Cummeragunja Mission has an esteemed place in Australian Churches of Christ history. It was the place of birth and nurture of Sir Pastor Doug Nicholls, an eminent Aboriginal reformer and church leader and, eventually, State Governor of South Australia. Cummeragunja was also a byword for the dire conditions which led to the walkout and strike that wasContinue reading “The Sapphires – a response”
Tag Archives: cinema
The Hunger Games, Girard and the Cross
I succumbed and took in “The Hunger Games” at the local multiplex – a greybeard amongst herds of youth. The screenplay is the first of several based on a popular teenage trilogy surpassing, it is trumpeted, the Harry Potter and Twilight series. Eschewing magic tricks and supernatural themes, it paints a picture of a post-apocalypticContinue reading “The Hunger Games, Girard and the Cross”
Is it ever OK to humanise notorious figures?
The twin cinematic retrospectives on the careers of Hoover and Thatcher, both notorious conservatives that packed a lot of clout in recent Western history, invite this question. Today’s article at Eureka Street, Humanising Hoover and Thatcher – Eureka Street, takes rather a dim view of the practice. I wonder though. As one privileged to workContinue reading “Is it ever OK to humanise notorious figures?”
The Descendants – A Movie Review
A new story line seems to have caught Hollywood’s imagination … helpless, bereft dads reconnecting with their kids! Get a big box office attraction like Matt Damon or George Clooney, throw him in the deep end and see how he swims. It seems we enjoy bumbling dads, emotionally bereft of their partners, launching a way-outContinue reading “The Descendants – A Movie Review”
The Iron Lady – a Greek Tragedy
Some have criticised this film because of an “undue focus” of the Thatcher years through her latter life dementia. I thought it aptly portrayed how ardent idealism (whether it be on the conservative or revolutionary side of politics) can alienate ourselves not only from those closest to us, but ultimately from ourselves. It cast aContinue reading “The Iron Lady – a Greek Tragedy”
Film Review: The Ides of March
Free spirit that I am, I took some time out for a cinema fix after a busy week. Mrs WP was otherwise occupied, so it was a lone choice, and it boiled down to either The Iron Lady or The Ides of March. What a dilemma! Both portray political dramas and the machinations behind the scenesContinue reading “Film Review: The Ides of March”
The Guard: Movie Review
The Guard focuses on a maverick Irish cop based in picturesque County Galway, where Gaelic is the language of preference. With a nod to more permissive times, a well known Anglo Saxon word serves prolifically throughout the English dialogue. In fact the length of the script would be halved if the F-bomb were extracted. Brendan GleesonContinue reading “The Guard: Movie Review”
Red Dog – Movie Review
Here’s an Oz flick that literally champions the underdog! Red Dog is the monicker given to the red kelpie that mysteriously appears and adopts the good burghers of Dampier, a mining port in WA’s hot Pilbara region. It is based on a true story of the 70s, and the era is faithfully depicted. A commemorativeContinue reading “Red Dog – Movie Review”
Reviewing “Oranges & Sunshine”
The trouble with reviewing a film like Oranges & Sunshine, where one is familiar with locations and back-story, is that one can be overly critical over small detail and miss the thrust and drama of the narrative. It appeared that scenes purported to be Western Australian were filmed in South Australia. Was that a stobie poleContinue reading “Reviewing “Oranges & Sunshine””
The Book of Eli
The Book of Eli joins the current spate of post-apocalyptic films, perhaps riding high on the uncertainty of the times. Is the strong violence gratuitous or meant to give expression to the ultimate manifestation of dog-eat-dog society? Are the motives behind hunger for possession of the sacred book aimed at self-aggrandisement or service of others?Continue reading “The Book of Eli”
Wondering Pilgrim 