If you are interested in topics like peak oil, veggie gardens, farming, the future etc have a watch of this movie. This link is one of 5, the other four will come up on screen when this finishes.
Category: movies
Surprise Movie
I was invited to see Peter Jackson’s new offering District 9
.
I almost SMS’ed my friend Dave back and told him to pick a different movie, but that is not protocol when being invited to a movie me thinks.
So someone looked it up on the internet and saw it had gotten great reviews. Certainly not from what I saw on the TV ad!
It was brilliant (bit of body splatter on the camera lense!). It was not a USA saves the world from alien attack. In fact it was not about USA at all. It was filmed in South Africa with South Africans and was about South Africa, it was about Apartheid, and segregation, about racism and inclusion. Hatred and relationship. The star Sharlto Copley had not even acted before and had no intention of pursuing an acting career. He stumbled into the leading role as ‘Neill Blomkamp’ placed him on-camera during the short film.This was one of those movies that leaves you thinking about it for days after. The film was based on director Neill Blomkamp‘s childhood in South Africa during apartheid.
I recommend it for all who don’t mind some pulse weapons blowing bodies into slushies.
A bit of powerful trivia from the film – All the shacks in District 9 were actual shacks that exists in a section of Johannesburg which were to be evacuated and the residents moved to better government housing, paralleling the events in the film. Also paralleling, the residents had not actually been moved out before filming began. The only shack that was created solely for filming was Christopher Johnson’s shack. The mutilated animal carcasses in the background of many scenes were real and with only a few exceptions, were already in the real slums and shacks used for the filming.
You gotta see the life like website they have produced.
Great New Movie From Perth Guy
3 Movies That Look Good
The Soloist, Jamie Foxx Robert, Downie Jr – A Los Angeles Journalist, befriends a homeless Julliard trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper.
Disgrace – John Malkovich After having an affair with a student, a Cape Town professor moves to the Eastern Cape, where he gets caught up in a mess of post-apartheid politics.
Last Ride – Hugo Weaving, and indroducing Tom Russell – Weaving plays a father on the run from the law, and at the beginning of his journey across the Australian countryside, picks up his young son for, well, one last ride.
Great New Doco on DVD
Jarrod McKenna, Global Peace Activist and international speaker and agitator (how good does that sound!!) Facebooked me today about this movie coming. He had just come from the Australian Islamic College, he was speaking there on being peace makers…ever had opportunities like that???
Moma Mia
Watched Moma Mia, the kids got it out, I didn’t!
But here is my confession, I am a closet ABBA fan from way back. Yes it’s true, many nights in the late 70’s on the air guitar and hairbrush microphone.
I am not normally prone to musicals… But by the end of viewing #1(yes I watched it more than once) I was dancing around the lounge with the girls and their friends!! What a classic feel good show! I am not embarased!
The First Australians – SBS
I read a great book by Tom Kenealley called A Commonwealth of Theives, a great historical read on the settling of Australia, the first fleet and Sydney Cove etc. He gives a fair bit of detail of the issues regarding the relationships between the indigenous culture (The first Australians) and the invaders (or settlers), but his focus is broader than these issues.
I have just watched episode 1 of the SBS doco The First Australians, similar in date and geographical foci to Keneally, but rather more a direct commentary on the indigenous people and the effect the invasion of their land had upon them.
If you are interested in our history as a nation and in particular the history of our interaction with the first Australians, the Aboriginal people of the land we live on, I highly recommend this series, viewable online.
Kite Runner
Just watched The Kite Runner. It was a book that I wanted to read but never got to it, so tonight I watched it instead. All subtitles but not too distracting.
Lars And The Real Girl – Movie
An anonymous friend sees more movies than anyone I know, I would say for every movie I see he sees 1o…maybe more!
So when I get an email from him telling me to see a movie he would consider the best he has ever seen…I sit up and listen! In fact I will quote him (he can sue me later!) he said
“I have just spent the last hour and a half watching the most incredible film I can’t help but let those closest to me know about it. [and now everyone reading this:)]
LARS and the REAL GIRL is possibly the finest movie i have ever seen… bar none!”
