Row M Seat 30 "Vantage Point"

"What is truth?" is not just a famous historical question but seems to be a fundamental human search and basic premise for authentic life. While "Vantage Point" doesn't rise to the heights of greatness [good scripts and plausible endings make great films] it is nonetheless in some ways an exploration of this basic search.
The film maker uses the tool of rewinding and re showing the pivotal events of the story through up to eight different sets of eyes!! These include: the recently reinstated security guard who took a bullet for the President; a recently separated tourist looking for something new in life; a local cop; the real US President watching his body double [in all the previews]; and other players who form part of an expanding and changing jigsaw puzzle.
The world is hopeful of a new agreement to end terrorism and the local freedom fighters hatch a plan of intrigue to cause trouble for the President!!
Is all what it appears? Who is in on the plot? What is truth in the eyes of the media outlet broadcasting the street square gathering?
Dennis Quade specialises in these 'not quite great' films but the rewind and replay technique and the apparent truth of the story made this an enjoyable 1 hour 40mins in my post Easter rest time!!

The other thing I've noted is the number of films coming in at 90-100 mins in recent times... a welcome return to a sensible length of time for any story besides a few notable epics!! Is it because that's how busy we've become or because studios have realised it's a good idea!!

I will be writing a more full discussion guide on this film soon...
Others I'm waiting to see:
"Hey Hey It's Esther Blueburger"
"The Black Balloon"
"St Trinians"
and
"U23D" at Sydney's IMAX and selected other theatres near you!!

Easter Camp WA 2008 Pictures

I have added at least MY pictures from Easter Camp in a flickr flash badge to the right!! Click there to explore the various images!!

Wayne Carey on ENOUGH ROPE 31 March

The intrigue started when I got an audience call email from the show for yesterday March 25 [though I knew I'd be in Perth!!] Then last week the newspapers got wind of the shows return [its a one off until May/June though] and described Andrew's guest as "a most controversial Australian" that 2 months ago he didn't think he'd be talking to...
Friends and family suspected David Hicks [now that would be a coup] and it fitted with the Sydney visits to Five Dock and connection to Dick Smith!!

But no... its serial ego and violent buffoon Wayne Carey!! Still it will be interesting viewing as will be Denton's follow up on people suffering mental illness!!
Stay tuned...

Easter Camp WA

Hey, things have been a bit quiet here as I've been flat out preparing for Easter Camp at Logue Brook 90-100 mins south of Perth in Western Australia!! I am sitting here in Perth tonight with Camp done and dusted and it's been a great time!! Maybe even some of the mob are checking out the 'Pumphouse'... in coming days I'll add a run down on my input, media and group activities plus a flickr collection of the pictures I have [about 2% of those taken on the weekend!!
In the lead up to Camp I felt done with the 'HOPE' theme I'd worked on as the needed and appropriate theme for the Hunter 2005 and a sensible development for Far North Queensland in 2007. I also pitched "Everything Must Change" or "Everything Changes" as a build on my central themes but allowing me to take a different direction [and use some of the excellent thoughts in Brian McLaren's book. I must write to Brian and thank him for writing out what I've been shaping for four years now and putting it all between 2 covers!!
The central ideas revolve around:
1. ASKING 'what is your picture of Jesus?' as a logical check in and starting point [and the most important question Jesus asked] we explore THE CROSS as a symbol of HOPE as Jesus showing solidarity with us in life in all it's aspects.
2. Trying to get a handle on EASTER SATURDAY without a Sunday and recognising that Jesus is with us in the tough times, pain and struggles in life.
3. ASKING 'what did Jesus talk most about?' we explored THE WORLD LIVED ACCORDING TO THE VALUES OF GOD and our call to join God's mission in the world and grow our faith, communities and personal gifts in giving ourselves in servanthood as Jesus' mandated by his own example
4. We turned our attention to HOME and gave people a chance to share their experience, learning and hope and TO WRITE A LETTER TO GOD to try to offer something concrete to remember in response!!

More in coming days....

My reflections tonight come after a night of long sleep [and snoring] and a day in the city of Perth.... my thanks go to Rick, Helen, Bindi, Em and Gilly for their welcome and hospitality!!
My thanks also to the leaders and campers who were warm, affirming, open and had a great time over the weekend! I enjoyed them sharing their stories and taking time to let me know how they were going with our theme... and they excelled themselves with a 'Meaningful Soles' exercise and worship space in telling their stories through the display of a significant pair of shoes. See their pictures and some explanation of what we did soon at www.meaningfulsoles.blogspot.com!!

OK...
More soon...

"Falling Slowly" Oscar Winner 2008

This song has been exercising my mind this week and appealing to me as a song about HOPE that will be helpful in exploring this theme at Easter Camp in WA fast approaching!! I would normally have the youtube video here but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has long arms and might not be happy!!
You can view and download it here!!

"Falling Slowly" Glen Hansard [The FRAMES] and Marketa Irglova
I don't know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You've made it now

Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing along

Here it is from the film "Once"


At the Oscars Marketa Irglova talked about HOPE being the thing that unites us all!! It's not a bad start to a prayer!!

Street Swags a simple but brilliant idea!!

Talking with Steph today and she shared about a story from the Australian newspaper that might get a guernsey at Easter camp in WA this year!! Read about the young adult. motivated by the plight of homeless folk and rough sleepers, who has designed swags !!
Jean Madden's mother was seamstress for the first fifty and some thousands later it sounds like a brilliant and burgeoning idea!! Read about it here.

U2 3D Opens 10th April IMAX Sydney

It's coming soon!! Check out the IMAX site here for details and the movie website for full details on this cinematic extravaganza!!

Andrew Symonds Acts Out What He'd Like to Do to Harbarjan Singh

Although Andrew Symonds will probably get in trouble for this the streaker at last nights cricket final copped an absolute beauty!! Butch James the South African Rugby Union Fly Half would have been proud of this hit!! Todays news will be full of this footage and maybe even old archive footage of Terry Alderman dislocating his shoulder at the WACA all those years ago! Alderman was out of cricket for months and took a while to get back to his best... just goes to show the gym work the cricketers do these days!! Maybe Symonds has had more than one training session with the Brisbane Broncos Rugby League side. Mind you the streaker had other reasons for notoriety apparently!!

Midnight Oil holiday project

I just got one of my holiday projects back from the framers!! I took a whole swag of tickets from concerts and shows, framed them up and they now adorn my study walls!! BUT this is the BIG one!! My signed 'Blue Sky Mine' shirt signed at the UCA Justice Expo a few years back, a drumstick I caught at Cabramatta's The Tivoli, some special tickets and the album cover for 'Head Injuries' and 'Diesel and Dust'!! Tickets include 1987 [not my earliest but the one I kept] the last show at Manly before they split, Selinas at Coogee the night you could take your feet off the floor and not fall we were so tightly packed in plus Wave Aid!!

"Say" [What You Need To Say] John Mayer

This is a catchy and relevant song from the currently screening film "The Bucket List" starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman!! More on the film in coming times!!


"Say" John Mayer
Take out of your wasted honor
Every little past frustration
Take all of your so called problems
Better put them in quotations
Say what you need to say (8x)

Walkin' like a one man army
Fightin' with the shadows in your head
Living out the same old moment
Knowing you’d be better off instead
If you could only
Say what you need to say (8x)

Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for giving over
You better know that in the end its better to say too much
Than to never to say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shaking
And your faith is broken
Even as the eyes are closing
Do it with a heart wide open
Why?
Say what you need to say (25x)