Wonder woman

Claire Brine considers the new movie about Alice in Wonderland, and says challenges can be conquered

WHATEVER you do, don't be late. You've got a very important date. It's with a girl called Alice, and it takes place in a curious world called Underland. People wanting to get there are travelling to cinemas nationwide where Alice in Wonderland - a new twist to the classic Alice stories - is on release.

When she was a child 19-year-old Alice (Mia Wasi­kowska) visited Underland but now can't remember much about it. Her only recollections of the place she called Wonderland come in the form of dreams about a blue caterpillar and a smiling cat - and she doubts that such creatures are real.

Now that she has grown up, she must turn her mind to more important things, such as her impending engagement to Hamish Ascot. But when she sees a waistcoat-wearing white rabbit at her engagement party, curiosity gets the better of her. She chases after the animal, falls down a rabbit hole and lands in Underland.


Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen
Before long Alice is surrounded by a collection of talking animals and flowers, none of them convinced that she is the Alice they are looking for.

The inhabitants of Underland need a heroine strong enough to save them from the miserable reign of the evil Red Queen, Iracebeth. They need someone brave enough to fight and slay her dragon-like pet, the Jabberwocky. But they can't see how this Alice fits the bill. And that means that the rightful ruler of Underland, the White Queen, is likely to remain powerless.

The future looks bleak - until Alice meets the Mad Hatter. He recognises her instantly from her previous visit and believes she is the right girl to restore the White Queen. Alice is afraid of the Jabberwocky, but the Mad Hatter has complete faith in her.

The dangerous Jabber­wocky is a huge obstacle for Alice to overcome. She doubts that she can win the fight. But the Mad Hatter knows that defeating the creature is possible. Alice just needs to believe it.


Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter
In the real world there can be situations which we feel are impossible to overcome. Someone we love dies and we feel too weak to cope. A friend betrays our trust and we are too angry to forgive. We think that we are hopeless and will never amount to anything.

When life feels like a bad dream, we don't have to be defeated by it. Whatever we come up against, we can have faith in God to help us through. With him by our side, anything can happen. And whatever problems we encounter, we don't have to face them alone.

Jesus says: ‘For God, everything is possible' (Matthew 19:26 Good News Bible).

If we trust in God and follow him, our life can change. Our problems may not go away, but we can face them in ways we never expected. We can draw on God's strength to help us cope. We can accept God's help in forgiving those who have let us down. We can take comfort from God's promise that he is always with us and loves us unconditionally.

Impossible? Don't you believe it! - TSA UK War Cry