So I got it and watch it, and…it was really very very good! I suggest you should go get it out and watch it too. Be prepared to feel very very uncomfortable, excruciatingly awkward but incredibly uplifted by this wonderful community who decide to love love someone who is different and doing it tough.
There is one scene towards the end in which a group of guy came in to a bowling ally at which the main guy (Lars) was playing, I guess cultural conditioning and too many movies conditioned me to think these guys were going to ‘beat up to kook’. I was wrong, and the scene that follows was to me one of the more profound in the movie.
Here’s a blurb I found, but some part of me want to tell you not to read it, just rent the movie and enjoy the surprise.
– In this comedy, Lars Lindstrom is an awkwardly shy young man in a small northern town who finally brings home the girl of his dreams to his brother and sister-in-law’s home. The only problem is that she’s not real – she’s a sex doll Lars ordered off the Internet. But sex is not what Lars has in mind, but rather a deep, meaningful relationship. His sister-in-law is worried for him, his brother thinks he’s nuts, but eventually the entire town goes along with his delusion in support of this sweet natured boy that they’ve always loved. Written by Orange
Where have I been?
Been Slack on the Old Blog stuff, here is a quick update;
Going Where?
I have spent the last 2 weeks with Scripture Union. Camp one was with Mirrabooka High Yr 8 boys doing a selective boys to men type camp. 17 kids, lots of attitude and not all good. The last night we had to sleep out by ourselves in the bush under our own hoothchies, I was wet, very wet! The talks I did on Men as Lover, King, Monk and Warrior went well (Thanks to Mike’s suggestions on this site!)
Last week’s camp was a bit less intense, Winthrop Baptist yr 11’s Kayaking on the Murray.
Reading What?
Reading a few books;
Mark Sayers, “The Trouble With Paris“
Rob Hopkins, “The Transition Handbook“
Henry DeWitt, “Fathering Daughters – Reflections By Men“
Watching What?
Last night watched Kung Fu Panda – Great Laugh, even some Python style humour!
Watched a 1999 flick called Pitch Black which was the first in the Chronicles of Riddick series, Vin Diesel – Good watch!
Playing With What?
My bio diesel processor…we made a batch of 50L, then 80L went great, then a batch of 150L, not so great but managed a rescue and it looks great now. Then a couple of weeks ago did a 100L batch and managed soap. Yes soap is an unfortunate bi-product of stuffing up with this process. Glycerol is one of the waste products, it is also the base product for soap manufacturing, stuff up some small element in the bio process and wham – you have litres of liquid sticky glue which is actually heavy grade soap. My mate Lance has done most of the rescuing as I have been away. It looks like we may have saved a good deal of the oil!
Enjoying What?
Loved a walk to the library and then take-a-way and movies with my family yesterday arvo.
I am also enjoying the thought of 2 weeks leave over the July school hols. 3 days at Contos camp group near Prevally/Yallingup. 2 days up at the farm, lots of days just pottering at home.
Working For Whom?
I am still full time with Churches of Christ (3 days Youth Vision Ministry Coach and 2 Days OnEARTH/GMP). The SU (Scripture Union) stuff is really to keep a hand in with youth ministry experience as well as looking at options for next year.
I will be working for SU 2 days a week next year in their Neighbourhood Outreach/Forge area as well as doing a camp a term for them in Warriuka. Hopefully I can continue doing the OnEARTH stuff as it is hotting up a little.
Looking Forward to What?
Well 2 weeks leave, then 3 days in Sydney with Youth Vision, then starting up a 14 week study (OnEARTH/Ignition) which includes 2 weeks in Halls Creek with a crew from our Church as well as some others, I am also running a weekend leaders retreat in August which looks like fun.
Finishing off our new raised garden beds out the back, fixing my dead roller door, tidying up my yard a bit and generally slowing down and reading some more.
So that is it. Been way too busy, but feel ok. Not pumped. Always dreaming too much of a quiet life in the country, working less not more. But I need to learn to be in the moment more, “be where you are”.
No Guarantees 
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