the rest…True love is about sacrifice, after all, and if I want you to be free of the memory of Max, you need to be free of me” is what Aaron wrote in his letter to Zoe which he never sends. His guilt forces his sacrifice of his family, hometown and love with Zoe. 

The main theme/message in this novel is loss and sacrifice. Each character loses something throughout the book. For Zoe, she sacrifices her truth in the letters to Mr Harris as well as a lack of her happy ending as she loses both brothers and her innocence. Aaron sacrifices his connection with his family in order to protect them from the truth about how Max died. Her mother sacrifices a relationship with their grandpa in order to maintain her dignity after ignoring the signs of meningitis in (the youngest baby) Dot, causing Dot to lose her hearing.  Max sacrificed his life trying to serve justice to those who hurt him. The Morgan boys’ mother lost both her children in the same night. Almost everyone on earth has experienced a death or loss around them. In Christchurch several months ago, many fell victim to a mass shooting in the city. All schools were on lockdown and mosques were invaded, putting innocent people in danger. After so many dead this left the whole of New Zealand feeling the loss of our people. 

This is one of my favourite books ever just because I loved how shocked I was when I realised they were brother and the plot twists were so interesting. The suspense lingers during the whole book but it makes finding out her crime so climactic, I was a little upset she didn’t get her happy ending. I empathise for her situation because she did always have feeling for Aaron but was afraid to hurt Max’s feelings. As a young teenager making a decision was difficult and when it went wrong living with the guilt of that is life-changing. I would recommend as a great romance/tragedy teen novel.

Title: The name on your wrist

Type: Written Text

Author: Helen Hiorns

• The name on your wrist is a future dystopia book based around the concept that the name printed on your wrist is your soulmate; a carpinomen. Everyone has a wrist guard to keep the name a secret. Corin is a teenager and disregards her carpinomen as she believes she should have the right to choose. She is a rebellious but intelligent girl, she creates a fake carpinomen trail by serial dating several Thomas’s. As she acts out often her government delights in holding her back in school and in society. Her father’s death, her estranged mother and suicidal sister are the cause of her disbelief in happiness or order. She meets Colton, a boy in her class and they become really close then eventually fall for each other. After learning she isn’t his carpinomen and he isn’t hers they start digging. They find a doctor who offers to change their fate. They are offered a wiped memory, a new carpinomen (being each other)or the removal of the carpinomen all together. They wipe their wrist clean from obligation and the book ends. 

At one point in the novel, Corin admits to having illegally obtained several books/texts written by Shakespeare due to her fascination of life before carpinomen’s. This reminded me of how many people illegally download movies from unstable websites such as 123movies.com. It is a globally used site but can give your device viruses and is low quality but is used due to its extensive selection of movies and shows. Corin describes herself as a “Sinic” which is a pessimistic and distrustful person which when applied to me is quite opposite. I am a trusting person which often makes me gullible but comes in handy because I am able to detach myself from most stress by putting my trust in fate and religion. My mind can’t help but think that if it is meant to be then it will happen so I find relating to Corin’s thought process a little hard, aside from the fact that we share the dislike from being the norm. 

The main concept in this book is deception. The government that designed the idea of carpinomens have lead people to believe that a higher power chooses and places it on your wrist. Around 1-3 years of age the doctor wait until a child ends up in hospital or schedules a check-up eventually, they will perform the procedure of printing the name on the child while the parent is absent. They deceive the public by making the carpinomen seem natural and meant to be when in reality the name is categorized in a database to ensure everyone has a partner. Corin deceives everyone she knows by pretending ‘Thomas’ is the name on her wrist. Colton deceives the community by pretending to be born to parents who are soul mates which is considered a frowned upon occurrence. Corin’s mother deceives the government at one point by pretending Corin is a Gardner in order to receive more land space which is really for herself. 

I did like the idea of the book but the ending was a little disappointing and wasn’t very fulfilling. I enjoyed Corin’s character though, she is a strong-minded person who isn’t afraid to do wrong to get what she wants. This makes her point of view interesting for the reader.

Title: Before I fall

Type: Written text

Author: Lauren Oliver

• Before I fall is a novel about a high school student who finds herself stuck in some sort of time loop. Samantha is a popular girl who rules the highschool with her friends as well as dates the hottest boy in school. On Valentine’s day, they go to a party where Sam is supposed to lose her virginity to her boyfriend. He is too drunk so it doesn’t happen but Juliet shows up at the party which alarms everyone. She is just a strange girl which makes her a person of interest for the popular girls to pick on. On the drive home, Lindsey (sam’s best friend) loses focus on the road and they crash. Samantha wakes up the next day in her bed as normal but she soon realises it is the same morning all over again. The day goes on exactly as it did the day before and this keeps going. Samantha keeps dying the same way until she tries to change up her actions. By not going to the party Juliet commits suicide and the day still starts again. She tries to live each day different to experience people’s responses to different scenarios. Eventually, she realises she must be the only one to die so she lives a perfect day and does everything she needs to do before stopping Juliet from jumping in front of a truck by pushing her out of the way. 

Samantha experiences all 5 stages of grief during her last days. Denial, Anger,  Bargaining, depression and acceptance are all part of any grieving process.“ hope keeps you alive. Even when you’re dead, it’s the only thing that keeps you alive” is a quote which shows how she knows what must be done but she is still wishing for a different destiny. This is a universal process which many come up against and is recognised as the way to truly accept what has happened. I feel a connection with Samantha in how her little sister is so attached to her. I have little sisters and they are constantly coming in and out of my room, demanding things from me. I can never get a break from them just like Sam. She often yells at her little sister out of frustration which I try to avoid yet I found myself doing yesterday. 

This book focuses on the theme of judgement. Throughout the book, Sam has to decide whether her well being is more important than anyone else’s. Every day she has to choose to approach the day the way she wants to or the way that suits the people around her. The judgement of whether she should end her life to save Juliet’s like expected of her. The first night she and Juliet both died, which is why the universe gave her an option to save a life. In several of her redone days, she trials different things which end up hurting someone one way or another. On her final day, she decides how everything should be to keep everyone happy. 

I really enjoyed this book because it opened my eyes to how I should value the time I have since I don’t know how much I have left. This book has been made into a film and is very suitable for teenagers. I am a similar age to Samantha and feel the loss she suffers by having to say goodbye to everyone she loves and the idea of a future.