Hye Hokeen: It’s Time for Movie Night & Discussion!
Share this with your local ACYOA chapters and let’s make movie nights happen across the diocese!
As the weather gets cooler, now is a great time to plan a movie night for your ACYOA chapter. Meet in your parish’s youth room or at someone’s home, get supplies for hot chocolate or warm apple cider, pop some popcorn, and curl up for a good film.
We suggest watching the movie Wonder (2017), a heartwarming story about a boy named Auggie who looks a little bit different from his peers. Auggie helps his classmates, teachers, administrators, and family realize the importance of kindness and inclusion. After all, we all need a little more kindness in this world!
Watch the movie wonder and discuss the following questions:
- Auggie had classmates who were asked to be his friend, and he also had classmates who wanted to be his friend. Identify a time in your own life when a friend was fake versus a time when they were genuine, and explain how you were able to determine the difference between the two. Is there a difference between being kind versus being nice? Discuss.
- What character were you able to relate to the most in the movie? What did you learn about yourself when compared to the character and their perspective?
- In Auggie’s experience, people either sneakily stare at his face or avoid looking at him altogether. Have you ever had these reactions when meeting someone who looks different from you? After watching this movie, how might you try to alter your response in the future?
- What role do facial coverings (such as the astronaut helmet and Halloween mask) play in Auggie’s life? In what ways do they hinder or help Auggie to overcome his unique facial features? Are there characters in the movie that also play a role in advancing or deterring his level of confidence and acceptance at school?
- How does Auggie change from the beginning of the movie towards the end? Based on what you see in the film, does Auggie think of himself as ordinary, or extraordinary? What events or interactions had the strongest effect on him? Explain.
- One of Mr. Browne’s precepts that he presents to his students says: “When given the choice between being right, or being kind, choose kind.” What does this mean to you as an Armenian Christian, and how can this concept be applied in your daily life?